Nashville CVC Announces New President

Deana Ivey has been elevated to the role of President of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp as the organization restructures its top leadership. Ivey, who has been with the organization since 1997, previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, while Butch Spyridon—who retains the title of Chief Executive Officer—held the dual title of President and CEO.

"As the organization has grown and Nashville's profile as a global destination has risen, we saw a need to expand our top leadership," said Kevin Lavender, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. "Butch continues to excel as a leader, putting Nashville in a position to reach record-breaking visitation and convention numbers and exceed expectations—from hosting the 2019 NFL Draft to being on the shortlist to host FIFA World Cup in 2026. The city is fortunate to have Butch and Deana leading the hospitality industry."

"Deana's advancement is well earned and much deserved," Spyridon said. "She has been a committed partner these past 25 years and has been integral in shaping the Music City brand, creating and attracting major events, and marketing Nashville around the world."

"I am honored and humbled to be named President of an organization dedicated to promoting a city recognized as a global destination," Ivey said. "I appreciate the confidence the NCVC Board of Directors and CEO Butch Spyridon have placed in me, and I look forward to helping realize Nashville's future possibilities while building on the past successes. It's a city to which I have devoted my career and love."

Spyridon and Ivey oversaw and coordinated the organization's marketing and sales efforts as Nashville has become a heralded global destination. The city's tourism industry has seen dramatic growth to 16.1 million annual visitors and $7.5 billion in direct visitor spending in 2019. They played key roles leading Nashville in branding itself around the world as Music City. Together, they created and produced successful large annual concert events to market the city, including Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th and New Year's Eve in Nashville.

They co-produced and helped lead creation of two award-winning Nashville documentaries: For the Love of Music: The Story of Nashville and It All Begins With A Song. They played key roles in hosting and promoting the 2019 NFL Draft, creating the Good To Go health and safety program and bidding on the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Ivey has received the Nashville Business Journal Women in Music award and the Women in Business award by Nashville Lifestyles. She is a board member of the Tennessee Hospitality Association, Rhythms of the South Corporation, and the Academy of Country Music, and she sat on the board of the TJ Martell Foundation for eight years. Ivey is a member of the 2015 Leadership Music class.

During the pandemic, Ivey was a key member of the Mayor's Hospitality Committee advocating on behalf of the tourism industry. Before her work in Nashville, Ivey was the Executive Director of the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce, having served the tourism industry for ten years in both Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. She is a graduate of Western Kentucky University and has completed master's work at the University of Tennessee. She currently resides in Nashville with her husband and has a college-age son.

Spyridon has served as the head of the NCVC since 1991. He serves on the Executive Committee of the U.S. Travel Association and as past Chair of Destinations International. Raised in Pascagoula, Mississippi, Spyridon graduated from Vanderbilt University. He is a graduate of the Institute of Comparative Political and Economic Systems at Georgetown University. He and his wife, Sunny, have four children and five grandchildren.

Courtesy of Groups Today.