Hal Cato And Jerry Williams Join The Country Music Hall Of Fame® And Museum's Board Of Officers And Trustees

Jody Williams reelected as chair; Vince Gill reelected as president;
J. William Denny named trustee emeritus; and Jim Seabury named trustee

NASHVILLE, Tenn., – March 30, 2026 – Community leaders Hal Cato and Jerry Williams have joined the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s Board of Officers and Trustees.

Cato currently serves as CEO of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and has served for the past decade on the museum’s education council, helping steer the institution’s many community and school outreach initiatives. He is also past CEO of Thistle Farms and the Oasis Center and became widely known as one of the state’s leading youth advocates, helping found the Nashville Youth Alliance, Alignment Nashville and more. He has received the Nelson Andrews Distinguished Service Award by the Public Education Foundation, the Community Champion award by the Human Rights Campaign and been named Nashvillian of the Year by the Nashville Scene.

Williams is currently president of the Enchiridion Foundation and is a member of the museum’s Circle Guard who has advocated for the museum and its educational mission across all sectors of the Nashville community for more than three decades. Formerly, she served as executive director of Leadership Nashville for 25 years, and also held leadership roles as president of the Junior League of Nashville, Friends of Children’s Hospital and Travellers Rest Historic House Museum.  She serves on the board of Cheekwood Estate & Gardens as well as the advisory boards of the Nashville Public Library Foundation, Travellers Rest and Montgomery Bell Academy.

Jody Williams was reelected as board chair for a third consecutive term. Williams, who is founder of Jody Williams Songs, was named chair in 2024 and has served on the museum’s board for 19 years. Board chairs are elected to one-year terms.

Additionally, J. William Denny was named trustee emeritus, recognizing his exceptional service as a longtime board officer and trustee. Denny has served on the board for 61 years.

Executive officers elected to new roles include Mary Ann McCready as treasurer and Jim Seabury as a first-time trustee. Reelected executive officers include Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill as president, Al Giombetti as executive vice president, David Ross as secretary, Rod Essig as trustee, and Keel Hunt as trustee. Giombetti and McCready were also reelected as trustees, which serve three-year terms. Other returning trustees include Mark Bloom, David Conrad, Ken Levitan, David Ross and Jody Williams.

All current board officers were reelected as well for one-year terms, including Earl Bentz, Sara Finley, Becky Gardenhire, Rusty Gaston, Lon Helton, Clint Higham, Cindy Mabe, Bill Simmons, Clarence Spalding, Chris Stewart, Troy Tomlinson, Jay Turner, Marcus Whitney and Tim Wipperman.

Visit the museum’s website to view a full list of the museum’s Board of Officers and Trustees.