ECMA Members: Vote Now for the ECMA Board of Directors
Your Vote Counts! Have Your Say In The ECMA Board of Directors Election!
The ECMA Board of Directors Election is open now until September 21, 2016 at 6:00PM AST.
Remember to have your say in who represents your region on the ECMA Board.
HOW TO VOTE:
You must be an ECMA member to vote. Voting is taking place on www.www.ecma.com in your MyECMA section. Please log into your account, click "Vote" from the MyECMA drop-down menu and you will be guided to the online voting form.
Bands will be given a total of four (4) votes, whereas Duos, Corporate, and Non-Profit members will be given two (2) votes. All other members will be given one (1) vote.
If you are not yet an ECMA member or your membership has lapsed, you can sign up here.
Eleven nominees, including two incumbents, are vying for five spots on the East Coast Music Association (ECMA) Board of Directors, one from each region (Cape Breton, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island).
Successful candidates will serve a two-year term from September 2016 until September 2018.
The results of the election will be announced at the 2016 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 21, 2016 in Saint John, NB.
From Dean Stairs, Chair of the ECMA Board:
"I encourage all ECMA members to vote for who they believe will best represent their interests at the Board. This is one of the ways that your voice is heard. You have the opportunity to directly affect the structure of the Board of the Directors. Please take advantage of the opportunity and vote.
I also encourage each member to take a few minutes to read over the following documents before the AGM. We will be voting at the AGM on items outlined in some of this documentation."
CANDIDATES BY REGION
CAPE BRETON
Jeff Ward
Jeff was born and raised in Metepenagiag Mi’kmaq Nation (also known as Red Bank) along the Miramichi River in New Brunswick. For the past ten years, he has lived in Membertou and at present, is the General Manager of the Membertou Heritage Park, drawing on his vast experience and knowledge in the fields of culture, management and administration. Growing up, he was always involved in community events and has been a leader in their planning, coordination, and participation. When it became time to pursue post-secondary education, the Bachelor of Arts Community Studies program at Cape Breton University was a natural fit. Jeff is currently in the Masters Program of Community Economic Development at CBU.
As a public figure, Jeff has been dancing, drumming and performing his way into people’s hearts since the age of eight. He is currently a member of both the Sons of Membertou and Thunder Eagle Singers. Jeff provides Master of Ceremonies Service for numerous First Nation Pow Wows in the Atlantic region. He has also acted and performed in numerous plays at the Cape Breton University’s Boardmore Theatre, a keynote speaker and Emcee for a variety of conferences including Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada in Membertou, Reform on Social Security AFN and the ECMA's Aboriginal Showcase 2014/2016, to name a few. Currently the Co-Chair for the Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance, who is dedicated to developing a broader appreciation for the Aboriginal Arts in Canada.
Shauna Walters
Shauna Walters is the current production coordinator for the Celtic Colours International Festival. She has over twenty years experience in the east coast music industry. Shauna began her career as a volunteer with the 1995 East Coast Music Awards. From there she went on to work with Brookes Diamond Productions and Rave Entertainment. As a contract employee with the East Coast Music Association, she production managed the regionally/nationally broadcast East Coast Music Awards Gala from 1996 to 2008. Over her career she has production managed both live and televised music productions and company managed Luminato – Toronto’s Festival of Art and Creativity. Shauna has also been the talent coordinator for several CBC Halifax music productions.
Shauna, a founding staff member of Celtic Colours International Festival, was their first production coordinator. Over the twenty-year history of the festival she has re-visited that role numerous times as well as transportation coordinator, festival club manager and co-coordinator of their Presenters and Media program. Over the twenty-year history of the festival she has been involved in some way for all but three festivals.
Apart from Celtic Colours, Shauna pursues a variety of freelance work in Cape Breton including coordinating conferences and other events. Her volunteer work includes organizing fund raising events for the Ann Terry Women’s Employment Outreach Project and the Cape Breton Regional Library as well as past volunteer work with Therapeutic Paws of Canada.
