NASHVILLE ENTREPRENEUR CENTER CEO Sam Davidson declared this morning the NEC is "poised to expand our impact and empower even more entrepreneurs to achieve success."

In a press release issued this morning, Davidson indicated he draws significant confidence from "the fresh perspectives of our new and returning board members."

Lilibeth Leon

One new non-voting member of the board, Lilibeth Leon, has been designated for that role by Metro Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell, who recently appointed her to serve as manager of Music City entrepreneurship and economic development, apparently teaming with Senior Director Jamari Brown and Community Relations Manager Isaac Addae, all of whom are likely to contribute to Metro's involvement in the city's nascent Nashville Innovation Allliance.

Worth noting: Yesterday, Mayor O'Connell announced his appointments of five board members to the city's East Bank Development Authority, a group to be chaired by attorney Emily Lamb, of Winston PC.

Announcements such as these by local non-governing organizations take on added importance as Metro Nashville undertakes transportation, East Bank, and other initiatives, which seem already to be attracting new allies, assets and challenges for entrepreneurship and innovation within Greater Nashville.

In the list below, an asterisk (*) indicates a newly appointed voting or non-voting member.

2025 Board of Directors

• Gil Beverly: Academy of Country Music *

• Judith Bright: Judith Bright Jewelry

• Bill Brown: Genomind

• Michael Burcham: Shore Capital Partners

• Beth Chase: Ankura (retired)

• Mark Deutschmann: CityLiving Group/Core Development

• Adel ElMessiry: AlphaFin

• Brian Fox: Rockmont Partners

• Robert A. Frist Jr.: HealthStream

• Max Goldberg: Strategic Hospitality

• John Ingram: Ingram Industries

• Jessa Kelley: Main Street Health

• Stacey Garrett Koju: Spencer Fane

• Coco Kyriopoulos: Rich Products Corp

• Rod McDaniel: S3 Recycling Solutions

• Chase Michalek: VSx Veterinary Surgery *

• Andy Moats: Pinnacle Financial Partners

• Kearstin Patterson: HCA Healthcare *

• Sharon Reynolds: DevMar Manufacturing

• Courtney Ross: Amazon

• Steve Schnur: Music for Electronic Arts

• Saurabh Sinha: Emids

• Michael Slavik: CLA CliftonLarsonEllison

• Jorge Titinger: Titinger Consulting

• John Zarling: 615 Leverage + Strategy

• Sam Davidson: Nashville Entrepreneur Center

EX-OFFICIO Non-Voting Members of the Board:

• Elise Cambournac: Greater Nashville Technology Council (departing, successor to be named)

• Ralph Schulz: Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce (retiring, successor TBA)

• Bill McCleskey: Entrepreneurs Organization (EO Nashville) *

• Apryl Childs-Potter: Nashville Health Care Council

• Lilibeth Leon: Office of the Mayor, Metropolitan Nashville - Davidson County *

The NEC's press release is here. VNC

. last edited 1127 19 December 2024