Member Profile: Cory Cain

Cory Cain is PCON’s 2023 President and five-year member of the club. He is currently a senior program manager for Amazon, with more than a decade of brand marketing experience at Nielson, Mars Petcare and Better Choice Company.

What many know about you – but some don’t – is that you’re a bit of a bibliophile; you read books at a rapid rate.  Do you have a process in place for this / what is the breakdown of fiction vs nonfiction?  What would your Top-3 recommendations be to the Club today?

Admittedly, I listen to a lot more books than I read (a 80/20 split) with most being non-fiction. I have a few principles that I abide by: 1) follow my interests for new topics and books; 2) never force it – I stop listening/reading any book if it’s no longer exciting and will go on to a new book (I typically have 10+ in progress at one time); 3) always review books after completion – I catalog notes from each book and capture at least one major takeaway from each. Three books that had a strong impact on my life that PCON members might enjoy: Man’s Search For Meaning, Sapiens, Living a Rich Life.

Like many of us in the Phoenix Club, you are a transplant to Nashville.  Why did you move to Nashville, how many years did you live here before joining PCON and how were you introduced to the Club?

I moved to Nashville in 2015 for a new role with my company at the time, Mars Petcare. At the start of 2018, I wrote down a goal to join an organization that 1) positively impacted the community and 2) connected me with other young leaders. Months later, I came across the PCON website (my wife actually shared it with me) and I began reaching out to current members to learn more. I officially joined the group in 2019.

As incoming President for 2023, where do you think we’ve made the greatest strides? What aspect of PCON are you most focused on heading into your term?

I believe we’ve done an outstanding job of becoming a more professional and efficient organization – it’s incredible how much we accomplish as a collective each year. I’m most focused on fostering an environment where members can grow and build relationships that transcend the Club and last decades.

What one word would you use to describe yourself?

Relentless.

What is something you believed at 18 that you wish you still believed now?

Try your best.