Hospitality Insights

Guest Speakers for SHIP’s Hospitality Insights Sessions

Hospitality & Tourism is an industry that reaches out to provide a wealth of opportunities in all aspects of the business world.  Sevier County is richly blessed with dedicated business leaders, who have built their own resumes as entrepreneurs, innovators, and industry leaders.  For many, their stories of success were not overnight.  There was a tremendous investment of time, a gazillion steps, obstacles, and opportunities along the way.

Imagine the benefit of sitting in a room with an executive as they talk about their personal resume. SHIP Interns will gain a deeper understanding of life and work in the Great Smoky Mountains’ region of East Tennessee.  They will come away with insights on your business and the enormous demands on a business that thrives within a $4 billion tourism mecca.

SHIP’s Hospitality Insights is an ‘up close and personal time’ with a Sevier County business leader, for a unique perspective inside their world of work.  SHIP Interns are offered an exclusive opportunity to listen and hear their stories in Hospitality Insights sessions.  Each one-hour session includes time for a Q&A.  Participation is mandatory and the Intern is responsible to schedule time off with their employer.

Scheduled Hospitality Insights Sessions

southern hospitality logo

November 20, 2024

TBD
southern hospitality logo

October 16, 2024

TBD
eugene-naughton

July 17, 2024

Eugene Naughton - President of The Dollywood Company
Deborah Dekle Drew

June 19, 2024

Deborah Dekle Drew – Executive Vice President, PARC Management, LLC
IMG_Drew_3309_HiRes_Color

June 19, 2024

Randal Drew - Chairman & CEO, PARC Companies
Dana Soehn headshot

April 17, 2024

Dana Soehn - President & CEO, Friends of the Smokies
Chucky Blalock Top Concepts

March 20, 2024

Chucky Blalock - Co-Founder, Top Concepts
american eagle foundation

November 15, 2023

Jessica Hall - Executive Director, American Eagle Foundation
Kay Collier-Pittman - headshot

October 18, 2023

Kay Collier-Pittman – President, Collier Development Company
pete-tennis

July 19, 2023

Pete Tennis - Managing Director, Wilderness at the Smokies / Soaky Mountain Waterpark
eugene-naughton

June 21, 2023

Eugene Naughton - President of The Dollywood Company
Logan Coykendall

April 19, 2023

Logan Coykendall - President, Hospitality Solutions
Davy Thomas

April 19, 2023

Davy Thomas - COO, Hospitality Solutions
IMG_Drew_3309_HiRes_Color

March 15, 2023

Randal Drew - Chairman & CEO, PARC Companies
Deborah Dekle Drew

March 15, 2023

Deborah Dekle Drew – Executive Vice President, PARC Management, LLC
David Ogle - LinkedIn 10.4.22 ew

November 9, 2022

David Ogle - President, Five Oaks Development / Five Oaks / Ogle, Inc.
Chucky Blalock Top Concepts

October 12, 2022

Chucky Blalock - Co-Founder, Top Concepts
Mary Kellogg Joslyn

July 20, 2022

Mary Kellogg-Joslyn – President, COO & Co-Owner, Titanic Attractions Museum
eugene-naughton

June 9, 2022

Eugene Naughton – President of The Dollywood Company
david-wear

April 20, 2022

David Wear, Mayor, City of Pigeon Forge & VP of Operations, The Island
Mark-Adams

October 20, 2021

Mark Adams – President / CEO, Gatlinburg Convention & Visitors Bureau
Kay Collier-Pittman - headshot

July 21, 2021

Kay Collier-Pittman – President, Collier Development Company
elise-collier-massey

July 21, 2021

Elise Collier-Massey – Owner, Collier Restaurant Group
pete-tennis

June 16, 2021

Pete Tennis – Managing Director, Wilderness at the Smokies & Soaky Mountain Waterpark
jackie-leatherwood

April 14, 2021

Jackie Leatherwood – General Manager, Greystone Lodge on the River
jackie-spinning

April 14, 2021

Jackie Spining – President, The Spining Group
eugene-naughton

March 17, 2021

Eugene Naughton – President of The Dollywood Company
lori-moore

November 11, 2020

Lori McMahan Moore – Account Executive, Sports Facilities Management, LLC
leon-downey

October 14, 2020

Leon Downey – Director of the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism
phil-campbell

October 14, 2020

Phil Campbell – General Manager, LeConte Center
ryan-desear

July 22, 2020

Ryan DeSear – General Manager, US Operations at Ripley Entertainment

Sevier County is a thriving $4 billion Hospitality & Tourism industry in East Tennessee located near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

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