NASHVILLE – The Board of Directors for the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp is being led in Fiscal Year 2025-26 by Marcus Whitney, Founding Partner of Jumpstart Health Investors (JHI), the most active early-stage healthcare venture capital firm in America. The Executive Committee of the Board also includes Burke Nihill, President and CEO for the Tennessee Titans, who serves as Chair-Elect. Ken Levitan, Founder and Co-President of Vector Management, is the Immediate Past Chair.
The NCVC’s Board of Directors includes leaders from across the hospitality industry as well as from key business sectors such as banking, healthcare, and education. This diverse representation deepens the organization’s ties to the broader Nashville business community, brings a wide range of perspectives to its work and expands its reach through national and international connections. The board plays a vital role in guiding the industry through continued growth and in attracting high-impact, visitor-generating events, conventions, and initiatives. Recent examples include the upcoming Stand Up To Cancer national telecast, the FIFA Club World Cup, CAA World Congress of Sports and the expansion of nonstop international air service to Nashville.
“We’re grateful to have such dedicated and visionary leaders serving on the NCVC Board of Directors during this pivotal time for Nashville’s hospitality industry,” said Whitney, Chair of the NCVC Board of Directors. “Their guidance and commitment are instrumental in navigating economic headwinds while continuing to drive growth and momentum across Nashville’s tourism sector. It’s an exciting moment for our city, and I’m proud to work alongside this exceptional group as we shape the future of hospitality in Music City.”
Nashville’s hospitality industry generated record economic activity for the city in 2024 with $11.13 billion forecasted in direct visitor spending. Despite ongoing economic uncertainties, Nashville is expected to experience modest growth in 2025. The industry represents 73,500 leisure and hospitality jobs in Davidson County.
The Board’s other Executive Committee members include Claire Tucker, Independent Director at Ford Credit Bank, as the Finance and Audit Chair; Max Goldberg, Co-Founder of Strategic Hospitality, as Sales and Marketing Chair; and Deana Ivey, President and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. Ellen Pryor, Director of Communications and Community Relations at Frist Art Museum, has joined the Board as Chair of the Music City Inc. foundation.
The FY 2025-26 NCVC Board of Directors also includes the following:
- Ian Ayre, Vice Chairman, Nashville Soccer Club
- Linda Chambers, CEO and Co-Founder, Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum
- Dr. Robert Fisher, Past President, Belmont University
- Mark Fioravanti, President and CEO, Ryman Hospitality Properties
- Becky Gardenhire, Co-Head of the Nashville office of WME
- Dr. Alex Jahangir, Vice Chair and Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Associate Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President for Provider Network Development, Vanderbilt Health
- Doug Kreulen, President and CEO, Metro Nashville Airport Authority
- Leesa LeClaire, Executive Director, Greater Nashville Hospitality Association
- Pat Martin, Founder and Chairman, Martin Investment Group
- Howie Nuchow, Co-Head, CAA Sports
- Tony Phillips, General Manager, Bobby Hotel
- Shannon Sanders, Executive Director, Creative at BMI Nashville
- Molly Shehan, Partner and Attorney, Milom Crow Kelly Beckett Shehan
- Marc Sternagel, General Manager, Grand Hyatt
- Sarah Trahern, CEO, CMA
- Ben Weprin, Founder and CEO, AJ Capital
Marcus Whitney
Marcus Whitney is a Founding Partner of Jumpstart Health Investors (JHI), the most active early-stage healthcare venture capital firm in America. Of JHI’s funds, Whitney leads Jumpstart Nova, JHI’s institutional, strategic, healthcare seed fund. Whitney is also co-founder and minority owner of Major League Soccer team, Nashville Soccer Club. He is the author of the Amazon No. 1 best-selling book “Create and Orchestrate,” which is about claiming creative power through entrepreneurship. His work has been featured by Entrepreneur, CNBC, Inc., NPR, Fast Company, and The Atlantic. Whitney actively competes in Jiu Jitsu, is a 3-time IBJJF Masters World Champion, and trains on the competition team at Renzo Gracie Nashville under Shawn Williams.
Burke Nihill
Burke Nihill is President and Chief Executive Officer for the Tennessee Titans. During his time with the Titans, Nihill oversaw the team’s bid for Nashville’s record-breaking 2019 NFL Draft, the expansion and renovation of Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park, the Titans practice facility, and most recently, the approval of a public-private partnership to build a new, enclosed stadium as the anchor of a transformational new town center on Nashville’s East Bank. Among his first projects as CEO, Nihill led the team’s development of a new mission statement – “Win, Serve, Entertain” – which has become a centering statement for the franchise. The statement guides strategy and decision-making throughout the organization, from the football team and content creators to human resources and fan engagement. Nihill was recently named a Most Admired CEO by the Nashville Business Journal. He also serves on the Board of Directors at Belmont University, Nashville Downtown Partnership, United Way of Greater Nashville and the Music City Bowl.
Ken Levitan
Ken Levitan is the founder and co-president of Vector Management, with an artist roster that reads like a who’s who across a wide range of genres. His fingerprints can be found in the successful DNA of the careers of artist such as Kings of Leon, The Fray, Hank Williams, Jr., B-52’s, Emmylou Harris, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Trisha Yearwood, Peter Frampton, Meat Loaf, Lyle Lovett, Trace Adkins, Michael McDonald, Ke$ha, and Patty Griffin, among others. The Brooklyn-born Levitan graduated from Vanderbilt University and the University of Dayton’s School of Law. He represented Nashville music clients on the legal aspects of their careers before moving into a management role. He has also worked at record labels, including Rising Tide Records (a subsidiary of Universal) and in 2002 as a co-founder with former RCA President, Jack Rovner, in establishing Vector Recordings. He is the recipient of a Grammy® Award as producer of the acclaimed soundtrack for the movie The Apostle and also for the Gospel album Oh Happy Day. He has been involved on the label side with Vector on GRAMMY-nominated projects for Herbie Hancock, (Possibilities), Queen Latifah (The Dana Owens Album), as well as Damien Rice. He serves on the boards of the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Academy of Country Music, the Country Music Association, the Tennessee Film, Entertainment & Music Commission, and the Nashville Music Council.
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City
The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City is to maximize the economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination. Visit the NCVC’s website at www.visitmusiccity.com and follow us on social media @VisitMusicCity.
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