Chad Culver, CSE, is a Senior Director for Visit Knoxville Sports Commission in Knoxville, Tennessee. As a 2020 Connect Sports Game Changer, he discusses his passion for sports tourism.
 

*Connect with Chad Culver on Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. 

How I got here: I worked in college athletics at my alma mater, The University of Tennessee, before moving to a great small town CVB. I’ve owned and operated my own event company for the past 15 years, and my current position at Visit Knoxville is the best yet.

Greatest career accomplishment: My role in the upward trajectory of the Visit Knoxville Sports Commission since its launch in 2016.

Specific event you are proud of hosting: Hosting the 49th Bassmaster Classic, which turned out to be the largest in history. This was a total team effort that included the City of Knoxville, Knox County, the state of Tennessee and multiple local partners. It was an amazing weekend capped by a Knoxville native taking home the trophy.

Impressive stats: The Visit Knoxville Sports Commission was formed in March 2016. We have seen our numbers climb each year since its inception. Our 2019 numbers included 73 events, which is a 235% increase over 2015. These events produced a projected economic impact of $83.8 million for our local economy, which was an increase of over 393% compared to 2015.

What I do outside of work: I am very active with several nonprofits that raise awareness for autism and help individuals with autism (one of my sons is on the spectrum). I love to hang out with my family, grill on my Big Green Egg and play a little golf.

Words that describe Culver:

Honest

Committed

Blessed