NASHVILLE (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — CMA announced today that Sally Williams has joined the staff as Senior Manager, Event Programming and Development.
In her new role, Williams will manage special events and projects, focusing primarily on sponsor/marketing event fulfillment. Other responsibilities will include execution of CMA Music Festival programming in the Family, Sports, and Fun Zones; developing new CMA Music Festival elements; and overseeing many of the ancillary events around the CMA Awards. Williams will report to Bobette Dudley, CMA Vice President of Events and Program Development.
"We are thrilled to have Sally join CMA," said Dudley. "Our entire team always enjoyed working with her when the CMA Awards were held at the Opry House. She became an integral and important part of the logistics and operations of the event, and shared our desire to strive for excellence. Given her background and experience working on major events, as well as developing and producing special projects, she's perfect for this newly created position. She will be a great addition to our department and to CMA's professional staff."
Williams was most recently employed by the Grand Ole Opry where she served as the Events Manager, Opry Entertainment Complex since Dec. 2000. In this role she managed venue rental business for the Grand Ole Opry House, Acuff Theatre, Opry Museum, and Opry Plaza; booked and managed concerts promoted by the Opry House; and produced special events for the Opry, including Opry anniversary celebrations, Opry Plaza Parties, and national tours of the Grand Ole Opry. While at the Opry Complex, Williams managed hundreds of events including the CMA Awards, "Wheel of Fortune" and "Nashville Star," as well as numerous corporate and private events. In 2006 Williams coordinated President George W. Bush's televised public appearance at the Opry House. Williams joined Gaylord Entertainment as Coordinating Producer, Opryland Productions in Aug. 1999 before moving into the Events Manager role.
Prior to working with the Opry, Williams worked with Live Nation (Pace Concerts) in 1999 as Site Producer of Nashville River Stages and as Special Events Manager of Starwood Amphitheatre. Previously, Williams worked at Minneapolis-based Compass Entertainment from 1997-1999 as first the Corporate and College Events Talent Buyer; then Associate Producer, Festivals and Special Events; and finally Director of Sales and Marketing, where she worked on a number of festivals as well as Governor Jesse Ventura's inaugural celebration.
Earlier in her career, Williams was an agent assistant for the William Morris Agency; owner of the concert tour management and publicity firm Mustang Management; a booking agent with Proton Productions; and a production assistant with Jam Productions and Contemporary Productions. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a minor in English.
Williams currently sits on the Board of Directors for the International Entertainment Buyers Association. Previously, she served on the Board of Directors for the Greater Nashville Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