Shauna shares her home in Sydney, Cape Breton with her best friend Boo and their cat Bella.
NEW BRUNSWICK
Teah Bailey
One8Tea was born with music flowing in his heart. Influenced by a musical family, his grandmother toured Nova Scotia singing Acapella gospel music and an award winning uncle Michael, who went on to perform only gospel music. Born Teah Bailey in Halifax, Nova Scotia, he hit the Hip-Hop music scene seriously in 1995, seeing success almost immediately. Touring the East Coast and “chasing the dream” quickly became a personal nightmare as addiction to drugs and a partying lifestyle took control and he began to lose everything including his family.
He entered into the amazing faith-based life-changing rehab program at “Teen Challenge” (http://www.tcatlantic.ca) during a 12 month program he was equipped not only with the tools to overcome addictions, but the knowledge and strengthened relationship with God.
After graduation One8Tea wanted to reach others, show them a better life.
One8Tea had the opportunity to join Winnipeg based Hip-Hop label “Kingdom Music Family” and released his debut album “U-Turn” which was nominated for a 2014 Covenant Award. Touring Canada, One8Tea has shared the stage with Fresh IE, Paul Brandt, Sky Terminal, Fraser Campbell, Newsboys, Kutless and was on Fresh IE’s GMA award winning “Red Letterz13” and "Collide" albums, shook the stage at Canada’s Largest Christian Music Festival East To West in 2014.
In all these highlights the most important is watching lost people get found, seeing over 2500 people make life changes.
One8Tea currently resides in Moncton NB with his amazing and supportive wife, and family.
Christine Dubé
Christine Dubé est originaire de Edmundston au nord du Nouveau-Brunswick. Elle a déménager à Moncton pour compléter ses études à l'Université de Moncton en philosophie. Suite à l’obtention de son bacc, suivant sa passion pour la musique, Christine a commencée à travailler comme adjointe au booking pour les artistes de Le Grenier musique.
Lawrence Wilson
Was involved in the music scene in the 80s, mostly playing guitar in hard rock/blues and metal groups. Took several years off to run several small businesses and operate taxi. Recently returned to the music scene as a songwriter/performer in the genres of country/folk/gospel. At 50 years of age I am no longer able to join the "workforce" due to health and have dedicated my time to my music and promoting myself and others.
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
Robert Buck
Robert Buck from Mount Pearl, NL has In a long and varied music career positioning him at the top of his field.
He has been an active musician since the age of 15, has worked in radio, had stints as music editor for The Newfoundland Herald and numerous other publications.
In 1989 he began in music retail and in 1991 moved to distribution and manufacturing. Spanning over 10 years in independent distribution and manufacturing as VP Operations with Tidemark Music and Distribution Ltd. He followed that with 12 years as the regional director of Music Manufacturing Services Atlantic division (MMS Atlantic) and most recently as the owner operator of Atlantic Disc and DVD. Through his years he has gained unparallel insight into the industry as it has grown and developed.
He has participated in the layout and design for hundreds of recordings, has consulted for the ECMA in the building of their automated website. Robert is also a former artist manager, studio owner and founding partner of Avondale Music.
Outside of music, Robert is a partner in numerous other businesses, achieved his MBA and has a strong and active background in accounting, business practices and finance.
He is the past treasurer of the Music Industry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (2002-2003, 2015-2016), former ECMA vice chair (2002-2004) and has won four East Coast Music Awards as an independent music distributor. He is still an active musician in the local traditional group Station Road.
