Loren Chumley

After decades working in leadership positions in the private and public sectors, Loren Chumley eagerly took on the role of CEO in January 2022. Prior to this role, Loren served on the Nashville Wine Auction board of directors for six years, was chair of the board, and co-chair of both l’Eté du Vin and Pairings. She and her husband frequently have opened their home for fundraising wine dinners and have been top bidders at the auction for several years.

Loren Chumley is known for taking on a challenge and creating innovative frameworks that invest in growth – from systems to people to process review and outcome measurement.  Over her career, Loren has set herself apart with distinct accomplishments as a lawyer, audit controversy professional, tax and incentives expert, and trusted client advisor, highlighted with a multi-year role as Tennessee’s Commissioner of Revenue and a KPMG global leadership position. A dynamic developer and mentor of top tier talent, her reputation for collaboration motivates new and long-time employees alike, cultivating a cadre of champions everywhere she’s worked in both public and private sectors.  Her leadership does not stop at the office door. She volunteered for ten years as KPMG’s liaison for the Tennessee chapter of WomenCorporateDirectors, while serving concurrently on additional not-for-profit boards.

Loren retired from KPMG in September 2021, having joined the firm in 2007 as a direct entry partner.   While at the firm, Loren led the US Indirect Tax Practice and guided a KPMG acquisition that doubled the practice’s revenue. She also gained unique global and cultural communications experience serving on the governing board of the firm’s centralized Hungary-based Global Compliance Center. In this role, she helped to build shareholder agreements, governance structure, and auditable processes focused on regulatory compliance.

At the foundation of her corporate experience is an equally impressive 13-year career in state government, with the distinction of serving a 4-year gubernatorial appointment as Tennessee’s Commissioner of Revenue. She began her career as a bankruptcy and litigation attorney in Washington DC and Tennessee

In her prior role, Loren was known as an energetic speaker sought after for translating the intricate tax and regulatory worlds into easily understood concepts and content.  In addition to her work on the Nashville Wine Auction’s Board for six years, Loren served as Treasurer of the Girls Scouts of Middle Tennessee as well as the Board of Renewal House.  She is a member of the Tennessee Chapter of the International Women’s Forum, and has previously served on the on the advisory boards of the Paul Hartman State and Local Tax Institute and New York University Institute on State and Local Taxation.

Loren holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Tennessee and her JD from American University Washington College of Law. She is a Bar admitted attorney in the state of Tennessee. A self-described fearless traveler, she and her husband reside in Nashville.

Photo Credit: Daniel Meigs

Theresa Johnson

A Nashville native, Theresa joined Nashville Wine Auction in 2011 in the role of Finance Manager. By 2012, NWA saw an increased need for an Event Manager and it was a natural transition to incorporate Theresa’s 20 years of event and project planning to the role.

After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in Recording Industry Management, Theresa spent 16 years in Corporate Communications at Sparrow Records/EMI Christian Music Group. Here with the guidance of her talented mentor, Holly Hearn Whaley, Theresa was able to combine experience with her servant heart and discovered her true niche of coordinating quality events for others.

In 2005, Theresa “retired” to stay home with two young boys and continued to hone her various event skills by coordinating church VBS, Cub Scout summer camps, and soccer team activities. At the same time, she began working as a part time bookkeeper. As an avid audiobook reader, she was presented in 2008 with the opportunity to start her own audiobook proofing company where for two years she led a team of 10 audiobook proofers.

After volunteering at l’Eté du Vin in 2011, Theresa joined Holly again in a new adventure at the Nashville Wine Auction. “Everyone has been touched by cancer in one way or another, my family included. It is a blessing to be able to continue offering my gifts and skills in a new chapter that helps further the mission of Nashville Wine Auction. Plus I get to work with Holly again!”

In addition to her duties at NWA, you might find Theresa reading in her hammock, knitting, leading church activities or enjoying a nice Cabernet Sauvignon by the fire pit. Theresa lives with her husband and two sons in Murfreesboro.

