AMPLIFY NASHVILLE HONOREES

A native of Cairo, Egypt, George Hanna was instrumental in establishing the presence of the Egyptian community in Nashville through his work at Gaylord Opryland Resort and Hotel.

George moved to Nashville in 1984 and began working at Gaylord Opryland, moving his way up the ranks to become a food and beverage manager. In 1996, Opryland completed an expansion, doubling the size of the resort – the problem was that they were coming up short in hiring a skilled workforce. Thanks to his connection to a large community of Egyptian immigrants in New Jersey (who were also in need of work!), George told his employer that if they could help with relocation, he could bring the workforce. In just two months, he helped bring more than 600 Egyptians to work at Opryland. Even more, George opened his home to these new Nashvillians, providing the resources and guidance they needed to build a life in their new home.

Today, the Egyptian community has become one of Nashville’s most vital immigrant populations, bringing not only an excellent level of skill and work ethic to the hospitality industry, but also a vibrancy and rich culture that would not be possible without George.