Mitch Glazier Formally Takes On RIAA Chairman/CEO Role, Michele Ballantyne Promoted To COO

Pictured: Mitch Glazier, Michele Ballantyne

Mitch Glazier has been named Chairman and CEO of the RIAA and has formally taken office at the recording industry trade group. Michele Ballantyne has also been promoted to the role of Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately.

In 2017, following the announcement of former RIAA Chairman/CEO Cary Sherman‘s retirement, Glazier was promoted to President of the RIAA.

Before joining the RIAA in 2000, Glazier served as Chief Counsel for intellectual property to the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Music matters. It shapes our culture. It inspires generations young and young at heart. It makes us who we are and binds diverse communities together. I am honored to lead the RIAA during these exciting times as we fight for a music ecosystem that works for everybody – from artists and fans to labels and publishers and songwriters and music services alike. That will require that we both embrace digital music innovations, and protect what has always made music great – keeping the dream alive for the next generation of artists and music creators,” said Glazier.

Ballantyne has worked in the highest reaches of government, including as Special Assistant to President Bill Clinton, Special Counsel to then-White House Chief of Staff John Podesta, and as General Counsel for Senator Tom Daschle. A driving force for updating intellectual property laws for the digital age, she has played an instrumental role in advocating for congressional reforms including the MMA, the PRO-IP Act that established the nation’s first Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator in the Executive Office of the President, and the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 that provided colleges and universities with meaningful tools to reduce the illegal downloading of copyrighted works on campuses.

“I’m excited to be part of this new leadership team at such an incredibly dynamic and important time,” said Ballantyne. “By staying true to music and its creators even as we embrace change, we can help the men and women of the music industry achieve great things. I look forward to advocating on behalf of our great community.”

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Lorie Hollabaugh

Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at [email protected].

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