PYA announces judges for 2026 Ballard Innovation Award
These judges were hand-selected as a result of their contributions to the Tennessee entrepreneurial ecosystem, and personal achievements with their respective companies and organizations.
PYA, the power behind teknovation.biz, has announced five esteemed judges for this year’s PYA Ballard Innovation Award.
Applications for the Award closed last week, and review is underway. The judges for this year’s pitch competition and award program represent a broad range of industries and backgrounds that make them well-suited to review and select the 2026 Ballard Innovation Award winner and runners-up.
Meet the Judges
Tom Ballard, the PYA Ballard Innovation Award’s namesake, firm’s former Chief Alliance Officer, and Founding Editor of Teknovation, will take the hot seat as a first-time judge for the Award. Since Ballard is now retired and independent from PYA, he is able to participate in a judging capacity.
A pillar of the East Tennessee entrepreneurial community, Tom spent more than four decades building business connections between major entities and public and private organizations throughout the region, state, and nation before joining PYA in 2012 as Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurial Initiatives. He retired in December 2025.
Marianne Wanamaker is the Dean of the Baker School for Public Policy and Public Affairs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK). Wanamaker served in the White House as chief domestic economist at the Council of Economic Advisors, where she was also the senior labor economist. She has been a member of the Federal Workforce Policy Advisory Board and, earlier in her career, worked as an associate consultant for Bain & Company in Boston.
Tracy Thompson is a serial entrepreneur who co-founded Focus Health Group. He still serves as the company’s CEO, while also maintaining a philanthropic presence in East Tennessee. The mission of Focus Health Group is to provide high-quality, low-cost product alternatives to the healthcare marketplace while providing unsurpassed customer service.
Rob Stivers is a Market Executive for Regions Bank and also serves as the Chairman for the Board of Directors for the Knoxville Chamber. In his role with Regions, Stivers helps drive regional awareness, market share, and development for more than 200 bank locations in Tennessee and more than 1,200 branches across the United States.
Andrew Hanna is the former Chief Product Officer for Safire, which won first place in the PYA Ballard Innovation Award in 2024. Hanna has an extensive background in go-to-market strategy, product and brand development, as well as extensive knowledge about raising capital from an East Tennessee base.
Alvin Nance is the CEO of Development for LHP Capital LLC, which is a real estate development firm and a national leader focused on the development and management of affordable housing. Before joining LHP, Nance served a 14-year tenure as Executive Director and CEO of Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation, the public housing and redevelopment authority for the City of Knoxville.
The Ballard Innovation Award is the largest gift of cash and in-kind services available to East Tennessee entrepreneurs and startups. It is a reflection of PYA’s commitment to the region.
The first-place winner of the PYA Ballard Innovation Award will receive a $50,000 package of capital ($10K) and in-kind services ($40K), marketing and promotional awareness through earned media, and a physical award for presentation and marketing purposes
Applications for this pitch competition are closed.
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