David Johnson

Gaylord Entertainment Co. is a hospitality and entertainment company. The company owns and operates Gaylord Hotels, its network of upscale, meetings-focused resorts and the Grand Ole Opry, the weekly showcase of country music's finest performers. Its entertainment brands and properties include the Radisson Hotel Opryland, Ryman Auditorium, General Jackson Showboat, Gaylord Springs Golf Links, Wildhorse Saloon, and WSM-AM Radio. The company operates its business through three segments: Hospitality, Opry & Attractions, and Corporate & Other. The Hospitality segment includes the company's hotel operations. The Opry and Attractions segment includes the company's Grand Ole Opry assets, WSM-AM and Nashville attractions. The Corporate and Other segment includes the company's corporate expenses. Gaylord Entertainment was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in Nashville, TN.

Wyndham International, Inc. owned and operated hotels. It provided hospitality, lodging and boarding services through its proprietary lodging brands and a management services division.. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Dallas, TX.

Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc. owns and manages hotels and resorts. It has multi-purpose meeting and banqueting space and multiple revenue streams such as wine and cocktail bars, high-end spas and desirable retail offerings. The company was founded by Laurence Stephen Geller in 1997 and is headquartered in Chicago, IL.

Active Media Services, Inc. provides marketing and business solutions. Its products include media, retail marketing, travel and hospitality, freight and logistics, displays and lighting solutions, sponsorships, and client-directed trading. The company was founded by Alan S. Elkin and Arthur Wagner in 1984 and is headquartered in Pearl River, NY.

The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, Inc. promotes and develops amateur football games. It also tabulates and disseminates the weekly standings for college football's bowl championship series. The company was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Morristown, NJ.

JDRF International is a leader in setting the agenda for diabetes research worldwide, and is the largest charitable funder of and advocate for type 1 diabetes research. JDRF find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults suddenly, and can be fatal. Until a cure is found, people with type 1 diabetes have to test their blood sugar and give themselves insulin injections multiple times or use a pump each day, every day of their lives. And even with that intensive care, insulin is not a cure for diabetes, nor does it prevent its potential complications, which may include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke, and amputation. It was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

Aimbridge Hospitality LLC operates as an independent hotel management and investment firm. It offers hotel management; resort and luxury, acquisition and development; capital oversight, receivership and interim management, asset management, and consulting services. The company was founded by Les Bentley and Dave Johnson in 2003 and is headquartered in Plano, TX.

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is the world's largest professional development organization for the meeting and events industry. MPI is based in Dallas, TX, and has subsidiaries in the United States. With over 12,000 members and a community of 90,000 meeting and event professionals in 75 countries, MPI has nearly 70 chapters and clubs worldwide. The organization offers event planning certification at MPI Academy and on-demand meeting planning webinars for strategies and tips. Founded in 1972, MPI provides innovative and relevant education, networking opportunities, and business exchanges, and acts as a prominent voice for the promotion and growth of the industry. The CEO of the non-profit company is Paul van Deventer.