Doug Howard Appointed To Dean Of Belmont’s Mike Curb College

Doug Howard

Doug Howard, founder of Vandermont Music Group and former Sr. VP of A&R for Lyric Street Records, has been appointed to dean of the Belmont’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business effective January 1, 2015. Howard fills a position held for nine years by Dr. Wes Bulla, who announced earlier this year his intention to return to a full-time teaching position.

Belmont Provost Dr. Thomas Burns says, “From his long-held ties with Belmont to his incomparable music business experience, Doug Howard is uniquely prepared for this role, and we’re honored to have him join us as the new Curb College dean.”

A 1979 alumnus of Belmont, Howard received his MBA from Vanderbilt University and his JD from the George Washington University School of Law in Washington, D.C. Howard began his music industry career with stints as a song plugger and studio manager for the Welk Music Group. Howard served as VP and General Manager for PolyGram Music Publishing becoming the Sr. VP of A&R for Lyric Street Records, a division of the Walt Disney Company. Howard is the President and Owner of Vandermont Music Group, a company he founded in 2010.

Howard said, “I am grateful and honored to be part of the Belmont family. My business career and personal life have both been wonderfully influenced by the education and mentoring I received here as a student and from the lifelong relationships developed with classmates and alumni. As dean of the Curb College, my goal is to support and guide the faculty and staff in educating, encouraging and developing our students to be transformative leaders, innovators and creators in every facet of the entertainment industry and to foster a spirit of service that reflects Belmont’s mission and vision.”

Howard will serve more than 75 faculty and staff and nearly 2,000 students in Curb College programs.

Howard’s Belmont ties through the years include serving as the chair of the Advisory Board of the Curb College and being a member of the William G. Hall Scholarship Committee. Additionally, he serves on the Advisory Council for the Center for Popular Music at Middle Tennessee State University, the Board of the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival and the Nashville Board of Governors of the Recording Academy.