A Message from the President (July 2017)

2017 has been another incredible year for the CMAOntario and we have many to thank for it.

Thank you to all the CMAOntario members who participated in our RoadShow in Ottawa this past March and the CMAOntario RoundUp weekend in London, which included the R2I TuneUp Conference and of course, our 5th Annual CMAOntario Awards. We shone a huge spotlight on Ontario’s country music community and the response far surpassed our expectations. It was a whirlwind weekend – one that made us all proud of the artists, the industry and the fans that the CMAOntario serves. A huge thank you goes out to the many volunteers who worked behind the scenes to bring it all together.

Our heartfelt thanks to all the speakers, artists, performers, presenters and participants that joined us in making this year’s events a remarkable success. You helped us raise the bar in delivering informative and valuable information and opportunities for our Members. The CMAOntario is also thankful for the continued support from our presenting sponsor, Slaight Music; as well as the Ontario Music Fund through the Ontario Music Development Corporation; Tourism London and Chris Campbell; and the South West Ontario Tourism Corporation (SWOTC). We would like to acknowledge the other generous sponsors and partners whose contributions and participation have helped make these events a reality.

I would like to extend a special thanks to the CMAOntario Board members who are moving on. The commitment and expertise shown by Ashley Sperling and Simon Rayner have helped move this organization forward each year. The tireless dedication and effort put forth by these dedicated individuals, along with our entire Board of volunteer Directors, has been phenomenal and pivotal in the success of this association.

And, a very special thanks to Bruce Good – for being an integral part of the CMAOntario Board for the last eight years; the past two as President. Bruce believed in this organization from the onset and his commitment and dedication never wavered. He used his personal connections and vast network of people and companies to gently cajole support for this organization, and now, as Past President, he can move forward knowing that he put his all into it and left an organization that continues to grow and prosper. Thank you from all the past and present Board members, the Membership, the sponsors and all the artists you have inspired.

At this time, we welcome our new Board members: Ken Boyer, Patrick Duffy, Amanda Kingsland, and re-elected Michelle Carpenter, all of whom have made their own mark in the Canadian music industry. Together, they are committed to advancing the vision of the CMAOntario and will continue to build on the association’s growth to make the upcoming year the best ever.

Congratulations to all nominees and recipients of this year’s CMAOntario Awards. Your hard work and amazing talent has been recognized and acknowledged by the CMAOntario Members and your fans. We are very grateful to our hard-working publicists at Strut Entertainment, as we saw national media coverage for the Awards!

Last but certainly not least, the Board of Directors would like to thank our Executive Director, Verle Mobbs, and our Director of Marketing & Communications, Bessie Bullard, for the outstanding job that was done this year. Thank you ladies!

We are happy to announce that we will be back in London, Ontario, on June 3, 2018, for the 6^th annual Award show. Please mark your calendars – it’s bound to be another valuable and fun weekend.

We hope you all enjoy the summer and look forward to seeing you at the CCMA’s Country Music Week this coming September in Saskatoon.

Sincerely,

Cathie Faint
President