AIMP Announces Chapter Board Elections Results

The Association of Independent Music Publishers recently held its bi-annual Board of Directors elections. In Nashville, John Ozier of ole, previously Executive Director under the old bylaws, was re-elected to the new position of President, while Board Members Ree Guyer of Wrensong Music, Chris Van Belkom of Combustion Music, and Dale Bobo of Big Deal Music were elected Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer respectively.

“I couldn’t be happier to keep the AIMP Nashville Chapter moving forward over the next two years as we continue to support our annual AIMP Nashville Awards, AIMP Nashville Songwriter Series, weekly AIMP Nashville Pubcast, and other monthly events,” said AIMP Nashville President Ozier. “As the hub for country music, Nashville is a hotbed of activity in the independent publishing scene. We are excited to continue advocating for independent songwriters and publishers in our city.”

At AIMP’s Los Angeles Chapter, Teri Nelson Carpenter of Reel Muzik Werks, LLC was elevated to President, and Marc Caruso of Angry Mob Music; David Weitzman of ole; and Steven Ambers of SOCAN were elected Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer respectively. The New York Chapter re-elected Alisa Coleman of ABKCO Music & Records Inc. to the new position of President (she too was previously Executive Director), while Mark Spier of Memory Lane Music Group; Steve White, CPA of Janover LLC; and Arthur Levy, Esq. of The Levy Firm were elected Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary, respectively. The Executive Committee also voted to appoint Nelson Carpenter as the national Chair.

In addition to choosing new leadership effective January 1, 2019, members ratified revised Association bylaws, the first substantive update since the AIMP’s establishment in 1977. In addition to bringing the document in line with the industry and technological advances of the past 40 years, the new bylaws establish a national Executive Committee to govern the overall Association, with representation from each chapter. This Committee will be made up of each Chapter’s President and Vice President, the latter a newly-created position at the Chapter level, and the Committee members will vote to elect a Chair to head the national Association. In addition, all Presidents and Vice Presidents are now required to be independent music publishers.

Elections to the AIMP Board of Directors are held at each Chapter every two years, with no board member allowed to serve more than four consecutive years in the same position, excluding Treasurers. Candidates must be a current member of their respective Chapter, which requires that they be actively engaged in music publishing or a related business.