2026 Legacy Ball Chairs
Mr. Don Hardin
Legacy Ball Chair
Donald R. Hardin, Jr. was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. Currently and for more than 25 years, Don co-owns and manages DON HARDIN GROUP, a construction management firm based in Nashville with and serving Fortune 500 clientele across the country as well as serving community-based organizations.
After graduating from TSU with a degree in the school’s A.B.E.T accredited Architectural Engineering program, Don was recruited by several firms and accepted a position with the Fluor Corporation (Previously Fluor Daniel – Ranked by ENR as the largest Construction Manager when Don was hired). At Fluor, Don took advantage of the opportunities to manage various prime and sub-contractors as well as experience in the role as a structural designer on many projects.
Mrs. Tracy Hardin
Legacy Ball Chair
Tracy Kirk Hardin is a construction executive with over 20 years of experience leading office operations for a family-owned construction and development firm in Nashville, Tennessee. As Chief Operating Officer of Don Hardin Group, LLC, she oversees finance and human resources, while assisting with strategic planning and business development. During her tenure the company has completed many high-profile projects, including the National Museum of African American Music, Music City Center, First Tennessee Park, and renovations to Vanderbilt Football Stadium. Her leadership is grounded in collaboration, operational excellence, and a commitment to building lasting relationships with clients, partners, and the community.
Mrs. Gail Carr Williams
Legacy Ball Chair
Gail Carr Williams earned degrees from The University of Michigan and the University of Detroit School of Law. After practicing law in Michigan, she contributed to human resources and helped establish the Office of Outreach and Engagement at The Ohio State University.
Joining Vanderbilt University in 2001, Ms. Williams has spent the last 20 plus years focusing on community engagement. She also taught governance and community engagement at Vanderbilt Peabody College of Education from 2014 to 2021.
Recently, Gail founded Taylor Street Connections, an organization committed to fostering meaningful connections both within and outside of organizations, using practical strategies. The company employs a variety of tools, such as community engagement initiatives, active listening, data analysis, educational programming, and collaborative partnerships to effectively support clients.
Mr. Tylan M. Beard
Legacy Ball Young Professionals Chair
After pursuing lifestyle content and becoming a recognized Nashville influencer, Tylan began to intentionally pivot toward ensuring that who he was and what he excelled at could be both profitable and valuable-not only for himself, but for others as well. This shift led him to leverage his expertise, knowledge, and the platform he had built into a serious business, TMB Enterprises, LLC, where he continues to do the work he loves on a larger and more intentional scale. He is deeply passionate about collaborating directly with brands, businesses, and organizations, working with them strategically in business, branding, and marketing so they can grow, reach broader audiences, and achieve stronger margins. Serving as a face that shares experiences with wider audiences-introducing people to entities they may not have previously known-is at the heart of his work.
Ms. Lea A. Bryant
Legacy Ball Young Professionals Chair
Lea A. Bryant is a Nashville native, community builder, and founder of She’s Social, an all-women’s social club dedicated to creating meaningful connection through curated experiences. Over the past three years, Lea has curated 25+ community events and engaged thousands of women across Nashville, with She’s Social growing to more than 230 paid members and reaching well over 2,000 women through events, partnerships, and programming.