Tennessee Shakespeare Company Appoints Memphis Grizzlies’ Pete Pranica as Newest Board Member, Announces Officers, and Launches Inaugural Board Advisory Committee
MEMPHIS, Tenn., June 22, 2020 – Tennessee Shakespeare Company today announced that at its recent Annual Board meeting last week the Directors appointed the NBA Memphis Grizzlies’ television broadcaster Pete Pranica as a Board member for a three-year term beginning July 1.
The Board also elected its Executive Committee officers as President Ernest G. Kelly, Jr., Vice President Michael R. Marshall, Treasurer J. Walker Sims, and Secretary Rhea Clift.
Pete Pranica is the television voice of the Memphis Grizzlies on Fox Sports Southeast. A native of Wisconsin and graduate of the University of Notre Dame, he has been an NBA play-by-play announcer for 27 years, including stints with the Detroit Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers, and NBA-TV. In addition to his work with the Grizzlies, Pete has been a presence on Memphis airwaves calling Memphis 901 FC soccer, Memphis Redbirds baseball, and Memphis Tigers football and basketball. He has been behind the microphone for two Olympic Games for NBC and was named the 2017 Tennessee Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. His long-standing support of TSC and its mission includes a performance as Mark Twain at Twilight in one of TSC’s inaugural Literary Salons.
TSC’s Board of Directors also approved the creation of its first Advisory Committee. Past President C. Cato Ealy (International Paper) will become the inaugural member of the committee, which will provide project and governance counsel to the 20-member Board and senior administration. This Committee will consist of former TSC Board members, local and professional artists, members of the medical and science community, members of the education community, community leaders and activists, and social and political policy-makers. Members will reflect the age, gender, cultural, and racial diversity of TSC’s community. And they will provide counsel from their professions as TSC continues to ensure that the plays of William Shakespeare and classical arts education are made available equally, professionally, and powerfully to everyone.
“The Board and I are deeply honored that Pete will join us,” said TSC founder and Producing Artistic Director Dan McCleary. “Pete has supported our mission and efforts for a decade in so many ways. This year, he was even bringing full lunches to our actors during rehearsals! He cares about Memphis, our schools, and our professional Shakespeare productions, and we are proud to have a deeper relationship with the Grizzlies and all the good they do both on and off the court. We are big fans of our home team. Pete joins us at a time of strong continuity in our leadership with Ernest, Mike, and Rhea returning as Board officers. Attorney Walker Sims, a staunch supporter of TSC’s work, joined our Board last year and has provided tremendous care and counsel this season. He will be a valuable addition to our Executive Committee.
“The creation of our Advisory Committee has been a few years in the making. The confluence of past President Cato Ealy’s willingness to become our inaugural member and the significant changes in our public health safety and even deeper desire to ensure TSC remains representative of our community provided new momentum for the Committee’s creation. TSC’s Board, staff, and I want to make certain we are active listeners as we program our performance, training, education, and outreach opportunities in Shelby County.”
