L.J. Hayden Gutierrez Promoted to Senior Vice President, Partnership Development, Universal Music Group Distribution

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Music Group Distribution (UMGD), the award-winning sales and marketing division of Universal Music Group, the world's leading music company, has promoted L.J. Gutierrez to Senior Vice President of Partnership Development, it was announced today by Amanda Marks, Executive Vice President and General Manager and Cliff O'Sullivan, Senior Vice President of Group Marketing for the company. Formerly, Ms. Gutierrez served as Vice President of Retail Partnership Marketing for UMGD.

In this newly-created position, Ms. Gutierrez will oversee both UMGD's partnership marketing group and its non-traditional sales group.  Both areas work closely with Universal Music Group labels to maximize marketing and sales opportunities on behalf of UMG artists.  Gutierrez will also seek partnerships on behalf of UMGD companies Fontana, the leading independent distribution company and Vivendi Entertainment, a full-service film distribution company.  The partnership marketing group has developed successful marketing campaigns with major consumer partners such as MasterCard, Coca-Cola and SC Johnson, while the non-traditional sales group has leveraged new sales channels with retailers such as Nordstrom and Tween Brands.

"We're very happy that we're able to recognize L.J.'s contributions and expand her role at UMGD with this promotion," commented Ms. Marks.  "Her expertise, tireless efforts and winning personality are key reasons Universal Music has developed strong relationships with key partners and continues to grow and diversify in this increasingly important area of our business."

Prior to joining UMGD, Ms. Gutierrez held senior marketing and strategic alliance positions at such companies as Atari, Inc. and Virgin Entertainment Group. Her career began as a marketing coordinator with Mercury/PolyGram Records.

Ms. Gutierrez received a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University. 

Universal Music Group Distribution has been the industry market share leader for the past ten years and consists of four major divisions: Universal Music Distribution (UMD), Fontana, Vivendi Entertainment (VE), and UMGD Digital. UMD handles the distribution and sales for such labels as Universal Motown Republic Group, Island Def Jam Music Group, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, A&M/Octone Records, MCA Nashville, Universal Records South, Lost Highway, Mercury Nashville, Verve Music Group, Decca Label Group, Universal Music Latino, Universal Music Enterprises, Hip–O, UTV, Sanctuary Records, Univision Music Group, Disa, Machete Music, ABKCO, Concord Music Group, Hollywood, Emusica, Lyric Street, RMM, Thump, Rounder, Fonovisa, Varese Sarabande, Walt Disney, Big Machine, Show Dog Records, VI Music, La Calle Records, Sybersound, Hidden Beach, Palm Pictures, and Universal Music Christian Group among many others. Fontana is the company's independent sales, marketing and distribution arm, VE is its theatrical and home entertainment division, and UMGD Digital manages and distributes all of Universal Music Group's digital assets, including mobile.  

About Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is the world's leading music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, the industry's leading global music publishing operation.

Universal Music Group's record labels include A&M/Octone, Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, Fonovisa, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Polydor Records, Show Dog–Universal Music, Universal Motown Republic Group, Universal Music Latino and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world's most popular artists and their recordings. UMG's catalog is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, its new media and technologies division; Bravado, its merchandising company; Twenty-First Artists, its full service management division; and Helter Skelter, its live music agency. 

Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and communications company.

SOURCE Universal Music Group