NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - June 28, 2010) - Delegates to the 98th Convention of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM) have elected Ray Hair as their new International President.
President-Elect Hair currently serves as President of AFM Local 72-147 (Dallas-Fort Worth, TX). He has been a professional musician since 1964, performing as a freelance, club-date, recording, and traveling musician. He has been President of Local 72-147 for over 27 years and was first elected to the AFM's International Executive Board in 1989.
"I am honored to have been elected AFM International President," states Hair. "These are exciting and challenging times for professional musicians. We must find new ways to exploit ever-changing technology to our advantage. We will continue to bring our message to Congress to obtain fair and just compensation for our performances. And we will look inward to harness new energies with our new Executive Board, to build a new unity of purpose and a new spirit of service for our members and for professional musicians everywhere."
Also newly elected to the International Executive Board were: Vice President Bruce Fife, Local 99 (Portland, OR); and new board members: Vince Trombetta, Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA); Tino Gagliardi, Local 802 (New York, NY); Dave Pomeroy, Local 257 (Nashville, TN); and Tina Morrison, Local 105 (Spokane, WA). Re-elected to the International Executive Board were: Secretary-Treasurer Sam Folio, Local 368 (Reno, NV); Vice President from Canada Bill Skolnik, Local 149 (Toronto, ON); and Executive Board Member Joe Parente, Local 77 (Philadelphia, PA).
ABOUT THE AFM
Founded in 1896, the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM), AFL-CIO, is the largest organization in the world dedicated to representing the interests of professional musicians. With more than 90,000 members, the AFM represents all types of professional musicians, including those who record music for sound recordings, film scores, videogames, radio, television and commercial announcements, as well as perform music of every genre, in every sort of venue from small jazz clubs to symphony orchestra halls to major stadiums. Whether negotiating fair agreements, protecting ownership of recorded music, securing benefits such as health care and pension, or lobbying legislators, the AFM is committed to raising industry standards and placing the professional musician in the foreground of the cultural landscape.
For more information, contact the AFM's main number at (212) 869-1330
or visit the Web site www.afm.org.
Follow the AFM on Twitter http://twitter.com/musiciansunion and
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/afm.org
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AFM International President Elect Ray Hair
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