NASHVILLE – Six Nashville leaders from diverse business sectors, including music, hotels, attractions and Major League Soccer, have joined the Board of Directors of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp for Fiscal Year 2025. Ken Levitan, founder and co-president of Vector Management, will serve another term as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
New board members are Ian Ayre, Chief Executive Officer of Nashville Soccer Club, Major League Soccer’s 24th club which debuted in 2020; Linda Chambers, CEO and Co-Founder of the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, the only museum in the world that honors musicians of all genres and exhibits original artifacts and instruments that were played on hit records; Mark Fioravanti, President and CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc.; Becky Gardenhire, a Co-Head of the Nashville office of WME, as well as partner and talent agent in WME’s music department; Tony Phillips, General Manager at the Bobby Hotel and formerly General Manager at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel; and Shannon Sanders, Executive Director, Creative, at BMI Nashville and a celebrated songwriter and producer who has won three GRAMMY Awards, two Emmy Awards and a Dove Award over his 25 years in the music industry.
“We are grateful to these leaders who bring their deep expertise in the hospitality, entertainment and sports industries, along with their invaluable insights of our city,” Levitan said. “Their guidance will be crucial as we navigate this period of expansion in Nashville’s tourism industry, particularly with ongoing hotel construction and our bids for major events and conventions. Their leadership will help ensure that the industry remains a vital economic engine for the region.”
The 24-member NCVC Board represents sectors from within and connected to the hospitality industry to guide the organization during continued growth in visitation, hotel supply and major sporting events. Nashville’s hospitality industry generated record economic activity for the city in 2023 with $10.56 billion in direct visitor spending and unprecedented hotel performance with the most room nights ever sold in a single year at over 10 million. The industry represents 72,900 leisure and hospitality jobs in Davidson County.
Nashville is ranked the third-best meetings destination in North America (Cvent) and has been named a top destination to visit worldwide for 13 straight years by major travel outlets. Large-scale events continue to help drive demand in Music City with strong summer performances from CMA Fest and Let Freedom Sing! July 4th in Music City. Stadium concerts continue to sell record numbers of hotel rooms over weekends, including country singer Morgan Wallen’s May concerts and Zach Bryan’s show in June. Jack Daniel’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash will again be a free concert at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park and a five-hour special on CBS, inspiring future travel.
The NCVC Executive Committee for FY 2025 includes Levitan as Chairman; Marcus Whitney, Founding Partner, Jumpstart Health Investors, as Chair-Elect; Kevin Lavender, EVP and Head of Corporate Banking, Fifth Third Bank, as Immediate Past Chairman; Claire Tucker, Independent Director, Ford Credit Bank, as Finance and Audit Chair; Max Goldberg, Owner, Strategic Hospitality, as Sales and Marketing Chair; and Deana Ivey, President and CEO, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp.
The FY 2025 NCVC Board of Directors also includes the following:
- Dr. Robert Fisher, Past President, Belmont University
- Sherry Franklin, Director of Hotel Sales, Renaissance Nashville
- Eddie George, Head Football Coach, Tennessee State University
- Dr. Alex Jahangir, Vice President of Business Development, Vanderbilt Medical Center
- Doug Kreulen, President and CEO, Metro Nashville Airport Authority
- Pat Martin, Founder and Chairman, Martin Investment Group
- Burke Nihill, President and CEO, Tennessee Titans
- Howie Nuchow, Co-Head, CAA Sports
- Molly Shehan, Attorney, Milom Horsnell Crow Kelley Beckett Shehan
- Marc Sternagel, General Manager, Grand Hyatt
- Sarah Trahern, Executive Director, CMA
- Ben Weprin, AJ Capital
In addition, the NCVC announced five new members to the Board of Directors of its foundation, Music City Inc. They include Shawn McSpadden, Managing Partner, Range Media Partners, a diverse company representing talent in Film/TV, Music, Sports and Influencers; Ben Olin, General Manager, The Westin Nashville; Ellen Jones Pryor, Director of Communications, Frist Art Museum; Amy Seigenthaler Pierce, Managing Partner, FINN Partners, and represents Ireland as Honorary Consul to the state of Tennessee; and Courtney Ross, Senior Manager of Community Engagement, Amazon and a member of the company’s Public Policy team.
Music City Inc. was created in 2006 as a 501(c)(3) foundation and produces music-centric events that are free and open to the public, including the Music City Walk of Fame. During times of crisis, the foundation has collected and distributed relief funds, and it continues to partner with local organizations to positively impact the Nashville community.
The Music City Inc. Board is chaired by Doug Kreulen. Its members also include Mignon Francois, Founder, The Cupcake Collection; Laura Hollingsworth, Chief Marketing Officer, Opry Entertainment Group; Seamus Ross, Founder and CEO, Castlerock Asset Management; and Hugh Anderson, General Manager, Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, along with the NCVC’s Deana Ivey; Andrea Arnold, Chief Public Affairs Officer; and Jeff Mefford, Chief Financial Officer.
