Staff Members

President

Paul Latture, IOM
(615) 893-6565
contact

Paul Latture joined the Chamber in 2009. After earning his bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University of Mississippi, he served as the director of membership development and government affairs at the Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce. He served as the executive vice president for economic development for the Clarksville-Montgomery County Industrial Development Board. He served as assistant commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. Before coming on board at the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, he worked as president and CEO of the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce. Latture is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute of Organizational Management. He is a member of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executives Association, serving as president in 2007. He is a past president for the Tennessee Economic Development Council.

Vice President of Operations

Stephanie Brackman, IOM
615-278-2011
contact

Stephanie Brackman joined the Chamber staff in 1999. After graduating with a degree in Psychology and a Masters in Education from the University of Tennessee, Brackman worked for Whittle Communications in Knoxville for six years. She then came to Rutherford County and worked at Middle Tennessee State University for six years on special projects for the Athletic Department and the President’s Office. She is a graduate of the Institute of Organized Management, Leadership Middle Tennessee and Leadership Rutherford. She is also a member of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executives and American Chamber of Commerce Executives. Brackman also serves on the board of directors for the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties.

Director of Membership

Kelli Beam
(615) 278-2391
contact

Kelli Beam joined the Chamber staff in 2007. She graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin with a degree in Communications/Public Relations. She has worked for Gaylord Opryland Hotel in the Training/Quality Assurance/Communications department as a communications specialist and as a marketing specialist for Colliers Turley Martin Tucker, a commercial real estate firm. Beam is a member of the La Vergne Rotary and is a graduate of Leadership Rutherford. 

Membership Account Executive 

Jennifer Dye
(615) 278-2330
contact

Jennifer Dye joined the Chamber staff in 2011. She graduated from MTSU with a bachelor of science in mass communication. She is a previous small business owner and has over 20 years of business development and marketing experience, including work with Citigroup and Randstad. Dye is a past chair and current committee member for the Alzheimer's Memory Walk and a member of Fellowship Methodist Church.

Membership Coordinator

Emily Day
(615) 278-2387
contact

Emily Day joined the Chamber staff in 2007, after attending Middle Tennessee State University for Interdisciplinary Studies. She is a graduate of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executives Institute and a 2009 graduate of Leadership Rutherford.  Day is a board member of the non-profit organization Candle Wishes. 

Director of Events

Lauren Fletcher
(615) 278-2331
contact

Lauren Fletcher joined the Chamber staff in 2011. She is an honors graduate of Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in mass communication and minors in psychology and political science. Lauren has worked at WZTV-Fox 17 in Nashville and at Bob Parks Realty in Murfreesboro. She counts Habitat for Humanity and the Junior League of Murfreesboro among her volunteer organizations and is a member of Calvary Baptist Church. Lauren and her family reside in Murfreesboro.

Director of Communications and Marketing

Katy Francisco Riddle
(615) 278-2323
contact

Katy Francisco Riddle joined the Chamber staff in 2011. She earned a bachelor of science in public relations and a master of education from Middle Tennessee State University. She has worked for Nashville-based public relations firms Katcher, Vaughn and Bailey Communications and Dye, Van Mol & Lawrence. She also worked at MTSU as assistant director in the Office of Alumni Relations and most recently, as publicity and outreach coordinator in the Career Development Center. She serves on the board for the MTSU Alumni Association, is a member of the Junior League of Murfreesboro, Murfreesboro Noon Exchange Club, and the Leadership Rutherford Class of 2012.

Director of Accounting

Mary Rose Shadrick
(615) 278-2324
contact

Mary Rose Shadrick joined the Chamber in 2007. She graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting. In 2003, she worked as a staff accountant at National HealthCare Corporation and in 2004, she worked as a market center administrator for Keller Williams Realty in Franklin, Tenn.

Executive Assistant

Linda Ryan
(615) 278-2329
contact

Linda Ryan joined the Chamber staff in 2011 after a long six-month retirement. She worked part-time in the Visitors Center, Rutherford County Keepsakes Gift Shop and membership department, before assuming the position of executive assistant. In her first career, Ryan was a kindergarten teacher for 16 years in Rutherford County and 16 years in Cannon County.

Administrative Assistant (Murfreesboro)

Beverly Bevill
(615) 278-2390
contact

Beverly Bevill joined the Chamber staff in 2010. For several years, Bevill served as a substitute teacher in the Rutherford County school system. In addition, she has worked in retail sales and customer service. Bevill is a lifelong resident of Murfreesboro and has been a home based business owner for several years.

Vice President of Convention & Visitors Bureau

Mona Herring, CTTP, TMP
(615) 278-2014
contact 

Mona Herring began her career with the Chamber in 1987 and was promoted to tourism director in 1995. She received a bachelor of science in business from Missouri Southern State University. She earned industry designations as a CTTP (Certified Tennessee Tourism Professional) from the Tennessee Tourism Roundtable and as a TMP (Travel Marketing Professional) from the Southeast Tourism Society. She is a graduate of Leadership Rutherford and currently serves as the treasurer for the Tennessee Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (TACVB). She is the current chair of the Middle Tennessee Tourism Council, and a member of Bank Travel, American Bus Association (ABA), Tennessee Society of Association Executives (TNSAE) and Southeast Tourism Society (STS). She also serves on the board of directors for the Tennessee Miller Coliseum. 

Director of Group Sales

Barbara Wolke, CHSP, TMP, CTTP
(615) 278-2327
contact

Barbara Wolke joined the Convention & Visitors Bureau staff in 2003. She has 28 years of experience in sales and the hospitality industry. Wolke earned her designation as a CHSP (Certified Hospitality Sales Professional) from the Educational Institute with the American Hotel & Motel Association. She earned industry designations as a TMP (Travel Marketing Professional) from the Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College and as a CTTP (Certified Tennessee Tourism Professional) from the Tennessee Tourism Roundtable. She is a graduate of the Dale Carnegie Training Course.

