Membership Luncheon

Membership Luncheon

Thursday, September 20
11 am - Networking
11:30 am - 1 pm - Lunch & Program

Brentwood United Methodist Church
309 Franklin Road

"Bringing the Future to Nashville: The Music City Center Arrives"



Speaker: Charles Starks, Executive Director, Nashville Convention Center

Charles began his career at age 14 when he was responsible for cutting the grass at the Howard Johnson Hotel in Nashville. Ironically, this is the same hotel where he eventually became the General Manager. Then Charles spent six years in a Director of Operations role with two different Nashville-based hotel companies. Charles joined Gaylord Hotels in 1998 as General Manager of the Radisson Hotel Opryland and then Director of Rooms for Gaylord Opryland before assuming his current role as Executive Director of the Nashville Convention Center in March of 2005.

Charles is a current board member of the Tennessee Hospitality Association, the Greater Nashville Hospitality Association and the Convention Centers/Exhibit Halls Committee of the International Association of Venue Managers. He is also a member of the Professional Convention Management Association, the American Society of Association of Executives, the downtown Nashville Rotary Club and SKAL International of Nashville.

Charles has a Bachelor of Science in Tourism, Food and Lodging Administration from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is a Certified Hotel Administrator through the American Hotel and Lodging Association.