October Guest Speaker at Wm. Cty. Library

Connie Lasiter to speak about “The Arts: An Economic Engine for Greater Nashville” at Williamson County Public Library, October 8

FRANKLIN, Tenn., September 22, 2010 --The Arts Council of Williamson County’s ‘Brown Bag Lunch Bunch’ has guest speaker, Connie Valentine, is planned for their October meeting. Valentine’s topic will be “The Arts: An Economic Engine for Greater Nashville”. The Lunch Bunch will meet on Friday, October 8, from 11 am – 1 pm at the Williamson County Public Library (main conference room), 1314 Columbia Pike in Franklin.

Connie Valentine has served as President & CEO of the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville since 2008. During her short tenure with the Arts & Business Council, a new organization in Nashville developed to drive collaborations between Arts, Business & Community, she has launched initiatives ranging from the first “Music City Corporate Band Challenge,” “Arts Build Community,” “ArtWorks,” and the “Bowtie Awards,” recognizing business support for the arts.

Prior to moving to Nashville she served as Executive Director of the Florida Philharmonic, the largest performing arts organization in Florida. For seven years she was Executive Director of the Greater Akron Musical Association, encompassing the Akron Symphony Orchestra, the Akron Youth Symphony, the Akron Symphony Chorus, and Akron Symphony Gospel Choir. She also has held the position of Executive Director with the Midland-Odessa Symphony & Chorale. She began her career as one of seven individuals selected nationally to participate in the prestigious League of American Orchestra’s Management Fellowship program, during which time she worked with the Boston, Hartford, and Oregon Symphony Orchestras.

She moved to Nashville to be married and assumed the position of Executive Director of the Nashville Chamber Orchestra until she was named to her current position. Throughout her orchestra career, she has worked with artists and communities to use music as a means of inclusion and building bridges. She has also been executive producer of several albums. During her orchestra work, Connie continued to hold national leadership roles in the League of American Orchestra’s manager associations, and has been a speaker/presenter at the local and national level. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration and a minor in music.

Connie is currently an active member of the Nashville Downtown Rotary and Nashville CABLE, for which she chaired the inaugural Diversity & Inclusion Luncheon. She is a member of the Mayor’s Nashville Music Business Council Executive Committee and a co-founder of the
Nashville Downtown Arts Partners. An alumna of Leadership Music and Leadership Middle Tennessee, for which she served as class president, she is in the 2010 Leadership Nashville class and currently serves on the Board of Leadership Middle Tennessee.

Grab your lunch and join the Art’s Council for a lunchtime of artistic fun and camaraderie. Guests are invited to bring a piece of their own artwork to share with the group. The Arts Council’s ‘Brown Bag Lunch Bunch’ meets 2nd Friday of most months. Open to the public and no charge to attend. For more information, visit www.artscouncilwc.org, or call 428-3845.