Kanette Keough-Rodgers has been named president and CEO of the Collierville Chamber of Commerce. She will replace outgoing president Fran Persechini, who served for more than 20 years.
The Collierville Chamber Transition Team picked Rodgers from more than 170 candidates world-wide. The board voted unanimously to hire Rodgers.
“The Chamber’s work is vital to our business community,” she said. “I look forward to working with the Chamber’s board, team and volunteers to serve the town we all love.”
Rodgers comes to the Chamber from The Orpheum Theatre, where she served as the vice president of marketing and public relations. During her nine years with The Orpheum, Rodgers created numerous strategic business alliances and implemented successful marketing plans that resulted in the highest ticket sales in the history of the theatre.
As a result of her creative efforts, Rodgers was presented with the Orpheum Star and Big Idea awards by the Orpheum Board of Directors. Prior to her tenure at the Orpheum, Rodgers owned and operated a successful business with locations in Memphis, Germantown and Collierville.
“We had several strong candidates, but Kanette Keough-Rodgers was the ideal choice,” said Matt White, chairman of the Transition Team. “As a longtime resident, she’s passionate about the future of Collierville. With her nine years in the non-profit world and 20-plus years as a small business owner, she understands the challenges facing businesses and non-profits today. We hope to use her skills and experience to help us continue the path of excellence in our Chamber and community.”
Rodgers was raised in Collierville and attended Collierville schools. She received a BFA in graphic design from the University of Tennessee.
She has four children, KellyeAnn, Hanna, Jason and Haley.
“Because of the foundation laid by our predecessors and the unique culture and reputation as a model Chamber, we have this positive momentum at our Chamber and it will be up to us to carry that on,” said Chamber Board Chairman John Barrios. “Our future is bright.”
The Chamber currently has 720 members, an all-time high.