Media Relations Specialist

Wendy Bryant, CTTP, TMP
(615) 278-2328
contact

Wendy Bryant joined the Convention & Visitors Bureau staff in 1996. She received an Associate of Science (A.S.) degree in Communications from Motlow State Community College and a Bachelor of Science (B.S) in Mass Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations from Middle Tennessee State University. She earned industry designations as a CTTP (Certified Tennessee Tourism Professional) from the Tennessee Tourism Roundtable and as a TMP (Travel Marketing Professional) from the Southeast Tourism Society. She is a graduate of the Dale Carnegie Training Course and Leadership Rutherford.

Visitor Relations Specialist

Stacie Pierce, TMP
(615) 278-2389
contact

Stacie Pierce has been employed at the Chamber since 2007. She is a cum laude graduate of Middle Tennessee State University where she received her Bachelor’s of Science in Mass Communication, concentrating in Journalism. She graduated from the Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College in 2010 and was awarded the designation of Travel Marketing Professional (TMP).

Welcome Center Director
Daryl Partin
(615) 278-2396
contact

Daryl Partin joined the Chamber staff in 2010. Prior to moving to the area, Partin and his wife owned and operated their own business. Partin then worked for the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. Most recently, he served as Front Office Manager at World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro. 

Vice President of Economic Development

Holly Sears
(615) 278-2393
contact

Holly Sears joined the Chamber staff in 2005. She earned a B.A. in Urban and Regional Planning and has a Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Tennessee. Prior to joining the Chamber staff, Sears worked at the State of Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development and was the Executive Director of the Joint Economic & Community Development Board of Wilson County, Tenn. NAIOP National, a commercial real estate organization, recently named Sears to chair the State & Local Committee.  She  has served on the committee for two years.  The State & Local Committee researches and analyzes legislative issues that have an impact on the real estate industry. She is also on the NAIOP-Nashville Board of Directors and Chair of the Government Affairs Committee.  Sears serves on the Board for Tennessee Economic Partnership and was named to the Middle Tennessee Medical Center Advisory Council and was appointed to serve as the Tennessee State Alliance Co-Chair representing the Public Sector for the International Council of Shopping Centers.    

Vice President of Workforce Development

Sandy Ponder
(615) 278-2326
contact

Sandy Ponder joined the Chamber staff in 2012. She earned a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Georgia and is a graduate of the Oklahoma Economic Development Institute. She previously served as the executive director of Mind2Marketplace for three and a half years, and prior to that, was in project management positions for the Georgia Agriculture Innovation Center and State of Georgia Department of Economic Development. She is a founding member of RutherfordCABLE and serves on the Tennessee Valley Corridor Foundation Board.

Director of Existing Industry and Special Projects

Chassen Haynes, M.B.A.
(615) 278-2325
contact

Chassen Haynes joined the Chamber staff in 2009. He earned both a B.B.A. in finance and an M.B.A. in management from Middle Tennessee State University. He formerly served as the Director of Government Affairs & Community Development for the Chamber from 2009-2011 before transitioning into Economic Development.  He is affiliated with Leadership Rutherford, Murfreesboro's Only Downtown Business Alliance, the Rutherford County Wellness Council and the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executives. He currently serves as a member of the local American Heart Association's Board of Directors and as the Past-Chairman of the Murfreesboro Young Professionals, Inc.

Executive Director of Business Education Partnership

Lee Rennick
(615) 278-2008
contact

Lee Rennick became the executive director of the Business Education Partnership in 2001. She received a cum laude BSBA in Marketing from the University of Missouri and upon graduation was hired into Dillard’s Buyer Training program. She worked for more than eight years in store management and as a buyer for the company. Rennick then spent eleven years in advertising, media, marketing and event planning in Davidson and Rutherford Counties, including serving as the Daily News Journal's marketing director. She is a graduate of Leadership Rutherford, InterPlay Leadership Training, LionsQuest Service Learning Training, and has received Certification in Non-Profit Management. Rennick has been a member of the Murfreesboro Noon Rotary Club for more than 15 years, and is a founding member of RutherfordCABLE and Read to Succeed. She currently serves on the board of the Discovery Center, the advisory committee for the WISTEM Center at Middle Tennessee State University, Daymar College Community Advisory Committee, Murfreesboro City and Rutherford County TSCPP Advisory Committees and serves as chair of the Rutherford County Board of Education's CTE Advisory Board. Her newest endeavor is working with a committee of arts, education, business and government representatives to create an all-county arts council called Arts in Rutherford. 

Administrative Assistant (Smyrna)

Joy Galyon
(615) 355-6565
contact

Joy Galyon joined the Chamber staff in 1992 where she works as an administrative assistant at Smyrna Town Hall. After graduating from Carson-Newman College with a B.A. in Sociology, she worked as a Social Worker for the TN. Dept. of Human Services in Knoxville. She also taught 5th grade in the Blount County School System before moving to Smyrna.

Deborah Balthrop joined the Chamber staff in 2011, bringing more than 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry. After learning her son was diagnosed with autism, Deborah became a statewide advocate and provided autism support and resources for families throughout Middle Tennessee. She volunteers with Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee, as a troop leader for a senior-ambassador level scout troop in La Vergne, and serves on several committees, including the Disability Coalition on Education, Special Education Task Force, and Exceptional Education Families Advisory Committee. She also is a graduate of the Partners in Policymaking Program.