CIMA’s 2017 AGM Wraps-up & Announces New Board of Directors
TORONTO, ON – On September 28, the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) held its Annual General Meeting in Toronto’s Supermarket, a busy live-music venue – inviting members, stakeholders, and supporters to celebrate the successes of the past year, while looking ahead at what’s in store for 2018 and beyond!
The AGM was kicked off by a soulful performance by country singer-songwriter Jessica Mitchell, followed by a presentation by Nielsen Music Canada’s Paul Shaver, highlighting how data can be used to understand the market. The event wrapped up with an energetic set by rock-band Secret Broadcast (pictured below).
The ‘business’ portion of the AGM included the election of a new CIMA board for 2017-2018, remarks by Stuart Johnston (CIMA President), Lisa Logutenkow (CIMA Chair and Vice President of Dine Alone Records/Bedlam Music Management), and Emy Stantcheva (MusicOntario Manager). The speakers covered CIMA’s numerous export missions, CIMA’s annual industry awards Gala, their Canada-wide professional development opportunities, and lastly, the essential advocacy and policy work undertaken on behalf of Canada’s English-language independent music community.
Much of CIMA’s research, policy and advocacy work was highlighted in President Stuart Johnston’s speech. Starting with the release of three great reports, including the freshly launched “A Continent of Opportunities” which takes a deep dive into the Latin American market, highlighting Canadian opportunities in several key markets from Mexico to Chile. Johnston points out that in the last year, CIMA has engaged in 53 formal meetings with politicians and bureaucrats to provide strong advocacy and input on everything from the Minister’s Digi-CanCon consultations, NAFTA, export funding, Copyright Board reform and Copyright Act review.
When speaking to the packed room, Johnston emphasized: “I’m very proud and honoured to lead an organization that is solely focused on helping all of you succeed, in whatever way we can.”
Today’s speech by Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly’s “Launch of Creative Canada” speech touched on many of CIMA and other industry partners’ areas of focus – demonstrating the efficiency of their collaborations and advocating efforts.
In business matters, a new board of directors was elected to helm CIMA through 2017-2018. Out of a pool of 13 candidates, the following 9 were elected:
The following Directors were newly elected to the CIMA board for 2017-2018: Tim des Islets (Noisemaker Management) Iain Taylor (Cadence Music Group)
The following Directors were re-elected for another term: Chris Moncada (Last Gang Entertainment) Jake Gold (The Management Trust) Kieran Roy (Arts & Crafts Productions) Pegi Cecconi (SRO Management/Anthem Entertainment Group) Rob Lanni (Coalition Music) Sandy Pandya (Pandyamonium Artist Management) Shauna de Cartier (Six Shooter Records)
The following Directors will remain on the 2017-2018 board, as they are still serving their two-year term: Peter Cardinali (Peter Cardinali Productions/Alma Records) Justin West (Secret City Records) Gord Dimitrieff (Aporia Records) Lisa Logutenkow (Dine Alone Music,Bedlam Music Management) Mathieu Drouin (Crystal Math Music Group) Mike Denney (MDM Recordings Inc.) Nick Blasko (Amelia Artists Inc./Atomique Productions Ltd.) Tim Potocic (Sonic Unyon Records)
CIMA would like to extend a warm thank-you to the 2016-17 Board for its hard work and leadership, as well as to congratulate and welcome the 2017-2018 Board. None of these projects would be possible, without their supporters and government sponsors: the Government of Canada; the Government of Ontario and the Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC); the Radio Starker Fund; Rogers, Slate Music, the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN); Harvard Broadcasting; FACTOR; Stingray Music; JazzFM; ACTRA and the Recording Artists’ Collecting Society (RACS) and the Musicians’ Rights Organization Canada (MROC).Pictures will be uploaded to CIMA’s Canadian Blast Facebook page – be sure to check it out!