With more than 30 years’ experience in non-profit management, marketing and
fundraising, Ralph Schulz was named leader of the Nashville Area Chamber of
Commerce in November 2006. The Nashville Chamber, a non-profit, member-based
organization founded in 1847, is Middle Tennessee’s largest business federation
and a leading driver of economic and community development.
Prior to joining the Chamber, Schulz served seven years as president & CEO of
Adventure Science Center-Nashville. During that time, Schulz built a team credited
with transforming the organization into one of the most successful youth-focused
science centers in the nation based on attendance, exhibits, capital contributions and community
support. In 2001, he received the Marvin Runyon Leadership Award for nonprofit turnaround.
Schulz’ foray in non-profit management began with Junior Achievement Inc. (Nashville chapter) in
1974. He spent a total of 20 years in leadership roles with Junior Achievement, heading chapters in
Jackson, Miss., Dallas, Texas and New York City. From 1990 to 1996, he served as national
executive vice president for Junior Achievement, based at the education nonprofit’s headquarters in
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Schulz returned to Nashville in 1996 to become executive vice president of the National Federation
of Independent Business Education Foundation. He later served as corporate vice president of
marketing and development for the organization.
A passionate public servant with a history of community leadership around education and tourism
issues, Schulz is a founding board member of Alliance for Public Education. He also served on the
Metro School Funding Task Force in 2005 and Nashville Youth Leadership Advisory Board in 2004.
In 2003, Schulz chaired Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell’s Working Group on Tourism. He later served as
board chairman of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau (2005-2006) and has been an
integral part of the leadership of the Music City Center Coalition, responsible for building broadbased
community support for the development of a new downtown convention center.
Schulz also served on the Nashville Symphony Hall Advisory Committee, as program chair for
Rotary Club of Nashville and vice chair of government relations for the Nashville Area Chamber of
Commerce. He currently serves on the board of Leadership Music and is a member of the Country
Music Association’s Blue Ribbon Committee.
Schulz is a graduate of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He and his wife Leeanne reside in
Nashville. They have four grown children—twin daughters, Allison and Sarah, and sons, Michael
and Josh.