Gaylord Broadcasting Co.

"Bennett Westbrook is senior vice president of development and design & construction for Gaylord Entertainment Company, the diversified hospitality, entertainment and attractions company whose holdings include the Gaylord Hotels the Grand Ole Opry brands. Westbrook leads the company’s development efforts on new resort hotel and convention center projects and other real estate and investment-related projects. Westbrook joined Gaylord Entertainment Company in October 2001 from Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., a public company headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev. He served as corporate director of development, leading the company’s development department on new casino and hotel projects, expansions, business negotiations, acquisitions and dispositions. From 1994-1997, Westbrook was also with Harrah’s Entertainment in Memphis, Tenn. as the director of development. Westbrook also served as regional real estate manager for Federated Department Stores in Cincinnati from 1997-2000. He handled the real estate business of Federated’s Stern’s Department Store division in the metro New York City area and Aeropostale specialty store division. In 1994, Westbrook received his Masters of Business Administration degree from Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vanderbilt in 1989 in Political Science. Westbrook currently serves as President of the Gaylord Entertainment Political Action Committee and has served as a board member of the Nashville Zoo. He was also a participant in the 2006 Leadership Nashville class. "

"Carter R. Todd is executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of Gaylord Entertainment. Todd also serves as Gaylord’s chief compliance officer. Prior to joining Gaylord, Todd was a partner at a large Nashville, Tenn. law firm, where his practice emphasis was in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and securities regulations. A Tennessee native, Todd graduated from Vanderbilt Law School in 1982. While at Vanderbilt, he served on the editorial board of the Vanderbilt Law Review. He received his undergraduate degree from Davidson College where he was a member of the varsity basketball team and was selected to the Honors College. Todd is active in community affairs and currently serves on the Nashville Metro Council. He is a former chairman of the Nashville Sports Council and vice-chair of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. Currently Todd serves on the boards of the Nashville Area Red Cross, the United Way of Middle Tennessee and the Nashville Metropolitan YMCA. He is a graduate of both Leadership Nashville and Leadership Music, a Nashville Bar Fellow, and previously served as secretary-treasurer of the Nashville Bar Association. Todd is a frequent speaker at seminars dealing with corporate and securities laws, and previously served on the adjunct faculty of the Master’s of Business Administration program of Belmont University in Nashville, teaching business and administrative law. "

"John P. Caparella is executive vice president and chief operating officer for Gaylord Hotels. Prior to this position, he served as senior vice president and general manager of the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, positions he has held since joining the Company in November 2000. Prior to such time, Caparella served as executive vice president, planning, development, and administration and president of planethollywood.com for Planet Hollywood International, Inc., a creator and developer of consumer brands relating to movies, sports and other entertainment-based themes in Orlando, Florida. Before joining Planet Hollywood, Caparella was with ITT Sheraton, an owner and operator of hotel brands, for 17 years in convention, resort, business and four-star luxury properties, as well as ITT Sheraton’s corporate headquarters. Caparella's other positions included general manager, divisional director of Rooms and Reservations, and food & beverage director, as well as a position in sales and total quality management in locations including New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Orlando. Caparella received his undergraduate degree from State University of New York at Delhi. He serves on Delhi's Hospitality Advisory Board. He received his master’s degree in business administration from Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College. "

"John A. Imaizumi is senior vice president and general manager of Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, the luxurious 1,511-room hotel in Grapevine, Texas. Imaizumi, who has 22 years of experience in the hospitality and hotel management business, joined Gaylord Entertainment in April 2003 from Ian Schrager Hotels in New York, where he initially served as vice president of operations and ultimately as chief administrative officer. He was previously employed by Marriott Hotels and Resorts for more than eight years. During that time, he served as controller of Marriott's Hilton Head resort and was part of the team that opened Marriott's first 1,674-room ""Marquis Mega"" hotel in Atlanta, Ga. Imaizumi also assisted in task force operations for the opening of Marriott's Orlando World Center. In addition to his work with Marriott, Imaizumi was previously hotel manager and director of operations for the Fairmont Hotel Dallas, where he successfully coordinated and completed a $20 million guestroom renovation. "

