New Director of Chilhowee Park and Exposition Center, Greg MacKay.

KNOXVILLE — Chilhowee Park and Exposition Center has selected Greg Mackay as director and hired Michael Tarrant as event manager.

As Chilhowee Park and Exposition Center director, Mackay will assist the general manager in overseeing the operations of the park and the services provided to events held at its facilities.

“Greg Mackay’s knowledge of Chilhowee will be an asset as we continue to serve our current clients and attract new events to the multipurpose venue,” General Manager Mary Bogert said. “We are pleased to have him on our team.”

Mackay served as the director of the Public Assembly Facilities Department for the City of Knoxville since 2013. Following an 11-year career as a realtor, he was a Knox County election commissioner from 1990 to 1998 and was the administrator of elections for Knox County from 2003 to 2011.

Mackay is a graduate of the Webb School of Knoxville and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Tennessee. He serves as the chair of the university’s Political Science Advisory Board.

In the newly created position of event manager, Tarrant will handle event booking and coordination for the site, which includes a three-acre lake, bandstand, 4,500-seat amphitheater, 57,100-square-foot exhibition hall, barns, arenas, playground and picnic shelters.

“Michael Tarrant will help us further improve client service for events at Chilhowee,” Bogert said. “As a longtime resident of East Knoxville, he is a great addition to our team to assist our efforts in connecting the park and exposition center to the surrounding neighborhood and business partners.”

New Event Manager of Chilhowee Park and Exposition Center, Michael Tarrant.

Tarrant is a graduate of Austin-East High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Tennessee.

In his spare time, Tarrant enjoys reading and volunteering with Edgewood Chapel AME Zion Church, where his father serves as pastor.

Chilhowee Park and Exposition Center is an 81-acre, multiuse venue owned by the City of Knoxville. It is located blocks away from interstate access and minutes from downtown Knoxville. The facility includes a three-acre lake, bandstand, 4,500-seat amphitheater, 57,100-square-foot exhibition hall, barns, arenas, playground and picnic shelters. Chilhowee also is home to the Tennessee Valley Fair.

Published August 2, 2016