NCVC Board of Directors
Ian Ayre
Ian Ayre is the Chief Executive Officer of Nashville Soccer Club, Major League Soccer’s 24th club which debuted at Nissan Stadium in 2020. Since arriving in Nashville in 2018, Ayre has been tasked with building the entire club from the ground up. In addition to overseeing the club’s business and soccer operations, Ayre developed GEODIS Park, which is the largest soccer specific stadium in the United States and Canada. Ayre has an extensive career in the areas of sport, media, and technology, as well as 10 years of active military service in the British Royal Navy. He previously served as Chairman and CEO of Huddersfield Town AFC; was founding managing director of Premium TV Ltd, a digital sports media company that secured the digital media rights of all 72 Football League clubs and a host of Premier League teams; and helped build Asian sports marketing organization Total Sports Asia. In 2007, Ayre returned to the U.K. to take up a role with Liverpool Football Club, the club he had supported since his childhood. Over his 10 years at Liverpool, he was responsible for rebuilding the club at all levels, including record-breaking sponsorship deals and a £120m stadium expansion. He was directly responsible for all player transfer negotiations including contract negotiations on over 100 players, including some of the biggest names to play in the Premier League. Born in Liverpool, England, Ayre has been a soccer fan since his early years and followed Liverpool all over the world both as a fan and as an employee.
Linda Chambers
Linda Chambers is CEO and Co-Founder of the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, a non-profit that is one of Nashville’s premier attractions and event venues. The Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum is the only museum in the world that honors musicians of all genres and exhibits original artifacts and instruments that were played on hit records. The museum has also been the home to the GRAMMY Museum Gallery since 2016. For over 25 years, Chambers has dedicated herself to the preservation and restoration of historical artifacts and buildings. She also serves as Executive Producer for the Musicians Hall of Fame Concert & Induction Ceremony, a recorded event that honors and celebrates each class of inductees. Prior to co-founding the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, she and her late husband, Joe Chambers, owned a successful chain of guitar stores in Tennessee and Kentucky, Chambers Guitars. Beyond her entrepreneurial achievements, Chambers contributes actively to Nashville’s cultural landscape. She has served on the NPT Community Advisory Board and plays an integral role in SOURCE Nashville, contributing to the SOURCE Awards and SOURCE Exhibit committees. In recognition of her significant contributions to music and culture, Chambers was awarded a star on the prestigious Music City Walk of Fame in 2023.
Mark Fioravanti
Mark Fioravanti is President and CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. In his role, Fioravanti is responsible for all facets of the company, including its portfolio of destination convention resorts and its owned and operated entertainment division, Opry Entertainment Group (OEG), home of a growing collection of iconic music brands and venues including the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium. A 22-year veteran of Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (formerly Gaylord Entertainment), Fioravanti was appointed CEO January 1, 2023, after serving as president and chief financial officer since 2015. Prior to 2015, Fioravanti served in various senior positions for RHP, including EVP and CFO, SVP and treasurer, division president of ResortQuest International, and SVP of Sales and Marketing. Fioravanti holds an MBA from the University of Tennessee and a BSLA from The Ohio State University. He serves on the board of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, NAREIT’s Advisory Board of Governors, and the Tennessee Business Leadership Council.
Becky Gardenhire
Becky Gardenhire is a Co-Head of the Nashville office of WME, as well as partner and talent agent in WME’s music department. She represents various clients across country music, including Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, Jordan Davis, Ingrid Andress, Lukas Nelson, Larry Fleet, Sara Evans, Scotty McCreery, LANCO, Tenille Townes, Morgan Evans and many others. In addition to being a member of the Country Music Association and on the boards of the Academy of Country Music and the W.O Smith Music School, Gardenhire is involved with WME’s foundation. She’s been a leader at the agency’s annual all-company Walk the Walk Day and has served as a mentor to elementary students and college students through various programs. She has helped plan and host events benefitting W.O. Smith Music School, including The Birdhouse Thing and The Smitty Corporate Band Challenge. She is a member of SOURCE Nashville, an inaugural member of NOW (Nurturing Outstanding Women) and has led the charge in bringing together the women in the agency’s Nashville office to support one another.
Tony Phillips
Tony Phillips is the General Manager at the Bobby Hotel and formerly served as the General Manager at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel during a previous stint in Nashville. Phillips spent the majority of his career at Loews Hotels and came to Nashville in 2008 to take on the director of rooms role at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel and was promoted to director of operations in 2012 and then to GM in 2013. He departed Nashville in 2017 to manage resorts in Tucson and San Diego, and he returned to Nashville in 2021 to be closer to family, including his two adult children. He is from Durango, CO, and studied Hospitality Management at the University of Denver. He and his wife, Liz, live with their two pups and enjoy walking them at Radnor Lake. Tony enjoys cooking and fly fishing.