"Steve Buchanan is senior vice president of media and entertainment for Gaylord Entertainment. He is responsible for the management of the Grand Ole Opry, the historic Ryman Auditorium, the legendary WSM-AM and Gaylord Program Services, Inc. Buchanan joined Gaylord in 1985 as marketing manager of the Grand Ole Opry. In 1993, he was named general manager of the Ryman Auditorium. During his time at the Ryman, he directed an $8.5 million renovation of the historic structure, executive-produced such noted musical productions as ""Always by Patsy Cline"" and ""Lost Highway - The Music and Legend of Hank Williams,"" and he was the co-creator and executive producer of ""Sam's Place - Music for the Spirit."" Buchanan produced the Grammy-nominated Bill Monroe album ""Live at the Opry"" (1990) and Monroe's ""Cryin' Holy Unto the Lord"" (1991). He has also produced numerous television specials, such as CBS' ""Grand Ole Opry's 75th: A Celebration"" and the A&E special ""Grand Ole Opry: 75 Years in the Making."" Buchanan currently serves as an executive producer of GAC's weekly show ""Grand Ole Opry Live."" He was also responsible for the Opry's monumental return to Carnegie Hall in November 2005, during the show's 80th Anniversary Celebration. Buchanan earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from Vanderbilt University. He serves on the board of W.O. Smith Community Music School and is president of the Opry Trust Fund. He is also on the board of the Country Music Association, Sound and Speed and the Nashville Alliance for Public Education, and is a member of the Academy of Country Music. A native of Oak Ridge, Tenn., Buchanan enjoys reading and playing golf. He is married to Ree Guyer Buchanan, a music publisher. "

Dave grew up on a dirt road outside of Charlotte, N.C. When it wasn't school time, you'd find him building forts in the woods, or racing through those same woods on a four-wheeler, or his bike. Toward the end of high school, Dave's dad hit him with a dose of reality when he said, what are you going to do with yourself? "Well, I don't know," was Dave's response. His dad said, "Well, you sure talk a lot, and you're kind of a smart aleck, why don't you go apply at the radio station?" And the rest, as they say, is history. After 6 months of calls to his hometown station, Dave landed his first radio job at 103.7 WSOC in Charlotte. Since that time, he's worked at WSM-FM, WSM-AM, WSOC again, hosted mornings at WKVS, a small station in Lenoir, N.C. while attending college at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., WSM-FM again, WSIX, and is now proud to call The Legend, 650 AM WSM his home. At WSM, Dave hosts overnights, and is the Assistant Operations Manager and Production Manager. Even with all the fun a job in radio brings, you'll still find Dave in his time off riding that four-wheeler through the woods.

Jerry Minshall is a native of Kirksville, Missouri, and a graduate of Truman State University. He is a former schoolteacher and professional singer. He recorded with several groups including The Plainsmen, who in earlier years backed up Johnny Horton and Governor Jimmie Davis of Louisiana. He is also the author of Santa Fe Cocktail, a novel. Jerry began his broadcast career at age fifteen, on KIRX Radio in his hometown. He lives in Nashville with his wife Jan. They have three children and six grandchildren.

Believe it or not, Wetherbee is his real last name! And at six-foot-nine, he acquired the nick name "Big John". His name and voice are familiar to audiences all over the country for years as a radio personality, program director and general manager. He is the former staff meteorologist of WSM-FM. And he is a sealed and certified TV meteorologist, working as Chief Meteorologist for the CBS station in Atlanta, and stations in Chattanooga, and Savannah. But his greatest love is home and the music. He's also a huge Elvis fan. John and his wife are proud parents of three daughters and two sons-in-law, all working toward graduate degrees. His household also includes a dog, two cats and three fish.