NASHVILLE, Tenn. (August 20, 2020) – The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce announced today that Jeff Hite, senior vice president of economic development, has been promoted to chief economic development officer.
Courtney Ross is departing the Chamber in September to join Amazon as senior manager of external affairs and will be based in Nashville. Ross has been at the Chamber since 2008 and in her current role since 2014.
“Jeff’s contributions to the prosperity of the Nashville region during his more than 20 years at the Chamber are innumerable,” Schulz said. “His proven leadership will serve the region well as we focus on job creation and business recovery.”
Hite has been the senior vice president of economic development since 2014 and has been with the Chamber since 1999. In his current role, he is responsible for promoting Nashville and the 10-county economic region as a prime location for business investment. His responsibilities include managing a team of project managers and providing support for CEO-level leadership of new and existing businesses interested in expanding and/or relocating into the Nashville region.
“As a native Nashvillian, I’ve witnessed the region’s tremendous growth up close,” Hite said. “I’m excited to continue the Chamber’s Partnership 2030 work with our regional partners, investors and community leaders to position Nashville as one of the country’s premier locations for business recruitment and expansion.”
“It has been an absolute honor to lead the Chamber’s economic development efforts over the past six years,” Ross said. “The strengths of this economic region are built on strong relationships and cooperation across county lines, and I’m looking forward to serving as a key partner with one of our top regional employers in my new role at Amazon.”
Earlier in his career, Hite worked at the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp promoting Nashville in the tourism industry. He is a board member for the Tennessee Economic Partnership and NAIOP Nashville, and he has been named one of North America’s top 50 economic developers. Hite resides in the Nashville region with his wife Amanda and two children.
Media Contacts
Dawn Cornelius
Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
Office: 615-743-3068
dcornelius@nashvillechamber.com
Stephanie Coleman
Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
Cell: 615-630-5522
scoleman@nashvillechamber.com
About the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce is Middle Tennessee’s largest business federation, representing more than 2,000 member companies. Belong, engage, lead, prosper embodies the Chamber’s focus on facilitating community leadership to create economic prosperity for Middle Tennessee. The work of the Nashville Area Chamber is supported by members and sponsors; the Chamber’s Pivotal Partners (a partnership at the highest level for all Chamber programs and events) are Delek US Holdings, Bass, Berry & Sims PLC, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Community Health Systems, Gresham Smith, and Regions. Together with its affiliates, the Nashville Chamber works to strengthen the region’s business climate and to enhance Nashville’s position as a desirable place to live, work and visit. For more information, visit www.nashvillechamber.com.
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