Tennessee is an economic engine. Stuart McWhorter is one of the conductors.

During his tenure as the Tennessee Economic Development Commissioner, McWhorter has overseen nearly 160 projects, which represent more than 21,700 job commitments and $10.9 billion in capital investment.

In this episode of Climbing the Charts, Angie Lawless and Brandon Miller sit down with the TNECD commissioner to understand how the state invests in and attracts business.

Nashville has been in the top 10 hottest housing markets in the United States. The city has drawn attention from individuals and investors from coast to coast.

However, over the last two years sales have slowed some due to high interest rates and uncertainty surrounding the economy.

In this episode of Climbing the Charts, we sit down with Greater Nashville REALTORS Vice President of Member Engagement, Jack Gaughan, and former President turned Realtracs Board Member, Steve Jolly, to explore the past, present and future of Nashville real estate.

Glenn Funk balances safety and social justice in his role as Nashville District Attorney.

The Nashville District Attorney was sworn in nearly a decade ago. Nashville’s daily prison population is about half of what it was before he took office.

The second term elected official says reducing incarceration increases rehabilitation and saves metro money — $45 million a year by his estimate.

Funk discusses some positive legislative changes from the 2024 session, including Jillian's Law, homelessness and much more in this episode of Climbing the Charts.

The Nashville Chamber of Commerce is the front door to the region’s business ecosystem. Ralph Schulz is the guide.

The CEO has overseen the organization since 2006, steering it through the city’s explosive growth. During his 18-year tenure, the median salary in Nashville has increased by more than 50-percent, city’s skyline has reached new heights and major corporations like Amazon and Oracle have set up shop here.

In this episode of Climbing the Charts, Schulz shares how business and politics have shaped Music City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Four years ago, Burke Nihill ran across a job listing on LinkedIn: General Counsel for the Tennessee Titans. He applied, but he didn’t think he would be drafted.

His sports “experience” included dreaming of “wanting to be the third baseman for the Chicago Cubs” and declining an offer to play basketball at a Division 3 College.

Nonetheless, Nihill won owners over. 4 promotions and 8 seasons later, the former OfficeMax attorney turned Titan’s CEO is quarterbacking the organization through its most watched season — the construction of a new Nissan stadium.

Slated to open in 2027, the 60,000 seat, enclosed arena is estimated to cost nearly $2.1 billion.

In this episode of Climbing the Charts, the CEO delves into the design of the stadium and how its experiences will bring more than a Super Bowl to this city.

"I came to realize that I would never have the chance to work in an administration with somebody that I [am] so closely aligned with on issues. It makes it really easy to go to work.” – Bob Mendes, speaking of his working relationship with Mayor O'Connell

Climbing the Charts was excited to sit down with Bob Mendes, Chief Development Officer for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, to learn about the future of Nashville’s East Bank, the series of events and negotiations that paved the way for a new, $2.1+ billion dollar Titans stadium, as well as other challenges and opportunities Music City’s new development director sees in his crystal ball.

And while the East Bank is one of the largest projects ever undertaken by a city, Bob wants Nashvillians to know that though he will dedicate time to the East Bank project, his focus is on development in and for Nashville as a whole.

“My whole mission is just to affect positive change with people, and housing is such a key component to people’s health, well-being, and safety.” -- Andrea Prince

According to Nashville's 2021 Affordable Housing Task Force, chaired by Mayor John Cooper, the city must create 52,498 new housing units by 2030—a daunting challenge, given that only 1,344 affordable units were being built annually at the time of the report.

Today on The Climbing the Charts Podcast, as recorded by our sister podcast The Real Estate Mailbag, we're joined by Matthew Wiltshire, President of Pathway Affordable Housing Corp. and former Chief Strategy Officer at MDHA, Andrea Prince, Executive Director of Rebuilding Together Nashville, and Joshua Haston, Development Manager at LDG Development, LLC and Board Member of the Nashville Industrial Board. These leaders share their personal journeys and insights into tackling Nashville’s housing crisis, discussing innovative city tools and divisive zoning proposals debated in Metro Council. They also explore the impact of Tennessee’s new “home bond” bill on affordable housing.

Tune in to understand why affordable housing isn't just crucial for your future, but for the future of Music City itself!

“We’re not building new roads (for the most part), so it’s about trying to use that [existing] infrastructure in better ways that meet our modern needs.” --Michael Briggs, director of mobility at Vanderbilt University's Transportation and Mobility Office, currently on loan to the City of Nashville as a director of transportation planning through 2024

On November 5, 2024, less than six months from today, Nashvillians will go to the polls to vote on critical issues and races, including who will serve as our nation’s President. Locally, however, Nashvillians will also vote on a multibillion dollar transportation improvement program called Choose How You Move, the first transit referendum to appear on the local ballet since 2018.

Climbing the Charts sat down with Briggs to discuss why transit should be considered essential infrastructure, how this plan differs from the prior failed transportation plans presented to Nashvillians and explores how improving transportation addresses broader community needs (affordable housing being at the top of that list).