Cumberland Emerging Technologies, Inc. (CET) announced today the addition of Van Tucker to its board of directors. The mission of CET is to develop innovative new biomedical products emerging from university-based research. CET also manages Nashville's Life Sciences Center which supports a growing number of biomedical startups and successful graduates.

Tucker is president and CEO of Launch Tennessee (LaunchTN), a public-private partnership with a vision to make Tennessee the most startup-friendly state in the nation. LaunchTN provides startup resources to entrepreneurs, including capital sources, mentorship, accelerators, entrepreneurship training and more.

"We are pleased to welcome Van to our CET board of directors," said A.J. Kazimi, CEO of CET and Cumberland Pharmaceuticals. "Her work in the Nashville community and her startup experience will bring valuable benefits to our organization as we continue to work with early-stage life science discoveries."

Tucker started her career in the banking and finance industry, having served as senior vice president of both Bank of America's entertainment industry group and Regions' private banking sector. Following her time with Regions, she was involved in the founding of Avenue Bank, a startup community bank in Nashville, where she served as chief creative officer. Prior to joining LaunchTN, Tucker was founder and CEO of the Nashville Fashion Alliance, an organization that raised international awareness of the $6 billion impact of the fashion industry on the local economy. She has also served as the founding leader of two private strategy consulting companies serving Fortune 100 companies.

Tucker has been named to the Nashville Business Journal's "Women of Influence" list and Forbes' list of "40 Over 40 Women To Watch." In addition to CET, she has served on a variety of private and community boards, including Americana Music Association, Leadership Music, Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and the Owen Graduate School of Management Alumni Board.

CET's board of directors also includes Kazimi; Alan Bentley, assistant vice chancellor of technology transfer at Vanderbilt University; Kenneth J. Holroyd, vice president of technology transfer at Vanderbilt University Medical Center; John A. Smith, professor of pathology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine; James P. Leyda, former senior executive of Hoechst Marion Roussel (now Aventis); and Samuel M. Lawrence, CEO and co-founder of CytoViva, Inc.