The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has named Stephanie Coleman, M.A., M.B.A. as the Chamber’s new president/CEO. Stephanie will succeed Ralph Schulz, who is retiring after 18 years of leadership. Coleman will assume the role February 3.

Coleman is a 17-year veteran of the Chamber staff, having worked her way up from ‘communications account executive’ and ‘public relations manager’ to her current position as ‘chief talent development officer,’ a post she has held since 2021. Before joining the Chamber, she served in a congressional staff role in Washington, D.C. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University, with a master’s degree in international economic development and diplomacy from the University of Kentucky and an M.B.A. from Lipscomb University.

“Stephanie Coleman has received the enthusiastic support of the Chamber board as the new leader of our organization, and I want to congratulate her on emerging as the top choice in what was a very competitive selection process,” said Dr. C. Wright Pinson, deputy CEO and ‘chief health system officer,’ Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and chairman of the Chamber board. Dr. Pinson also chaired the eight member search committee. “Stephanie possesses a deep understanding of Nashville and our business community, plus she knows what makes the Chamber tick. She has the passion and leadership skills necessary to move this organization forward. Furthermore, she will be building on the very strong foundation that has been put into place under the leadership of Ralph Schulz.”

Former Chamber Board Chair Bob Higgins, President/CEO of Barge Design Solutions and a member of the search committee, said: “Stephanie has the rare combination of a track record of leadership and deep institutional knowledge at the Chamber, combined with a forward-looking mindset, which really came through in the interview process and is exactly what the business community needs,” Higgins said.

The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce has more than 1,800 members in the 10-county Metropolitan area, making it the largest business organization in the region. It has represented the interests of Middle Tennessee businesses since 1847.

“I am extremely grateful to the Chamber board for this vote of confidence,” Coleman said. “I’ve spent much of my career at the Chamber, which has given me a deep understanding of how our community works and the vital role the business community plays in driving economic prosperity for the region. I am honored and humbled to step into this role, standing on the shoulders of the visionary leaders who have come before me. My goal is to broaden the organization’s base and build on its strengths to make the Chamber even more effective in helping our community prosper. Together, we will strengthen partnerships, champion innovation, and build a future where businesses, families, and individuals thrive for decades to come.”

Since 2010, Coleman has held key Chamber leadership positions, overseeing marketing and communications, policy, and member value. As ‘chief growth officer’ from 2015 to 2021, she led member and investor relations, sponsorships, small business support, and finance and administration. Coleman has played a pivotal role in expanding Partnership 2030, managing multiple $20+ million investment campaigns to fund the Chamber’s public-private economic development strategy for the region. In her current role as ‘chief talent development officer,’ she spearheads collaborative efforts to address workforce challenges, creating high-quality career pathways and strengthening talent pipelines to ensure employers have access to a skilled workforce.

Guided by core values of leadership, collaboration, and accountability, the Chamber addresses critical community needs (including talent development, transportation, affordable housing and childcare) to ensure that businesses and individuals thrive in a vibrant and inclusive economy. Recently, the Chamber played a pivotal role in supporting the successful transit referendum campaign, which passed by a 2:1 margin, raising over $2.6 million in funding to enhance Nashville’s transportation infrastructure.

Currently, the Chamber is developing its next five-year economic development strategy, Partnership 2030, a public-private initiative dedicated to sustaining the region’s long-term economic prosperity. A key focus of Partnership 2030 will be helping businesses find qualified employees through talent development strategies, which has been a major priority for Coleman.

Coleman takes the reins from Ralph Schulz, who became Chamber CEO in 2006 and has worked closely with six different mayors and three governors to ensure that the business sector has had a strong voice in community development and public policy in the Middle Tennessee region.

“The Chamber’s purpose is to ‘create economic prosperity by facilitating community leadership,’” said Schulz. “That’s what we’ve done for more than 175 years, and I am proud to pass the torch to someone who knows this work and has a clear vision of where this organization should be headed. Stephanie has a different perspective than I do, but we share a common purpose: to help enhance the prosperity of everyone in Middle Tennessee.”