CEO Mark Blaze MBA

MARK BLAZE, the 10th consecutive President and CEO of Nashville Technology Council since its founding in 1999, is to begin work Monday, May 12.

NTC Chairman Rod McDaniel made the announcement of Blaze's appointment May 1.

Blaze, a native of Leeds, England, has lived in Tennessee for decades. He rose to the top of 619 applicants for NTC CEO, more than a fourth of whom were Tennessee residents.

During a VNC interview today, Blaze made clear he sees the Council as having very real leadership opportunities locally, regionally, nationally and abroad.

Reinforcing his view of the scope of NTC opportunities, Blaze said sees no reason to prematurely limit collective thinking about expanding NTC's growth and influence -- after all, he said, "We're not looking to be an 'also ran'."

Blaze added he is "very passionate about our community" and see NTC's priorities centered around its mandate to "Connect, Unite, Develop, and Promote" the organization and its current and future stakeholders.

Chairman McDaniel is convinced: He told VNC that he and the NTC board of directors believe Blaze's experience and personal drive have prepared him to tackle fervently NTC's challenges and objectives.

The chairman paused for reflection, then added calmly that he is personally very eager for what lies ahead.

HORIZONS

Given Blaze's avowed readiness to consider international opportunities in the mix of options, VNC immediately sought a reaction from one of the city's most influential healthtech executives.

We reached out to Nashville-based Eric Thrailkill, who is executive director for US operations of the ECHAlliance ("The Global Health Connector") and co-founder of Global Health Innovators.

As background, readers may recall VNC reporting on Thrailkill's work and that of others who have created what they've dubbed the "HealthTech Bridge" for bilateral healthtech trade among Nashville, the UK's West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leeds University, to name a few.

Eric Thrailkill

Thrailkill's response to VNC's query was swift and enthusiastic. At midday, he wrote:

"As the global healthcare community navigates shared macroeconomic challenges - aging populations, rising costs, and critical workforce shortages - the intersection of healthtech, advanced analytics, and AI offers a rare opportunity for transformation.

"With Mark's leadership at the GNTC and his vision for international growth, we see a powerful alignment with the mission of Global Health Innovators and the ECHAlliance.

"The recent collaboration with West Yorkshire (WY Nashville Healthtech Bridge) exemplifies how regional partnerships can drive global impact. Together, we're positioned to accelerate scalable solutions that not only address today's healthcare needs but also build a more resilient, connected future."

CHANGES

Sandi Hoff

In separate conversations with VNC, both McDaniel and NTC's Sandi Hoff, -- who served more than six months as interim CEO, following former CEO Elise Cambournac -- affirmed that while NTC has active partnerships with the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, Nashville Entrepreneur Center, the Nashville Innovation Alliance and others, there are many more opportunities to partner and create value.

Hoff said NTC currently has 6 FTE staff, following the departure last week of former Chief Development Officer Alex Curtis, who'll next be doing legislative work here for Los Angeles-based Metropolis Technologies Inc.

The Council is likely to fill one additional position during the balance of CY 2025, the definition of which role will follow assessment of current and potential future assignments for existing staff.

Hoff acknowledged that, alongside its peers nationwide and its members, the Council has experienced strains in the past few years due to the pandemic and fluctuating talk of an economic recession, or worse. Now, the Council board and team are prepared to move ahead steadily.

BACKSTORY

Blaze earned his master's and bachelor's degrees within the Fogelman College of Business and Economics of the University of Memphis, 1987-1992. During his master's studies, he also served as an advisor for undergraduates.

His launched his career in Memphis in 1995 as an area sales manager within Danka Office Imaging Company (then a U.S. operating subsidiary of UK-based Danka Business Systems, which was acquired in 2008 by Konica Minolta).

After that, he spent 18 years in Nashville and Memphis in regional president and VP-sales roles within DEX Imaging and Mid-South Digital.

Tampa-based DEX Digital remains a consolidator of eastern U.S. dealers of document imaging and content management software.

Blaze's DEX experience included onboarding four acquisitions. VNC research indicates that during those same years DEX acquired at least two dealerships in the Nashville market. DEX had been formed in 2002 as an entrepreneurial startup.

Most recently, Blaze served as chief revenue officer for Groove Construction, an independent subcontractor for commercial and residential projects, many of them Nashville landmarks.

He has also volunteered as board member with Rocketown, Special Olympics Tennessee, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital - ALSAC, the Education Equal Opportunity Group Inc., and Nashville Predators Foundation.

Though Blaze attended UMemphis with a Golf athletic scholarship, he told us he is today more focused on soccer, i.e., known in England and most of the world as football.

In-line with that, he is a primary local contact for the Leeds United Football Club fanclub in Nashville. which often convenes at The Pub in the Nashville Gulch.

Blaze, 56, his wife Tara and their family reside in Davidson County. Tara Blaze is enterprise account manager for DEX Imaging.

The CEO said his parents and brother still reside in England. He added with evident pride that his sibling, Robin Blaze, is a renowned countertenor in The Choir of Westminster Abbey.

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.last edited 1700 9 May 2025