Genesco CEO Bob Dennis speaks at Young Leaders Council luncheon

Young Leaders Council presents ‘A Conversation with Genesco Chief Executive Officer Bob Dennis: Feet on the Ground, Eyes on the Future’ at its 2013 Fall Leadership Luncheon on Wednesday, November 13, from 11:30 am-1 pm, at the Nashville Renaissance Hotel, located at 611 Commerce Street. There is a $45 charge per person for the luncheon and program or $450 for a table of 10 sponsorship. Registration and networking begin at 11 am. Reservations are required online at by November 9.

A 28-year retail veteran, Dennis was named chairman of Genesco in April 2010, adding to his existing responsibilities as president and chief executive officer. He began his tenure at Genesco in 2004 following the company’s acquisition of Hat World, Inc., where he served as chief executive officer.

Dennis holds a master of business administration degree, with distinction, from the Harvard Business School, with a focus on consumer marketing, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He was named a director of Corrections Corporation of America in February 2013.

Genesco Inc. has a long tradition of giving back to the communities where its employees work and live, including providing nonprofit agencies with corporate contributions, both financial and through volunteer hours. Dennis currently serves on the board of directors with the United Way of Metropolitan Nashville, the Nashville Symphony and the Board of Visitors at Vanderbilt University’s Owen School of Management.

Now in its 18th year, the Young Leaders Council annual fall event provides a unique opportunity to gather young business professionals, as well as nonprofit and corporate individuals, to network and to hear about important issues affecting the nonprofit community. Contributing to this year’s event are Genesco Inc. as gold sponsor, FirstBank and Skanska USA as silver sponsors, and Center for Executive Education at Belmont University as supporting sponsor.

Since 1985, Young Leaders Council (YLC) has been the premier organization for training nonprofit board members in the Nashville area and was created to address the need to broaden and strengthen Nashville’s volunteer leadership base by training diverse and committed individuals to effectively participate on the boards of nonprofit organizations.

The 11 week program consists of four classes a year, including two classes that meet in Davidson County, one class in partnership with Williamson County Young Professionals and another with the Junior League of Nashville.

To date, more than 2,000 graduates of the training program have served on the boards of 150 nonprofit agencies.

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