SearchWide Global Seeking President for the Music City Center
April 8, 2026 – SearchWide Global has been retained by the Music City Center (MCC) to lead in its search for a new president. Executive vice president Mark Gnatovic is leading the assignment.
The president is the senior executive responsible for the operational excellence, cultural leadership, and long-term performance of Nashville’s signature convention facility. Reporting directly to the CEO of the Convention Center Authority (CCA), the president oversees all major divisions, including event services, security, technology, facilities, engineering, and food and beverage, and ensures the MCC delivers an exceptional guest experience, a high-performing workforce, and strong financial stewardship.
In partnership with the CEO, this position assists in planning, organizing, and coordinating the programs, functions, and activities of the Convention Center Authority to advance the mission of the MCC. The president is a visible leader within Nashville’s civic and hospitality landscape, strengthening partnerships, elevating service standards, and guiding the MCC’s evolution in a fast-growing destination. This role requires a sophisticated, service-driven operator who can balance daily operations with long-range strategy and who thrives in a high-profile, community-facing environment.
Those applying must have deep experience operating large, complex public assembly venues, convention centers, or major hospitality environments. They should have strong expertise in event operations, event solicitation, event planning, and customer satisfaction delivery. A record of success leading multi-disciplinary teams in high-volume, high-visibility settings is also preferred.
In addition, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration, hospitality, or related field preferred. A minimum of six years of progressively responsible experience in a public assembly facility or large hotel environment is also required.
Music City Center is a 2.1 million square foot convention center with more than 353,000 square feet of exhibit hall space, two ballrooms, 60 meeting rooms, and a covered parking garage with 1,800 spaces. The mission of Music City Center is to create significant economic benefit for the citizens of the greater Nashville region by attracting local and national events while focusing on community inclusion, sustainability, and exceptional customer service.
SearchWide Global, based in St. Paul, MN, is a full-service executive recruitment firm primarily for companies in the travel, tourism, hospitality, convention, trade association, venue management, and experiential marketing industries. The firm specializes in C-level and director-level executive searches for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies and associations.
Related: SearchWide Global Seeking Chief Marketing and Public Relations Officer for Nashville Zoo
Mr. Gnatovic leads SearchWide Global’s venue search practice (convention centers, stadiums, arenas, fairs, and PAF facilities). He also manages the firm’s convention, tradeshow, and experiential event marketing segments, in addition to his work with DMOs, associations, and sports. Mr. Gnatovic served six years as a board trustee with the IAVM Foundation before joining IAVM’s board as an executive committee member and their leadership task force committee. Prior to SearchWide Global, he spent over 15 years in the convention industry.
Cody Yellowstone Search
SearchWide Global recently placed Michael Wambolt as the new executive director of the Park County Travel Council (Cody Yellowstone). Kellie Henderson, global head of destinations, led the assignment. “We are thrilled to welcome Michael Wambolt to Cody,” said John Parsons, chairman of the board of directors of PCTC. “He is a travel industry veteran with a wealth of experience who is eager to experience the rich outdoor recreational offerings of our destination. We think he’s going to be a terrific fit for Cody Yellowstone.”
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Mr. Wambolt has been executive director of Visit Morro Bay, a coastal community in central California since 2021. He has also worked for Visit SLO CAL as director of travel trade overseeing sales efforts for all lodging in San Luis Obispo, as director of sales for SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Atascadero, CA, and director of sales for Sea Ocean Front Hotel in Pismo Beach, CA.
The Park County Travel Council is a Joint Powers Board composed of ten volunteer members representing various communities across the region. It is dedicated to obtaining national and international recognition for Park County, Wyoming, and promoting it as a year-round destination filled with opportunity, adventure, and natural beauty.
Related: SearchWide Global Recruits CEO for Finger Lakes Visitors Connection
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
