Kelli Donahoe to be Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Music City Center President and Chief Executive
Officer Charles Starks has appointed Kelli Donahoe as the Senior Vice
President and Chief Operating Officer for the 2.1 million square foot
convention center.
Donahoe is from Tampa, Florida. She is an Events Industry Council
Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Fellow. Her background includes
more than 20 years of convention center sales and operations management
experience with hospitality entities in Pittsburgh, Orlando, Fla., and
San Jose, Calif. Most recently, she served as General Manager of the
Dayton Convention Center in Dayton, Ohio.
As the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of MCC, Donahoe
will oversee the day-to-day operations of the facility. She will also
assist in the planning and implementation of all functions and resources
of facility departments. Her direct reports will include the Directors
of Event Services, Security, Parking, Technology, and Facilities.
“We’re thrilled to have Kelli join the team,” Starks said. “Her
perspective, experience, and drive will be a tremendous asset, not only
for our team but also our guests, our community, and our future as
Nashville’s convention center.”
“I am excited to share my passion for this industry with the team and
put down roots in Nashville,” Donahoe said, “and I am honored to
have the opportunity to continue the standard of service our team
delivers to every guest walking through our doors.”
Elisa Putman currently holds the position that Donahoe is set to take
over. Putman announced her retirement in April, after nearly 35 years
with the old Nashville Convention Center and the current building. She
has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the
last eight years.
“I still love coming to work every day,” Putman said, “and I’m
excited for MCC’s future as Kelli brings a wealth of knowledge and
experience with fresh ideas and renewed energy to the team.”
Donahoe and Putman will work in tandem in the senior leadership role for
an unspecified period of time to ensure a smooth transition. An official
retirement date is not yet set for Putman.
Attached is a high-resolution image of Donahoe.
About Music City Center
Located in the heart of downtown Nashville, Music City Center (MCC) is a
2.1 million square foot convention center with more than 353,000 square
feet of exhibit hall space, two ballrooms, 55 meeting rooms, and a
covered parking garage with 1,800 spaces. The mission of MCC is to
create significant economic benefits for the greater Nashville area,
while focusing on community inclusion, sustainability, and exceptional
customer service, through conventions, trade shows, and community
events.
