Pam Matthews is a proven leader with four decades in the entertainment business. She began her career at age fifteen as a runner for Mid South Concerts in Memphis. Today, she serves the industry as executive director of one of its most influential trade organizations.
Matthews toured internationally in the early 80s as an accountant for KISS and Ozzy Osbourne. She was part of the team that constructed and managed Starwood Amphitheater, the first venue owned & operated by Live Nation (then Pace Concerts). In 1988, Matthews began her twelve-year tenure with The Judds. Matthews was named General Manager of Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in 2000. During her eight years managing the historic venue, the Ryman rose to prominence as one of the top-grossing theaters in the world. IEBA chose Matthews to be its Executive Director in 2013. Since then, the 50-year old organization has tripled its membership and attendance at its annual conference continues to break records year-after-year. In 2017, IEBA established its Educational Outreach Fund, a 501(c)(3) charity, that has endowed over $1 million in scholarships and awards more than $60k annually to students across the U.S.
Matthews attended Christ Church College, Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. In 1989, she passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination. In 2006, Billboard magazine ranked Matthews on its first “Women in Music” list. Recent honors include Nashville Business Journal “Women in Music City” and VenuesNow “Women of Influence.” Matthews has served on the Board of Directors of the Opry Trust Fund, Nashville Downtown Partnership, Leadership Music, Americana Music Association, and Music City Music Council’s Leadership Forum.