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Darius McDonald, MSOL

@dariusbuilds

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⭐️ @nashvillebiz 40 Under 40
🧬 Commissioner, Metro Nashville | CEO | COO
🖊️ Tennessee Health Care Association
🖊️ @thenashvilleblackmarket

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✨ WELL!! Gracing the cover of The Nashville Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Edition was certainly not on my 2025 Vision Board, but here we are! 🎉🔥
(@nashvillebiz)

Humbled and Grateful are the only words that come to mind seeing this.

To be recognized among this year’s class of dynamic leaders shaping the future of Greater Nashville is already an incredible honor, but to have the privilege of representing the innovative, diverse, and thriving spirit of this wonderful community is truly surreal.

Nashville, you have embraced me, challenged me, and inspired me to constantly push boundaries, cultivate change, and champion progress. This city has allowed me to work and collaborate with some of the most brilliant minds across numerous backgrounds and industries and I am deeply grateful. 🙏🏾

For all the 2025 40 Under 40 honorees, I know this time is a testament to every mentor, supporter, and changemaker who has generously poured into us. We’re standing on the shoulders of giants, as we continue to build bridges, empower communities, and create lasting impact.
THANK YOU Nashville Business Journal!

As usual, there’s even more greatness ahead, so stay tuned! 🚀

#NBJ40Under40 #NBJ #Nashville #40Under40 #Leadership taken in Nashville, Tennessee by @dariusbuilds

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2 years ago

IT TAKES A CITY 🏙️

Honored to be officially serving as the newest Commissioner of Tourism & Conventions for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County!

Thank you to Mayor Freddie O’Connell & the Metro Council for placing enough confidence in my work & leadership to appoint me to one of the most exciting and crucial commissions in our local government. Hospitality & Tourism is unequivocally vital to the economic development of our city & state, and I’m grateful to continue to help steward this space with wisdom, passion, & integrity - along with the additional members of the commission.

Let’s Build, Nashville. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ taken in Nashville, Tennessee by @dariusbuilds

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3 months ago

GamechangersTV: Episode 12 🎬

Today’s GamechangersTV episode features Darius McDonald. A 10+ year Learning & Organizational Development Executive and U.S. Army veteran, Darius serves as the Chief Operating Officer for The Nashville Black Market and Director of Membership Services for Tennessee Health Care Association. Darius gives insight on “leaning into strategic philanthropic opportunities - to commit to long-term impact and transformation.”

Let us know: How can strategic giving create lasting change in our communities?

#CFMT #CommunityFoundationMIDTN #Gamechangers #AfroFutures #CelebrateGiving #Nashville #Nonprofit by @dariusbuilds

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2 years ago

“Building A City Worth Belonging To” 🏙️

As we continue to see record-breaking economic development in our cities, I do my best to challenge myself with this question:

➡️“Are we simply building bigger cities, or are we also building better communities?” ⬅️

Because the reality is, growth and thriving are not necessarily the same thing. And I’ve learned that success is only worth it if we’re succeeding TOGETHER.

The invisible infrastructure of any community is its culture. And I believe we as leaders are responsible for stewarding how that culture frames the relationships, access, trust, and shared senses of possibility & responsibility that determine whether people can SEE THEMSELVES in the story being written and feel that they BELONG.

Thank you @thefuturewayforward and @drgeraldonuoha for trusting me to host this conversation alongside such an incredible group of leaders.

Grateful for everyone who shared their perspective, challenged the room, and continues doing the work of building a Nashville worth belonging to. 🤝🏾

#LetsBuild 🌱 taken in Nashville, Tennessee by @dariusbuilds

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18 days ago

At Future Way Forward, we’re bringing together leaders and changemakers for “Future Way Forward: Building a City Worth Belonging To” — a timely conversation about what it takes to create a city where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Moderated by Darius McDonald and featuring Frederick Cawthon, Yuri Cunza, Christina Langone, and Taniesha Westbrook, this panel brings together perspectives from business, culture, community, and advocacy.

📍 National Museum of African American Music
📅 September 17–18, 2026
🎟️ Get your tickets on Eventbrite or through the link in bio.

The future of Nashville is being shaped now. Be in the room.

#FutureWayForward #FWF2026 #NashvilleTN #NashvilleEvents CommunityBuilding Leadership BuildingTheFuture by @dariusbuilds

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a month ago

We’re excited to welcome Darius McDonald to the Future Way Forward stage! @dariusbuilds

Darius is the Founder & CEO of Vanguard Strategy Partners and a Learning & Organizational Development Executive with more than a decade of experience helping leaders and organizations develop, scale, innovate, and unlock their full potential.

