Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority Announces Newly Appointed Commissioners to Its Board
Marcus W. Shute Jr. and Steven Swartz bring extensive aviation, legal and public service experience to the Authority’s governing body.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 20, 2026) – The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA), which owns and operates Nashville International Airport®, also known as BNA®, and John C. Tune Airport®, also known as JWN®, announced the appointment of Marcus W. Shute Jr. and Steven Swartz to the Board of Commissioners following their confirmation by the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County at its May 19 meeting. Both bring extensive experience in aviation, leadership and public service, strengthening the board’s capacity as MNAA continues its historic growth. The two new board members will fill the seats previously held by Commissioners Jimmy Granbery and Bobby Joslin, whose terms expired in April 2025.
“We are pleased to welcome Marcus Shute Jr. and Steven Swartz to the Board of Commissioners,” said Doug Kreulen, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority. “Their background in aviation, law, and community leadership will be tremendous assets as we continue expanding our airports and improving the services we provide to travelers and residents alike. MNAA is in a transformative period, with major projects underway at both BNA and JWN. Marcus and Steven bring the experience, insight, and dedication needed to help guide this work and ensure our airports remain safe, efficient, and responsive to the needs of Middle Tennessee’s growing population.”
Marcus W. Shute Jr. – Commissioner
Marcus W. Shute Jr. is the founder and managing partner of Shute Law, a Nashville-based firm representing clients in the sports and entertainment industries and Of Counsel at Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani. In addition to his legal work, Shute is a private pilot, a role that reflects his long-standing interest in aviation and his commitment to precision and safety.
Shute earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Tennessee State University. He later received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the Nashville School of Law. He is a member of the American, Tennessee, Nashville and Napier-Looby bar associations; the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; and the Sports Lawyers Association. He is also a member of the Nashville Bar Leadership Forum’s 2023 class.
Shute serves as an adjunct legal professor at Tennessee State University, where he teaches and mentors students pursuing careers in law and public service. He also serves on the boards of the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and TruCare Transformation. He remains active in sports as a U.S. Soccer referee. He and his wife, Natalie, have two daughters.
Steven Swartz – Commissioner
Steven Swartz is a lifelong aviation professional whose career spans more than four decades and includes extensive experience as a pilot, resource manager and federal
aviation safety official. An active general aviation pilot and aircraft owner, his aviation career began with 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, where he flew a wide range of aircraft, managed Air Force drone programs and directed astronaut rescue operations for the Space Shuttle program. He went on to spend 16 years with American Airlines as a Nashville-based Fokker 100 captain (an exclusive American Airlines luxury aircraft flown during 1991 – 2004).
He later served five years at the Federal Aviation Administration’s headquarters as an aviation safety inspector in the Flight Technologies and Procedures Division, which develops national flight operations standards and instrument procedures.
Swartz holds a bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy and an MBA from George Washington University.
The seven-member Board of Commissioners, appointed by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County Mayor and confirmed by the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County, governs and sets policies for the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority.
The Board is comprised of seven representatives in the fields of engineering, law, industry, commerce and finance with at least two holding a private pilot’s rating or higher qualification.