Michelle Robertson
Michelle Robertson is an industry professional, a student of culture, and a Newfoundlander By Choice (NBC). As a young prairie girl growing up in Manitoba, Michelle’s affinity for Newfoundland and its musicians began in 1995 when she received Great Big Sea’s Up. Fast-forward 20 years and here she is working alongside Bob Hallett at Kilbride Music, managing Newfoundland’s next generation of musicians. Kilbride Music has been nominated for ECMA’s Management of the Year (2015 & 2016) and MusicNL’s Outstanding Company of the Year for the team’s work with The Once, The Dardanelles, and The Swinging Belles. Since 2013, Michelle has been steadily growing Feedback Music Consulting - her own artist development company servicing local, regional, and national artists. For the past 12 years, Michelle has also been studying the people, music, and culture of Newfoundland both informally while attending CNA’s Music Industry & Performance and Recording Arts programs, and formally as a graduate of Memorial University’s Folklore program. Michelle is nearing the completion of her masters’ degree in ethnomusicology – for which her major research project centres on Newfoundland’s own Hey Rosetta!
NOVA SCOTIA
Josh Hogan (Incumbent)
Josh is a jack-of-many-trades and depending on the time of day or night he is a concert promoter, artist manager, marketing strategist, small business consultant, vocalist, event planner, volunteer and board of director (he currently sits with the Halifax Pop Explosion, Music Nova Scotia and the East Coast Music Association).
When not working, Josh enjoys whiskey, craft beers, buying local and long walks on the beach.
Jim Robson
- As a journalist, broadcaster, radio station owner, entrepreneur, broadcast consultant, and former CRTC Commissioner, I would bring a wealth of diverse experience, expertise, commitment and passion to the ECMA board.
- Former Press Secretary/Speech Writer/Policy Advisor to Premier of Nova Scotia.
- First Atlantic Canadian to be appointed a full time Commissioner of the CRTC during which time I played a strong leadership role in chairing major policy and competitive licensing hearings across Canada ---- Chaired a number of Special Task Forces including the Robson Consultative Committee on FM and a similar process for Television ---- as well as numerous other assignments at the request of two CRTC Chairmen.
- Established a National Broadcast Consultancy out of Ottawa providing services to Canada's leading Radio, Television, Cable TV and Pay and Specialty TV operators.
- A founder of Focus Entertainment and The Beat Broadcasting Corporation, owner/operators of market leading FM station in Vancouver for 9 years until sale to Bell- Globe- Media- Consortium.
- As Chairman of CIOE, I have brought a vision to the station that champions East Coast Talent through its 40 hours a week of East Coast Music which has transformed 97.5FM into the Voice of East Coast Music through its over-the-air broadcasting service to HRM and globally via its live streaming on the internet.
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Matt Clark
Originally from Mahone Bay, NS I spent the first few years of my childhood in Les iles de la madeleine before my family situated themselves in PEI. At a very young age I was introduced to an artistry unlike any other and a distant family member by the name of Tom Connors. With strong roots to Acadian & Traditional music I went through the following 24 years loving, learning and trying my best to cultivate music within my family and friends.
In 2013, I started my career in Radio with MBS. Since then I've gathered copious amounts of knowledge in the Radio Industry, and approached other projects as so.
In 2015, myself along with (2) of my colleagues, founded an East Coast Music Show named "East of the Dial" In just a short time frame we were able to majorly highlight East Coast Artists on a platform that hasn't been highly utilized yet.
With our knowledge of broadcasting, our love for the music scene on the East Coast and our pure mental fortitude we were quite elated to see how fast the show has taken off, and how diverse our audience is each week from the traditional listener, to industry professionals right to Business Professionals.
With the help from promoted artists and guest co-hosts, the program now has sturdy legs.
Al Douglas (Incumbent)
Island born and raised, Al Douglas has been heavily involved in the music scene from an early age. From playing in bands in the local and regional scene, to promoting and organizing local all-ages shows of all genres, Al had built a solid level of experience before jumping into the game of major music festivals and events in PEI including working with the Festival Of Lights, Summerfest, Big Red Music Festival and Cavendish Beach Music Festival.
Al now devotes his music industry knowledge to the board of Music PEI as well as programming such iconic venues as the PEI Brewing Company, Fishbones, Marc's Lounge and 5+ other venues on the East Coast - booking as many 550 shows a year for local artists.
