Curb Appeal For Up-and-Comers
Published Apr 30, 2009
Jeff and Jennifer Schwartzenberg relocated to Nashville from New York for a change of pace and a better lifestyle.
Jeff Schwartzenberg, 35, and his wife, Jennifer, visited Nashville in 2003 and again in 2005, and were impressed with the incredible momentum that appeared to be taking shape in the region.
With further visits in 2006, it became harder and harder for the couple to return to New York, so they decided to put their house on the market and look for jobs in Nashville.
They ultimately moved to Music City in January 2007, where Jeff is now senior marketing manager at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management.
Meanwhile, Jennifer is now the director of NowPlayingNashville.com, an all-inclusive, one-stop online arts-and-entertainment event calendar.
“While New York will always be special to us, we were ready for a change of pace and a better lifestyle,” Jeff Schwartzenberg says. “Nashville is an incredibly dynamic place for young professionals to cultivate and enhance their careers. It offers entertainment, dining, culture, affordability and hospitality, just to name a few. We really couldn’t be happier here.”
Such is the story with many young professionals in Music City, and dozens of them are networking with one another thanks to the efforts of groups such as YP Nashville, an umbrella organization sponsored by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.
“We define young professionals as being ages 25-40, but we also include the young at heart,” says Rebecca Myers, director of talent, recruitment and retention for the Nashville chamber. “We want YPs to stay in Nashville, and YP Nashville can help.”
A few years ago, the Nashville chamber hired a consulting firm to see what factors would attract younger professionals to the area. Those factors included a low cost of living, a wide array of activities, availability of colleges and lifelong learning, potential to secure high-quality jobs with good compensation, and the ability to grow careers.
YP Nashville was formed as a partnership between nearly 30 young professional organizations, all working together to shape the future of the region, Myers says.
“The presidents of these organizations meet on a quarterly basis to think of additional ways to help YPs network around town,” she says.
YP Nashville can also help young professionals who want to get involved and make a difference in the community.
Several national publications have been recognizing the Nashville area for its attractiveness to young professionals. For example, Forbes.com ranked the region in its top 20 major metros for economic opportunity for up-and-comers on a career track.
“Money magazine recently spoke highly of Nashville, as did Working Mother magazine,” says Nancy Eisenbrandt, chief workforce development officer and chief operating officer of the Nashville chamber. “There has been a lot of recent external confirmation that Nashville is a very good place to start and grow your career.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Jeff Adkins
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