Nashville Jazz Workshop
Executive Director
| Executive Director | Ms. Mary Grissim |
|---|---|
| mary@nashvillejazz.org | |
| Term Start | February 2022 |
| Mary's Experience: Mary Grissim was appointed Interim Executive Director in February, 2022 and was voted by the Board to be permanent, full time Executive Director in March 2023 . Mary is an experienced administrator who has worked with NJW for the past eight years on many projects. Mary has extensive management experience: her past work includes serving as Director of Education for Cheekwood and Vice President of Education for the Sexual Assault Center. She knows NJW well and has excellent relationships in the community. | |
Senior Staff
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Dr. Larry Seeman | Senior Advisor |
| Ms. Lori Mechem | Director of Education |
| Mr. Roger Spencer | Artistic Director |
Staff
| Full Time Staff | 2 |
|---|---|
| Part Time Staff | 5 |
| Volunteers | 95 |
| Contractors | 17 |
| Retention Rate | 100% |
Plans & Policies
| Does your organization have a Fundraising Plan? | Yes |
|---|---|
| Does your organization have a Strategic Plan? | Yes |
| Years Strategic Plan Considers | 3 |
| When was the Strategic Plan adopted? | July 2019 |
| Does your organization have a Management Succession Plan? | Yes |
| Does your organization have a Policy and Procedure Plan? | Under Development |
| Does the organization have a Nondiscrimination Policy? | Yes |
| Does the organization have a Whistle Blower Policy? | Yes |
| Does the organization have a Document Destruction Policy? | Yes |
Evaluation
| Is there a formal evaluation for... | Frequency (if applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| CEO/Executive Director | Yes | Annually |
| Senior Management | No | |
| Non-Management | No | |
Affiliations
| Affiliation | Year |
|---|---|
| Center for Nonprofit Management Excellence Network | 2003 |
| Metro Arts Commission | 2003 |
| Nashville Arts Coalition | 2009 |
| Tennesseans for the Arts | 2004 |
| Tennessee Arts Commission | 2004 |
Awards
| Award / Recognition | Organization | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Best Live Jazz Performance Venue | Nashville Scene | 2018 |
| Finalist, Suntrust Business Acumen in the Arts | Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee | 2013 |
| Jazz Heroes Award to Directors Lori Mechem & Roger Spencer | Jazz Journalists Association | 2011 |
| Recognized by DownBeat Magazine as one of the 160 great jazz venues in the world. | DownBeat Magazine | 2014 |
| Best of Nashville, Jazz A.M. | Nashville Scene | 2021 |
CEO/Executive Director/Board Comments
| The biggest challenges related to staffing and management have been in the areas of (a) recruitment of junior staff and succession planning, and (b) expansion of staff resources for development within a limited budget. Recruitment of staff with an eye toward succession planning has been an active effort for several years now. Junior faculty have been recruited and trained in the NJW's educational model, and several junior faculty members have assumed increasing responsibilities and class loads. Similarly, persons have been recruited for specific administrative activities, such as direction of youth programs. Executive succession planning has also been a focus of recent Board discussion and planning. Development and fundraising has been an area in which the Board and Staff have seen a critical need for expansion, as more resources are needed to support expanded programs and an upcoming move to North Nashville. The position of full time Development Director has been added to develop and oversee a major gifts program. |
