As our first year in Nashville, Tennessee comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the projects and people that have made our work so meaningful. We chatted with two of our Nashville team members about their experience thus far building our Nashville program from the ground up.

Connections that Count

Opportunities in Nashville are on the rise, like the 2030 Superbowl at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium that will bring 31 hotels to the area. With a combined over 100 years of experience in the Nashville AEC space, our team is ready to meet the demand.

Roger White, Director of Business Development, has been working in the Nashville construction market since 1999, starting his career in equipment rentals for Equipment Finders. He then went on to work in the commercial roofing industry as a Key Customer Manager for Rackley Roofing, the former official roofer of the Tennessee Titans and, subsequently, the current roofer of the University of Tennessee Volunteers.

Since joining Commodore in May, Roger has quickly become an integral part of the Nashville team, drawing on his extensive industry experience. His addition further strengthens Commodore’s ability to support promoter clients across multiple markets. For example, Commodore’s Retail & Hospitality Group has successfully delivered complex projects for tenants at Boston’s Copley Place Mall, and that experience has helped position the team to pursue opportunities at similarly prominent retail destinations in Nashville.

The development and nurturing of these critical connections with building developers, owners, and subcontractors is Roger’s focus. It’s also the main differentiator between Commodore and our competition.“I’m extremely excited to use my competitive advantage, the relationships I’ve amassed over the years, to generate new opportunities and drive business for Commodore,” Roger said.

Relationships are the cornerstone of successful construction projects. Another key player in Nashville Danielle Pyle, Senior Advisor of Client Strategies, has developed a deep understanding of the Nashville market, having spent her entire 15-year career building relationships while working alongside commercial real estate and construction owners, industry partners, and decision-makers.

“Those relationships and experiences have been invaluable as we’ve introduced Commodore to Nashville and continued building our presence here,” Danielle said.

Moreover, the Nashville team is focused on building trust, developing new relationships, and strengthening existing ones. The biggest lesson Danielle has learned so far is that sustainable growth comes from investing in relationships first.“If that’s done right, the work will follow.”

Projects with Purpose

As developing long-term partnerships with clients was a key goal for Nashville, Danielle, Roger, and the team are especially proud of the relationship they’ve built with Vanderbilt University. Currently, the Nashville office is working on a renovation of Benton Chapel and upgrades to the South End Zone at FirstBank Stadium.

The Benton Chapel project is a comprehensive modernization of the existing audio-visual system, which includes removing outdated equipment, installing a state-of-the-art sound system, projector and projector screen, and integrating streaming capabilities to enable live event broadcasting.

The South End Zone project will extend water and waste lines to new sinks in the existing and active dining halls in Vanderbilt Stadium, a donor’s suite, and an outdoor rooftop bar.

The Nashville team’s results speak for themselves. Through strategic relationship-building with restoration and construction personnel and the consistent delivery of high-end, quality projects, the team has earned the trust that leads to repeat business.

What’s Coming Next

Our Nashville team is equally as focused on strategically pursuing opportunities that align with our expertise and long-term vision.

The division is working to pursue opportunities in retail, hospitality, higher education, institutional, corporate interiors, and maybe even automotive plants native to the greater Nashville area.

Roger said witnessing growth in a market he knows so well is particularly exciting. “The opportunities to take something today that’s small and grow it is amazing.”

Danielle is looking forward to spending more time with her team, who she said is the best part of working with Commodore.

“Commodore has built a culture that’s truly special,” she said. “We work hard, hold ourselves to a high standard, and genuinely trust one another.”