Louisville Native Greg Fante Promoted to Louisville Sports Commission CEO
Current VP of Sports Development has been with Organization 15 Years
Louisville, Ky. – March 17, 2022 – The Louisville Sports Commission (LSC) Board of Directors announced today that Greg Fante, a 15-year veteran of the organization, will be promoted to president and CEO effective February 2023. The board voted unanimously at its regularly scheduled March meeting to accept the LSC Selection Committee’s recommendation to elevate Fante, who currently serves as vice president of sports development.
Fante will assume his new role when current CEO Karl Schmitt Jr. retires next February.
“Greg Fante is the right person at the right time to lead the Louisville Sports Commission,” said LSC Board Chair Philip Poindexter. “The Board members strongly believe Greg has the skills and experience to ensure that the LSC continues its outstanding work attracting sporting events that generate economic impact for our hospitality industry while implementing health and wellness outreach initiatives that improve the quality of life for people from all areas of our community.”
Fante, 59, has been managing the inbound sports tourism market for more than 20 years. Prior to joining the LSC in 2007, he was the primary liaison between Louisville Tourism and the LSC in marketing the city as a destination for sporting events. As vice president of sports development for the LSC, he created a recipe for success by forging long-term relationships with leaders of national and international sports governing bodies, event rights holders and local partners in the hospitality industry and sports event business.
“Leading the Sports Commission in my home town is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream,” Fante said. “For our board of directors to demonstrate confidence in me is humbling and I’m thankful for the opportunity.
“Karl created a strong foundation during his tenure resulting in a substantial increase in inbound sports, expanding our large portfolio of owned and operated events and creating Louisville Active, our health and wellness strategy. I look forward to continuing to grow and enhance these programs and initiatives.”
Fante started his career in the local hotel industry where he served as sales manager, ultimately rising to the position of regional general manager for several locally owned hotels. He has served on the board of directors for Louisville’s lodging association, the Louisville hotel sales association, and Sports ETA, the sports travel industry’s professional organization. He also is a member of the sports commission large market executive leadership council and a Leadership Louisville graduate.