Kathy Maynard

Kathy brings a wide-range of expertise to her role as Marketing Director for Nashville Wine Auction. Her areas of responsibility span event marketing, digital/social media presence, website strategy, sponsorship relationships, and overall brand awareness to increase fundraising for the auction.

Prior to joining Nashville Wine Auction, she was the Director of Marketing and Sales Operations for Capitol Christian Distribution where she managed all business to business marketing and sales operation initiatives for the distribution team and co-managed relationships with numerous label, studio, and publisher partners at various levels. She led the award winning execution of the company’s tradeshow presence with more than 6 industry awards including CBA’s Total Exhibitor Impact Award for booth presence and total show promotions.

Kathy is a graduate of West Texas A & M University and currently lives in Nolensville, TN with her daughters Hannah and Halle.

NIKKI SHANNON

Nikki’s history with Nashville Wine Auction began when she started donating her wine paintings in 2004. It continued when NWA gave her the biggest compliment of her art career by honoring her as the featured artist for the l’Eté du Vin Premiere Auction in 2007. Later in 2013 when Nikki decided to return to work fulltime (after 11 years as a stay at home mom), the job at Nashville Wine Auction magically fell in her lap. It was kismet.

Today, as Auction Director, Nikki feels right at home managing the sales of the wine, trips, dinners, and luxury items sold at auction. Every year she wrangles the details of thousands of donated wine bottles. From solicitation to storage, display to deductions, her goal is to have the wine bottles’ experience at the auction streamlined and the customer experience at auction exhilarating!

It didn’t take long for Nikki to realize that becoming a wine expert was not in the cards (Wonder why? Just ask her opinion of Pinot Noir), so instead she decided to focus on becoming an auction expert. As a result, she is now a licensed Tennessee Principal Auctioneer who avoids Pinot Noir.

No, Nikki isn’t from here, and despite living in Tennessee for 25+ years, she still gets asked that question. She hails from Ohio and graduated from Ohio University with a Journalism degree. She makes her home in Bellevue with her partner, Adam, and children, Jayne and Wesley. There you can find her sipping CA Cabs, Spanish reds, or anything bubbly. She also enjoys spending quality time in the garage where she has been known to break out the paint brushes or get creative repurposing old wooden wine boxes.

Taylor Guardino Engle

An almost local, Taylor moved to Nashville at the age of 5 and never looked back to her home in Scranton, PA except for the rare visit to the Poconos or on a more frequent occasion to watch an episode of The Office.

In 2011, Taylor graduated from Western Kentucky University with bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with an emphasis in marketing, communication, and event planning.

She has also held positions with Noelle Hotel as the Catering Sales Manager; Cheekwood as the Event Sales Manager; Chef’s Market Catering as a Senior Sales Manager; and SOVA Food Inc. where she was the Marketing Director and Event Sales Coordinator for Take Away Catering (an all-purpose catering company) and SOVA Catering (Nashville’s Premier Kosher Catering Company).

With a penchant for nonprofits and events from a young age, she interned with the Nashville Wine Auction, the nation’s first charity wine auction, and held a position there. In addition, she has volunteered with multiple organizations throughout her career including the Junior League of Nashville, where she’s held multiple leadership roles, the Nashville Opera, Renewal House, Nashville chapter of NACE (National Association for Catering and Events), and Music City YP.

In 2019, she was nominated for a Nashville Emerging Leader Award presented by the Nashville Chamber of Commerce and YP Nashville and in 2020, she also completed the Young Leaders Council program.

Taylor finds inspiration and joy in most things, including: thunderstorms and all forms of gluggaveður, a good podcast, meditation, staying active and playing tennis, and spending time in nature. When not working or volunteering, you will find Taylor curled up with a good book alongside her beloved cats and a cup of tea, spending time with her family, or enjoying dinner and drinks with friends.