Your Role in 25 Words or Less
I am responsible for the fun things at ALIBI – contracts, regulatory compliance, insurance, copyright and trademark registration, human resources, finance, budget and strategic planning.
Personal Mantra
“Change is certain. Progress is not.” - Edward Hallett Carr
Favorite ALIBI Site Tip
If you have insomnia, read the legal documents.
Your Start in this Business
My passion is communities. We all live somewhere, and that place is a community. Like many communities in the industrialized world, the community where I live was going through some tough times because the main industry in town was shutting down. I suggested that because there was a strong tradition of music here, we should start a multi-genre music festival to change the image of the town.
Fast forward 30 years when I retired from a non-profit organization that presents 800 concerts per year, has an arts campus in a former steel plant with indoor and outdoor stages, a two-screen arts cinema and a nearby visual arts center, and a summer music festival that attracts over 1 million guests annually. Today my post-industrial community is thriving!
Something Surprising About Your Work
I am constantly amazed by how technology and the internet have combined to open the doors for unlimited creativity. As a lawyer, I use my skills to support ALIBI’s engagement with creative clients in media, gaming and advertising who are reaching out to us to provide the music and SFX that complete their creations. Most people do not think of lawyers as being creative, but with ALIBI and its music business model, I have the opportunity to help craft relationships that benefit the client, ALIBI and our amazing artists in the brave new world being developed through the internet.
Coolest Part of Your Job
Every day I work with team members, artists, clients and vendors on at least two continents to help them solve problems and expand horizons. My ALIBI community is global and for a guy who has lived all of his life in one place, but traveled to every continent except Antarctica, it is very cool.
Biggest Challenge Facing the Industry
For publishing, the biggest challenge is keeping up with the technology needed for the people we serve to find the music in our library and offer it in ways that are convenient for them. Our new website is an outstanding example of ALIBI’s commitment to excel in service to our clients.
Favorite Musical Artist/Act
The Moody Blues
Instruments Played
One of the reasons I have a deep appreciation for musicians is because I was terrible at any instrument I tried!
Random Non-Work Fun Fact About You
I have a fascination with ceramics because they are usually made from the soil in the place where they are crafted, the fabrication and design are representative of the art and culture of that place, and most ceramics have a utilitarian use related to food and drink, which to me represents the hospitality of that area. The simplest piece I have is a crude clay cup from a street tea vendor in Cairo; the most unusual is a bird-like, tall, thin contemporary vase purchased from an artist in her studio in Tallinn, Estonia. Each of the pieces in my collection is a token of a culture that I have had the opportunity to experience.
Creative Call-Out
I am a writer. My first book, “,” was published in 2018. I am working on a thriller that I started many years ago when I had a summer job working for U.S. Customs on the Canadian border in Vermont.