A Nashville Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree and U.S. Army veteran, Darius’ leadership spans healthcare, hospitality, government, technology, education, nonprofit, and community development. From U.S. Army Special Operations Command to executive and civic leadership, his work is rooted in developing people, organizations, culture, and communities with excellence and empathy.

📍 National Museum of African American Music | Nashville, TN
📅 September 17–18, 2026

Join Darius and an incredible lineup of leaders as we move beyond conversation and work toward what comes next.

🎟️ Get your tickets now through the link in our bio.

The future is now, and we’re creating it.

#Nashville #Leadership #Innovation #CommunityImpact #nashvilleevents by @dariusbuilds

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a month ago

🚨 WE’RE GOING LIVE TONIGHT! Join Future Way Forward tonight for TWO LIVE conversations featuring Patrick Walker-Reese and Darius McDonald, hosted by Dr. Gerald Onuoha.

We’re counting down to Future Way Forward 2026, and the conversations are already getting started. Tap in as we talk purpose, progress, community, and what it takes to move the future forward.

📍 LIVE Tonight
🎙️ Patrick Walker-Reese — 7 PM CST
🎙️ Darius McDonald — 7:15 PM CST

📅 Future Way Forward Conference: September 17–18, 2026
🎶 National Museum of African American Music | Nashville, TN

Set your reminder, join the conversation, and share with someone who needs to be in the room!

The future is now, and we’re creating it.

#FutureWayForward #FWF2026 #Nashville #NashvilleEvents #Leadership Community by @dariusbuilds

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a month ago

A HUGE THANK YOU to my new friend Captain Richard Phillips (YES, the actual Captain Phillips played by legendary Tom Hanks ⭐️) and all of the incredible leaders, partners, and friends who made Tennessee Health Care Association’s Annual Convention “FIRST CLASS CARE 2026”, quite literally our best yet!

So grateful for friends like:
- Commissioner Deniece Thomas
(TN Dept of Labor & Workforce Development)
- LaShuan Bethea
(National Center for Assisted Living Executive Director)
- Dr. Ferrol Thomas
(TN Hospital Association)
- Dr. Gerald Onuoha
(HCA)

and SO many others who helped us create a week full of education, empowerment, strategy, resources, connection, visibility, and celebration for more than 1,000 long-term care leaders, providers, business partners, and friends from across Tennessee and beyond.

We can’t control every change that comes, and can’t prevent every moment of uncertainty or chaos. But we CAN control how we lead through it as we serve every team, resident, and community in our care. ⭐️

So honored to have led this week alongside a phenomenal team. Thank-yous all around. 🙏🏾

Leaving this year’s convention incredibly hopeful about the innovation, collaboration, and leadership being cultivated across the health care continuum.

Onward. ✈️

📸: @sonofthelights + @aaronfrankphoto taken in Nashville, Tennessee by @dariusbuilds

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2 months ago

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2 months ago

This Black Business Month, JOIN US for Building Beyond Business: A Conversation on Leadership, Culture & Legacy, presented by the Nashville Black Market & Nashville Predators!

This unique conversation highlights what it means to build businesses and institutions that create economic value while also strengthening, community, relationships, access, and opportunity.

Thursday, August 20| 5:30–7:30 PM
BetMGM Sports Lounge at Bridgestone Arena

Completely FREE to attend, with complimentary light bites, drinks, and refreshments.

Entrepreneurs, professionals, creatives, friends, community leaders, emerging leaders, students, and anyone invested in building stronger organizations and a stronger Nashville are invited to join us!

REGISTER FREE at the link in our bio! by @dariusbuilds

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2 months ago

😂 See this is EXACTLY why I don’t do on-site interviews 😂😂 CHATGPT is crazy. 😭

Shoutout to ALL of our @thenashvilleblackmarket community. We love and value you all so much!! 🙏🏾

Love to my brothers @im_loso + @livinglife_j, so proud of what we’ve built and are building. 💪🏾⭐️

Thanks to @dripstarjam & @mocstudiollc for always capturing great moments with us! taken in Nashville, Tennessee by @dariusbuilds

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2 months ago

🏆 Thank you, Nashville!

So grateful to be awarded the 2026 Nashville Emerging Leader Award at this year’s NELAS! Thank you to the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce (@nashchamber + @ypnashville) and Jack C. Massey College of Business at Belmont University (@belmontmassey)

This might have my name on it, but this one represents every person, organization, and community partner connected to me. So proud of all of the winners AND everyone that continues to lead and make change in our wonderful city!

Let’s keep building, Nashville! ⭐️⭐️⭐️ taken in Nashville, Tennessee by @dariusbuilds

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3 months ago