The T.J. Martell Foundation Announces The 42nd New York Honors Gala
The Music Industry's Largest Foundation Focused on Saving Lives of Those Affected by Cancer Honors Three Outstanding Leaders in Music Business
NEW YORK, Aug. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The T.J. Martell Foundation for Cancer Research has announced its 42nd New York Honors Gala to be held Tuesday, October 17, 2017 at Guastavino's in New York beginning with a red carpet arrival at 6:00 p.m. The honorees include Steve Boom, Vice President of Amazon Music, Sarah Stennett, CEO & Co-Founder of First Access Entertainment and Julie Swidler, Executive Vice President, Business Affairs & General Counsel of Sony Music Entertainment.
Steve Boom will receive the Music Innovation Award, Sarah Stennett will be honored with the Spirit of Music Award and Julie Swidler will be the recipient of the Lifetime Music Industry Award.
Steve Boom joined Amazon in 2012 and has led the transformation of Amazon Music into one of the world's leading music streaming services. Steve has global responsibility for all aspects of Amazon Music, including strategy, product development, licensing, marketing, industry relations and business development. He was ranked No. 12 on Billboard's 2017 Power 100 list. Before joining Amazon, Steve was President of Loopt, a pioneer in mobile location-based services, and CEO and Executive Chairman of mig33, a popular mobile social networking service in South and Southeast Asia. Earlier in his career, he spent 10 years at Yahoo!, where he was Senior Vice President responsible for Mobile and launched award-winning mobile products, such as Yahoo! Go and oneSearch, and established wide-ranging partnerships with mobile operators across North America, Europe and Asia. He was also one of the Founding members of Yahoo!'s European management team. He began his career as a corporate attorney with Venture Law Group in Silicon Valley. Steve holds a JD from Harvard Law School as well as a BS in Electrical Engineering and an AB in History from Stanford University.
Sarah Stennett is the CEO and Co-Founder of First Access Entertainment, a global entertainment company, with offices in London, Los Angeles and New York, and over 60 members of staff. A joint venture between Sarah Stennett and Sir Len Blavatnik of Access Industries, First Access Entertainment is a company at the forefront of the paradigm shift in the entertainment business, offering a broad range of dynamic services across artist, actor and model management, recorded music, music publishing, strategic brand partnerships and TV/film development. Over the years, Sarah Stennett has built a highly accomplished and successful team of executives who have together with her been responsible for the discovery, development and launch of numerous artists, including Jessie J, Ellie Goulding, Rita Ora, Iggy Azalea, Zayn and Bebe Rexha.
April 2017 saw Stennett become the first woman in over 20 years to be honored with the STRAT award at the Music Week Awards (the UK music business' flagship annual awards), and in June saw her deliver the keynote address at the industry's leading annual conference, Midem (where she was also honored with the International award). Both follow her being awarded a visiting fellowship at the University of Westminster, London and being named as one of the most influential people in music on Debrett's 2017 '500 Influencers of The Year.'
Julie Swidler is the executive vice president of business affairs and general counsel for Sony Music Entertainment. Repeatedly featured on Billboard's Women in Music and Power 100 lists, Swidler was the first Label Executive (and first woman) to receive the Grammy Foundation's ELI Service Award in 2016 given to music attorneys for advancing and supporting the music community through service. Swidler oversees the company's legal, business affairs, and governmental matters on a global level.
Since becoming Head of Business Affairs and General Counsel at Sony Music in 2008, Swidler has advised the company's labels and operating units on wide variety of issues and deals including strategic negotiations, artist contracts, litigation, and joint venture operations. She's played a central role in such major undertakings as Sony Music's 2013 acquisition of Ultra (a dance label whose roster includes OMI and Steve Aoki) and in the launch of Astronauts Wanted: No Experience Necessary (a millennial-focused content brand and joint venture with former MTV Networks CEO Judy McGrath). Swidler also spent part of 2015 heading up Sony Music Nashville as it was transitioning between leadership. Additionally she sits on VEVO's board of directors.
Swidler began her music industry career at PolyGram Records eventually rising to Senior Vice President Business & Legal Affairs/Mercury Records — where highlights included serving as lead lawyer for Woodstock '94. Swidler left the company in 1999 to work for Clive Davis as head of business and legal affairs for Arista Records. The following year, she joined Davis and other Arista executives in launching J Records, a joint venture with BMG that had, among its first major releases, the multi-platinum-selling, Grammy Award-winning debut album from Alicia Keys. That endeavor ultimately led to the label's merging with RCA Records to form the RCA Music Group, where Swidler held the position of Executive Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs.
This year's Co-Chairs for the 42nd Annual New York Honors Gala are Joel Klaiman, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Columbia Records and Jennifer Justice, President of Corporate Development for Superfly.
PRESS CONTACT:
Caroline Galloway
(440) 591-3807
[email protected]
SOURCE T.J. Martell Foundation
Share this article