Tate Named Convention Center Operations Director

The Paducah McCracken County Convention Center Corporation Board has announced the appointment of Charles “Chuck” K. Tate as its new director of operations.  The PMCCC Executive Committee approved Tate’s appointment at its meeting Monday morning. 

A Kentucky native who has spent the past 12 years as the house manager and event supervisor for the Luther F. Carson Four Rivers Center, Tate will oversee operations and sales for the Julian Carroll Convention Center, William & Meredith Schroeder Expo Center, and the inflatable dome pavilion beginning May 16.  The director of operations is a full-time position that involves the managing and directing of all activities related to the convention center facilities.  

Tom Padgett, PMCCC Executive Committee member and chair of the Long Range Planning & Marketing Committee, says, “We are very excited to have Chuck on board as our new director of operations.  His gold star personality, endless enthusiasm, and deep wealth of event management experience make him a natural fit with our long term goals.  With a new downtown hotel coming on line in a year and an established re-focus on the riverfront's beautification, our future remains very bright.  Chuck's addition to the team is yet another big piece of the puzzle.”

Tate says, “I am extremely honored to be a part of the operations at the Julian Carroll Convention Center and the William & Meredith Schroeder Expo Center. I look forward to working with the public throughout the region to create a premier events center that offers the highest standard in facility space and customer service.  I want to the thank the Board of Directors of the centers, the City, and County for their leadership and the Carson Center staff for their management of the centers for the last four years ”

Earlier this year, the PMCCC made the decision to pursue a self-management model to manage the operations and sales of the Julian Carroll Convention Center and the William & Meredith Schroeder Expo Center.  In early April, the PMCCC advertised for a director of operations and a sales director.  The Board has not completed the interview process for the sales director position.  Since 2011, the PMCCC has contracted with the Carson Center to manage the convention center facilities. 

The Julian Carroll Convention Center and the William & Meredith Schroeder Expo Center are adjacent facilities located in downtown Paducah on the Ohio River that together provide 110,000 square feet of convention space.  The PMCCC also manages the inflatable dome pavilion which provides more than 35,000 square feet of additional convention space.  

For more information, contact Padgett at (270) 408-1346 or by email at tom.padgett@paducahconventions.com.