Thank you to everyone who made Annual Celebration 2024 Operation Innovation: Building Tomorrow’s Workforce presented by PNC Bank a success!

The over 550 attendees heard remarks from Chamber Board Chair Dr. C. Wright Pinson, PNC Bank Regional President Mike Johnson, Chamber CEO & President Ralph Schulz, P2030 Co-Chair Carol Yochem, and Mayor and P2030 Co-Chair Freddie O’Connell. Additionally, the Chamber provided attendees with our 2023- 2024 Annual Report, our annual publication highlighting the Chamber’s and Region’s successes that occurred.

Ralph Schulz and David Bennett, Principal/Executive Consultant of Production Marketing Advisors, presented the 2024 Spirit of the Region Award to friends and family of the late Randy Rayburn. The Chamber additionally honored Randy Rayburn’s legacy in Nashville with a tribute video.

Featured Speaker, Major General Brett G. Sylvia, Division Commander, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) & Fort Campbell, Kentucky, followed up, speaking on the history of Fort Campbell and the opportunity businesses have in hiring and supporting service members, spouses, and families. Major General Brett G. Sylvia encouraged businesses to look at the unique skills of service members and to apply different techniques to hire, onboard, or train individuals for their roles.

Joshua Burch, U.S. Army Special Forces, Retired: Military Liaison & Veteran’s Talent Director of Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce led Employer Perspectives with HCA Healthcare, where former service members Jonathan Snider, Director of Information Technology Group, and Alex Kell, Senior Director of Information Technology Group, touched on best practices related to hiring and retaining service members in the workforce. The two also touched on how employers can ease the transition from military to civilian life in regards to the workforce.

Richard Casper, Co-Founder & Executive Director of CreatiVets, wrapped up the celebration, sharing how the arts and creative platforms can empower veterans to cope and overcome service-related trauma.


Thank you to our 2024 Annual Celebration sponsors!

Presenting Sponsor: PNC Bank

Pivotal Partners: BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Community Health Systems, Gresham Smith, and Regions Bank

Friends of the Chamber: Amazon, Bank of America, Comcast, CoreCivic, Forvis Mazars, LBMC, and The Riptide Car Wash/formerly Miles Auto Spa

Supporting Sponsors: Baker Donelson, Bradley, Kraft CPAs, Atiba, Cromwell Media, NashvillePost, Southwest Airlines, The Tennessean, and Vanderbilt Executive Education, Owen Graduate School of Management