Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Stephanie Coleman is helping build a future where music, innovation and a diverse business climate fuel prosperity across Middle Tennessee.
If you believe the headlines, tourism has become a dirty word. Simmering tensions came to a head in Barcelona last summer when locals sprayed tourists with water pistols, shouting, “Tourists go home”. It was the most well-publicized example, but far from the only one. And more demonstrations are planned this summer to end the ‘touristification’ of Europe.
However, most cities worldwide welcome tourists and the economic benefits they bring to the community. Take Middle Tennessee, for example, where the Metropolitan Statistical Area consists of 14 counties, including Nashville.
“We’ve found that we have entered recessions later and come out of them sooner due to that broad set of industries.”
“We know that without tourism tax revenue, each Nashville household would have to pay an extra US$3,600 a year,” explains Stephanie Coleman, President and CEO of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.
“It benefits our community greatly in terms of revenue.”
STRIKING THE RIGHT CHORD
Hospitality and tourism is Middle Tennessee’s second-largest industry, and its growth has been driven by building a well-defined brand identity for the region. That itself has hinged on what Nashville is best known for: music.
“We are a music city, and that music element draws people to Nashville who love creativity and love entertainment value,” Coleman continues.
“We are a music city, and that music element draws people to Nashville who love creativity and love entertainment value.”
The success of Nashville’s brand is also attracting more and more business and investment to the city.
“When you look at any community, what makes it strong is when it’s a place where people want to live, with culture, diversity and entertainment. Nashville has that in spades and has truly benefited from being an attractive place for talent, which then drives business investment and decisions to create jobs here. It’s all connected ultimately,” she says.
A DIVERSE ECONOMY
Coleman assumed her current position in February 2025, after 17 years with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, she came to Nashville for her undergraduate studies.
After completing her Masters in International Economic Development and Diplomacy from the University of Kentucky, she moved to Washington DC to work for her hometown congressman.
She was drawn back to Tennessee when a role opened up at the Chamber in 2008.
“During my time in Washington DC, I became interested in the intersection between economics and public policy and understanding more about what it takes to be a good public servant,” she says.
The opportunity with the Chamber was not only the perfect way to use her new skill set, but it also brought her back to a city she was ‘hooked’ on.
While music might be at Nashville’s beating core, Coleman explains that one of the strengths of the city is its diverse economy.
“We don’t just rely on one sector, which has been helpful, especially in times of economic uncertainty,” she explains. “We’ve found that we have entered recessions later and come out of them sooner due to that broad set of industries.”
Part of the Chamber’s focus is on maintaining strength in the industries where Nashville already has a competitive advantage – music, healthcare, hospitality and tourism, automotive and advanced manufacturing – without overlooking emerging industries.
“We like to call economic development a team sport.”
Fintech and digital health tech are two Coleman names. Overriding it all is a commitment to the Chamber’s shared vision: ‘To bring economic prosperity as well as individual opportunity to fellow Middle Tennesseans.’
As Coleman follows that guiding star, she has learned just how critical partnerships are, whether with government entities, non-profit organizations or private-sector businesses.
These relationships particularly come to the fore to create innovative solutions to some of the challenges the Chamber is currently facing, whether trying to adjust to see what impact new federal policies, particularly surrounding tariffs, may have on the stimulation of job growth and job creation, and even the supply of affordable housing.
“We like to call economic development a team sport,” she says with a smile.
SECRET SAUCE
Fortunately, Coleman has no shortage of takers to join her team. Her first experience in the C-suite was as Chief Growth Officer in 2015. Most recently, she served as Chief Talent Development Officer, a role that focused on creating a talent pipeline to meet Middle Tennessee’s workforce needs.
She cites an initiative called New Skills Ready as an example, designed to build high-quality career pathways in healthcare, technology and advanced manufacturing for underrepresented individuals in the community.
“We partnered with our K–12 system as well as higher education, philanthropy and government agencies to think about how the system is created to support high-quality career pathways for students,” she explains.
Over five years, a strong muscle has built up from both program and policy changes to eliminate barriers for individuals entering these fields.
“We’ve seen tremendous success in thinking differently about how we can tackle some of those issues and grow a strong pipeline,” she says.
Internally, her own team consists of a largely younger talent pool, which allows her an insight into the next generation of leaders.
“I see a real passion for making an impact, for having a job that is purposeful, meaningful, where you not only earn a wage that will help you support the lifestyle you are looking for, but also something that is fulfilling at the end of the day,” she says.
“We embrace anyone who wants to be a part of coming up with solutions and celebrating the benefits of our community.”
There’s no doubt that Coleman is leading by example in her adopted home.
“Nashville is a place where you can find a sense of belonging as both a business leader and an individual,” she says. “It’s a place where we provide a mechanism and an opportunity for individual business leaders to be a part of solutions, to give back, to bring their own thought leadership, creativity and innovative ideas to the table and be a part of something bigger than themselves and even bigger than their companies.”
That is, she says, the ‘secret sauce’ of Nashville.
“From the solopreneur who’s just coming up with a new idea to the largest corporations looking to invest in Nashville, we embrace anyone who wants to be a part of coming up with solutions and celebrating the benefits of our community.”
To read the article on The CEO Magazine’s website, please visit: https://digitalmag.theceomagazine.com/stephanie-coleman/?r=global
To learn more about the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, please visit our website at https://nashvillechamber.com/