Spark hosts Predators' chairman at New To Nashville series
Tristan Brew |
Tom Cigarran, chairman of the Nashville Predators, revealed the secret to the Predators’ recent success at a new lunch series at Lipscomb’s newly opened Downtown Spark facility.
“There are three things that you must do to thrive,” Cigarran said, advising how to manage any organization, not just a hockey franchise. “Set big goals, surround yourself with good people, and cultivate a great culture.”
Cigarran’s comments came during the October session of the New To Nashville lunch series, a series of four free luncheons held at Spark: Lipscomb’s Idea Center, with the goal to deepen newcomers’ engagement with the welfare of the city.
Along with Cigarran, this past week’s lunch featured Ralph Schultz, president and CEO of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, and Ron Samuels, founder, chairman and CEO of Avenue Bank; who discussed the importance of saving the Nashville Predators and their 2016 NHL playoff run to the Stanley Cup.
Throughout the discussion the three men provided their own unique perspectives of the events that led to the Predator’s successful 2016 season.
“I don’t like running things, I like fixing things,” Cigarran said, and when he arrived in Nashville in 2010, the hockey team was in need of fixing. “In order to fix anything or succeed at anything you must set big goals, surround yourself with good people and develop a great culture.”
Samuels, provided a short history on the introduction of major league sports to Nashville, including the relocation of the Houston Oilers and the expansion of the Nashville Predators.
He described a phone call he received from Craig Leipold (former Nashville Predators owner) to discuss selling the team. Samuels said he then called Schultz and said: “We have a real problem here. We have to save the Preds.”
Samuels and Schultz knew they had at least one way to help keep the team in Nashville: “There was only one thing we could influence at the time; and that was ticket sales.” Samuels said.
Schultz commended the risk taking of the Predators’ local leadership, specifically Cigarran. “Without the local leadership in place; Ron [Samuels] and I would have been great participants in a losing effort.”
Schultz also shared that he still has a recording of the last six-and-a-half minutes of game six of the western conference finals against the Anaheim Ducks and will watch it from time-to-time.
The next New To Nashville Lunch Series event, titled “The Future of Transportation In Nashville,” will be held Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and will feature Steve Bland, CEO of the Metropolitan Transit Authority and John Schroer, Tennessee Department of Transportation commissioner.
“People love Nashville, so naturally it made sense to deepen people’s understanding of this city believing that this kind of knowledge may lead to deeper engagement in the welfare of the city, especially with regards to its’ history, future transit plans, and the Nashville Predators,” said Josh Hayden, Spark’s director of executive programs.
To reserve your seats please visit: www.lipscomb.edu/newtonashville
The Lipscomb Spark Center located in downtown Nashville sits at the corner of Fourth Avenue North and Commerce Street. Opened in September 2017, the downtown Spark Center consists of 20,100 square feet of creative collaboration space, provides the latest in technology and flexible space designed to accommodate an event for as many as 200 or as little as two.
To learn more about the Lipscomb Spark Center in Downtown Nashville please visit: https://www.lipscomb.edu/spark/locations/downtown-nashville