Ray's first moves

I'm told that newly-installed AFM President Ray Hair made some personnel announcements at the ROPA Conference a few days ago.

Most interesting to me was the appointment of Ken Shirk as what is described in the Bylaws as the "assistant to the President assigned to service Locals and members located in the western part of the United States." I would guess that means that Ken would be responsible for the West Coast office, which of course handles the bulk of the electronic media contract administration and has been of great concern to the RMA. In addition, Savina Ciaramella, who was in charge of videogames in the West Coast office, has left (I am told by mutual agreement with the incoming administration).

Ken is one of the brightest and most experienced administrators in the AFM, and given the formidable intellectual horsepower possessed by the leadership of the RMA, seems a good fit for that position just on that basis. But Ken is also an interesting and unusual combination of being both very principled and non-ideological.

I'm assuming that this appointment was made with the concurrence of the EMSD Steering Committee, as indeed is required by the IEB handbook and the Roehl report. Given the peculiarly difficult nature of the issues that the AFM faces in the electronic media field, this seems like a truly brilliant move on Ray's part.

The other announcement Ray made at ROPA concerned the AFM-EP Fund. Ray has apparently made a near-wholesale replacement of the union-side trustees; only Phil Yao will remain from the old board. The new union-side slate will be Vince Trombetta (47), Tino Gagliardi (802), Gary Matts (10-208), Brian Rood (ICSOM), Laura Ross (ICSOM and Nashville), Phil Yao (RMA), Bill Moriarity, and Ray.

I think it's particularly good news that Ray has brought Bill Moriarity back to the Pension Fund board. Bill has great credibility with the other side and years of experience in dealing with Pension Fund issues - a field in which years of experience really are required in order to be effective. But the new trustees are all very able people as well, as well as being elected for other positions by musicians who do the majority of Pension Fund work. Given that there are only 8 slots on the union side, this is as good a selection as could be made.

The only real surprise to me in all this was the departure of Bill Foster from the Pension Fund board. Bill, of course, was a rank-and-file appointee of Tom's, which I'm sure didn't help him in terms of the new administration. But he is also a highly regarded elder statesman within ICSOM. Perhaps there's a back story to this that I haven't heard yet.

All in all, though, a wonderful set of opening moves by Ray.

(correction: Gary Matts is a returning Trustee, having served on the Board for several years already.)

(correction: the circumstances of Savina Ciaramella's departure have been clarified.)

Comments

[Antony Cooke]

Come back in Michael! We need you; the water is finally getting warm after the ice age we all endured. The AFM is rapidly becoming a place that once again all musicians can call home.

[Michael Troy Moore]

Things look promising for the AFM under Ray and the others at some point I might again join or tell younger musicians and others to join the AFM again.

I remember sitting back and thinking about the whole mess from 1997 to 2007, votes got screwy under Tom, the union was not a labor union and I figured if I ran in 1 or 2 more elections and met more of the delegates I would have at least elected to the I.E.B. and been able to give my help and input into the union on behalf of of those the AFM forgot about.

It crossed my mind that politics SUCKS! has little to do with what is right-true and real let alone getting progress made.

If I had run I would have got in and been an "Old Bitter Bastard" like those I ran against!

I am glad I washed my hands of it and went back to creating music, art, things and inventions.

Those who have the power of creation should demand representation I hope Ray just kicks ass and does the musicians right because it has been my entire life time that the Musicians where left behind by the AFM under Tom & his mentor.

Michael Troy Moore

[Tammy Kirk]

Bravo to Ray for bringing Ken Shirk back into AFM service. I had the privilege of serving with Ken on the IEB. He is truly a brilliant mind. Welcome back, Brother Ken!

Another bravo for the pension fund appointments.

[Shrobert]

I'm thrilled that Ken Shirk is coming back on board. We in Local 99 know how very capable he is, and what a calm voice of reason he can be in a crisis.

Sherill Roberts

[802fiddler]

In another great move, Ray's new IEB will hold its first meeting in conjunction with the upcoming ICSOM Conference - another stride toward the unity that his team promised.

[Antony Cooke]

Just the first of many great things to come! There is not a doubt in my mind that Ray is the very person who will put the AFM back on track and lead it on to a new era of unity and purpose. Tom whatever-his-name-is (or was it downbeat, Manhattan madness, and keys 88?) had placed a tenth of his energies working for the benefit of the membership and the organization, instead of his own personal agenda, we would have never been in the mess we all found ourselves in. He should never have given Ray so much reason to run; What a house of horrors we have all come through. And for 9 years at that. Ugh. All that wasted energy.

We can all look forward to the AFM's second golden age of enlightenment and harmony. Go Ray, go!