October 11, 2002
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Bill Ivey, Harvie Branscomb Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Vanderbilt and former chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), has been named program facilitator for the executive education program Leadership Music.
“Leadership Music is a tremendous program, unique to the industry, that has been a key factor in the development of Nashville as a forerunner in dealing with issues that face the entire business of music around the globe,” said Mike Dungan, president of Capitol Records, and current president of Leadership Music.
“We are thrilled that Bill Ivey has agreed to serve as program facilitator, and are poised to take the entire program to new heights."
Ivey’s duties as facilitator begin with the first meeting of Leadership Music’s 2002-2003 class, Oct. 11. The post was previously held by James F. Blumstein, Centennial Chair in Law at Vanderbilt.
Leadership Music is a nonprofit organization founded in 1989 to facilitate communication between the many factions of the music community as well as established leaders in their roles as industry decision makers. The six-month program helps to expand the knowledge base of participants, expand the talent pool of leadership within the music community and promote teamwork and camaraderie in an otherwise competitive business.
More than 400 alumni of the program are responsible for a number of community programs including the annual Nashville Music Awards and an annual dinner promoting government and music industry alliances. The two local executive training programs, Leadership Music and Leadership Nashville, have also formed Leadership Partners to facilitate growth and communication between the music industry and Nashville’s business community.
Prior to his appointment as chair of the NEA, Ivey served as director of the Country Music Foundation. He was elected to two terms as chair of the national Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) and is currently working with Vanderbilt to develop a center for the study and development of policy relating to the support, creation and distribution of the arts by government and private enterprise.
Contact: David Glasgow, 615-322-NEWS, david.glasgow@vanderbilt.edu