Shannon Sanders
With over 25 years in the music industry, Shannon Sanders is the Executive Director, Creative, at BMI Nashville. A celebrated songwriter and producer, he has won three GRAMMY Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Dove Award and was the 2024 recipient of the ACM Lift Every Voice Award. Sanders also founded and served as the original Program Director of Nashville’s 102.1 The VILLE, a classic soul and R&B radio station. A prominent figure in Nashville’s music scene, Sanders is a strong advocate for music creators. He has served on the boards of the Recording Academy, ACM, CMA, Nashville Ballet, Nashville Music Equality and the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM). He is a Leadership Music Class of 2017 alumnus. Beyond music, Sanders has served as a Commissioner on the Metro Tourism and Convention Commission and the Metro Nashville Music, Film and Entertainment Commission, and he was named one of the 2016 Black Enterprise 100 Modern Men of Distinction. He is a proud alumnus of Tennessee State University, where he was honored as one of the university’s Distinguished Alumni.
Music City Inc. Board of Directors
Shawn McSpadden
Shawn McSpadden is Managing Partner at Range Media Partners, a diverse company representing talent in Film/TV, Music, Sports and Influencers with offices in Santa Monica, Nashville, New York and London. Previously, McSpadden spent 17 years at Red Light Management, working alongside Coran Capshaw to develop the Nashville office and roster; managed artists at Greg Hill Management; and served as an executive at Word Music Publishing/Warner Bros. Records. He and his father, Gary McSpadden, founded McSpadden Music Group, where he developed and published artists and writers. McSpadden currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Academy of Country Music and is Chairman of the Board for the Academy’s Lifting Lives. He completed Leadership Music in 2001 and is involved with Habitat for Humanity.
Ben Olin
Ben Olin serves as General Manager at The Westin Nashville. Previously, Olin served as General Manager at Noelle Hotel Nashville and The Stoneleigh in Dallas. A Seattle native, he spent most of his career in the Northwest market, primarily at Starwood Hotels and HEI Hotels. He is passionate about golf, coaching and his family. He and his wife, Amanda, have three boys.
Ellen Jones Pryor
Ellen Jones Pryor is Director of Communications at Frist Art Museum, overseeing marketing, advertising, community relations and traditional and digital media. She currently serves on the board of the Greater Nashville Hospitality Association, where she co-chairs the Communications Committee, and is a member of the board of the Lane Motor Museum. Pryor also is an advisor to the board of CreatiVets, a 501(c) 3 organization that uses art, music and creative writing to help disabled veterans cope with service-related trauma and empowers wounded veterans to heal through art and music. She is a past member of the board of directors of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp, where she served on the Executive Committee and chaired the Sales and Marketing Committee. Pryor also is a former Trustee of the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and a past president of the Nashville Midsouth Chapter of that organization. Prior to joining the Frist Art Museum, she worked in entertainment marketing in the music industry, in economic development and tourism for the State of Tennessee, politics, and the banking industry.
Amy Seigenthaler Pierce
Amy Seigenthaler Pierce is Managing Partner at FINN Partners and leads the client service team for FINN Partners Southeast, bringing extensive experience in national and international strategic communications, crisis communications, media relations, grassroots campaigns, and the healthcare and technology verticals to the firm’s clients. In addition to her duties at FINN, Pierce represents Ireland as Honorary Consul to the state of Tennessee, forging deeper economic and cultural ties between the two communities. Pierce serves on the boards of Nashville Health Care Council, US-Ireland Alliance, American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, and Camp Marymount. Prior to her career in public relations, she worked in the U.S. diplomatic corps as Special Aide to U.S. Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith at the American Embassy in Dublin during the Irish peace process. She began her career as a journalist at regional newspapers in the Boston area. Pierce holds a B.A. in English and minor in American Studies from Boston College and studied at the University of Kent, Canterbury, England.
Courtney Ross
Courtney Ross is Senior Manager of Community Engagement for Amazon. She is on the Amazon Public Policy team and leads the effort of supporting and driving engagement with local stakeholders, business organizations, and civic associations on behalf of Amazon in Nashville. Ross works closely with local leaders and policymakers to understand what their citizens need, how Amazon can be a good neighbor, and how to create sustainable growth, both for the larger community and for Amazon. Ross also oversees the community engagement efforts in the South Florida and Greater Atlanta regions. Prior to this role, Ross spent 12 years at the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce as the Chief Economic Development Officer and as Vice President of Business Retention and Expansion. Her extensive economic development career has included positions at the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, Memphis BioWorks and the State of Tennessee. She currently serves on the boards of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Currey Ingram Academy, Metro Nashville’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, Nashville Downtown Partnership, Nashville Entrepreneur Center, and Tennessee Adoption Project. Ross is a member of the Leadership Nashville class of 2018 and led the selection committee in 2024. She is a native of Memphis, TN and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Ross and her husband, Jason, have two children, Jake and Ellie.
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City
The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City is to maximize the economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination. Visit the NCVC’s website at www.visitmusiccity.com and follow us on social media @VisitMusicCity.
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