Kevin Lavender Named Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp Board Chair

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Kevin Lavender

Banking executive Kevin Lavender has been named Chairman of the Board at the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. In this role, he will lead the Board of Directors which represent sectors from both within and outside the hospitality industry.

Lavender, who is Head of Commercial Banking at Fifth Third Bank, will serve on the NCVC Executive Committee for 2022, alongside Executive Chef and Partner at Morph Hospitality Maneet Chauhan as Chair Elect; former President at Belmont University Dr. Robert Fisher as Immediate Past Chair; CEO and Co-Founder of Health:Further Marcus Whitney as Finance and Audit Committee Chair; and Frist Museum’s Director of Communications Ellen Pryor as Sales and Marketing Committee Chair.

“We appreciate these distinguished leaders for sharing their experience and expertise as Nashville returns to its prominence as a top global destination,” says Lavender. “The board’s guidance will be instrumental as the industry works through labor shortages and other challenges to come back as a strong economic engine for Nashville and Tennessee.”

Tourism has been on an upward trajectory with Nashville named a top global destination for the past decade thanks to major events like the recent Music City Grand Prix and FIFA World Cup Qualifier with USA v. Canada and upcoming Jack Daniel’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash. A record 16.1 million visitors traveled to Music City in 2019, generating a record $7.5 billion in direct visitor spending.

The 22-member volunteer board are community and business leaders in the Nashville area. The board is charged with directing the organization’s work on behalf of the city, the members of the NCVC, and the city’s hospitality industry.

The current NCVC board of directors include:
Patrick Chaffin, Senior Vice President of Asset Management, Ryman Hospitality Properties
John Esposito, Chairman and CEO, Warner Music Group
Eddie George, Head Football Coach, Tennessee State University
Jim Gingrich, Managing Partner, Elk Mountain Partners
Kevin Green, COO, Chartwell Hospitality
Ed Hardy, Hardy Media & Entertainment
Leesa LeClaire, General Manager, Hilton Nashville Airport Hotel
Ken Levitan, President, Vector Management
Kimberly Lewis, Owner, Emerson Grace
Pat Martin, Martin Investment Group
Burke Nihill, President and CEO, Tennessee Titans
Dr. Jonathan Perlin, President/Chief Medical Officer, HCA
Brian Tibbs, Partner, Moody Nolan

Ex Officio members include:
Butch Spyridon, President and CEO, NCVC
Charles Robert Bone, Partner and Attorney, Bone McAllester Norton, as Legal Counsel
Sherry Franklin, Director of Hotel Sales, Renaissance Nashville, as Chair of the Metro Tourism and Convention Commission
Sarah Trahern, CEO, CMA

Steven Boero
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