CMA Announces New Board of Directors

Pictured (L-R): John Esposito, incoming CMA Board President and President and CEO of Warner Music Nashville; Sally Williams, incoming CMA Board President-Elect and Vice President of Business and Partnership Development of Ryman Auditorium; Jessie Schmidt, CMA Board Secretary/Treasurer and President of Schmidt Relations; Frank Bumstead, incoming CMA Board Chairman and Chairman of Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc; Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. Photo: Christian Bottorff / CMA

With Ed Hardy completing his term as Chairman of the CMA Board, current CMA Board President Frank Bumstead (Chairman of Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy) will now assume the role of chairman. CMA President-Elect John Esposito (President and CEO of Warner Music Nashville) has moved into the role of President. The Ryman Auditorium’s VP of Business and Partnership Development Sally Williams has been named President-Elect. Schmidt Relations’ Jessie Schmidt returns as Secretary/Treasurer of the CMA Board.

“Ed Hardy has been an important part of CMA’s growth and success this year,” said Bumstead. “I am fortunate to follow my very good friend in this important position and intend to keep him involved in the Association so that we do not lose the benefit of his experience and knowledge of CMA and its staff. And on behalf of the entire Board, I thank Sarah Trahern for the effective leadership transition she has managed over the past year. I’m also looking forward to collaborating with John Esposito and Sally Williams – who are each respected, passionate leaders in the community – to take CMA to new heights in 2015.”

“This is a very exciting time to be President of the CMA Board of Directors,” said Esposito. “The Association is especially strong as we enter 2015 with the unequalled success of our core initiatives and clearly defined strategic objectives with the resources, professional staff, and Board support to make them a reality. The future is promising and I am looking forward to serving the industry alongside Frank Bumstead and Sally Williams.”

Appointments will take effect Jan. 1, 2015.

In recognition of their service to the CMA Board of Directors, outgoing CMA Chairman Ed Hardy, and current President and incoming 2015 CMA Chairman Frank Bumstead, were presented the crystal gavel and globe, respectively. The presentation was made by CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern at the election of Directors at Large meeting in Nashville. Photo: Christian Bottorff / CMA

Following is a list of 2015 CMA Directors and Directors at Large:

Directors By Membership Category (newly-elected Directors are indicated in bold)

Advertising/Public Relations/Media
Ebie McFarland, Essential Broadcast Media, LLC
Brian Philips, CMT

Affiliated
Joe Galante, Galante Entertainment Organization
Tim DuBois, AMP, Inc.

Artist
Brett Eldredge
Karen Fairchild, Little Big Town

Broadcast Programming & Air Talent
John Marks, SiriusXM Satellite Radio
Becky Brenner, Albright & O’Malley & Brenner Country Radio Specialists, Seattle, Wash.

Composer
Jim Beavers
Shane McAnally, Smack Songs, LLC

Entertainment Services
Stacey Schlitz, SchlitzLAW
Dwight Wiles, Smith Wiles & Company

International
Ted Ellis, CMT Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Milly Olykan, AEG Europe, London, United Kingdom

Marketing/Digital
Jennie Smythe, Girlilla Marketing

Music Publisher/Performing Rights Organization
Troy Tomlinson, Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Pat Higdon, Patrick Joseph Music

Musician
Kenny Greenberg
Eric Darken

Personal Manager
Kerri Edwards, KP Entertainment
Marion Kraft, ShopKeeper Management

Producer/Engineer/Studio
Mark Bright

Radio Management
Clay Hunnicutt, iHeartMedia
Charlie Morgan, Emmis Communications, Indianapolis, Ind.

Record Company
Mike Dungan, Universal Music Group Nashville
Gary Overton, Sony Music Nashville

Talent Agent
Kevin Neal, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC

Talent Buyer/Promoter
Brian O’Connell, Live Nation Nashville
Larry Vallon, AEG Live, Los Angeles, Calif.

Touring Personnel
Scott Scovill, Moo TV

Venue
Ed Warm, Joe’s Bar, Chicago, Ill.

Lifetime Directors
J. William Denny, Denny Properties
Ralph Peer II, peermusic

Ex-Officio Members
Jim Free, The Smith-Free Group, LLC, Washington, D.C.
Kyle Young, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Directors at Large:
Marcie Allen, MAC Presents, LLC, New York, N.Y.
Charlie Anderson, Anderson Media Corporation, Knoxville, Tenn.
Rob Beckham, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC
Dierks Bentley
Scott Borchetta, Big Machine Label Group
Kix Brooks
Luke Bryan
Steve Buchanan, Opry Entertainment Group
Frank Bumstead, Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
Tony Conway, Conway Entertainment Group, LLC
John Dickey, Cumulus Media, Atlanta, Ga.
Bob DiPiero, Love Monkey Music
Chris DuBois, Sea Gayle Music
Ann Edelblute, The H.Q.
John Esposito, Warner Music Nashville
Jeff Garrison, Cox Media Group, San Antonio, Texas
Ed Hardy
Lon Helton, Country Aircheck
Clint Higham, Morris Higham Management, Inc.
Greg Hill, Hill Entertainment Group
John Huie, Creative Artists Agency
Brett James, Cornman Music
Kurt Johnson, Townsquare Media, Dallas, Texas
Michael Knox, peermusic
Ken Levitan, Vector Management
Jon Loba, BBR Music Group
Michael Martin, ASCAP
Deb McDermott, Media General
Mike Moore, Entercom Communications, Portland, Ore.
Jim Ed Norman, Curb Records
Jason Owen, Sandbox Entertainment
Rob Potts, Rob Potts Entertainment Edge, Five Dock, Australia
David Ross, BossRoss Media
Jessie Schmidt, Schmidt Relations
Sally Seitz, iTunes
Victoria Shaw, Songalicious Publishing
Bob Shennan, BBC, London, United Kingdom
Bill Simmons, The Fitzgerald Hartley Company
Clarence Spalding, Maverick Management
Jeff Stevens, Jeff Stevens Music
Mike Vaden, Decosimo Vaden
Ben Vaughn, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Troy Vollhoffer, Premier Global Production Company, Inc.
Jeff Walker, AristoMedia
Jody Williams, BMI
Sally Williams, Ryman Auditorium
Chris Young