Don Johnson Industry Service Award
Chuck Surack is the founder and president of Sweetwater Sound, one of the landmark companies within the music products industry. He formed the company in 1979 and worked hard to gather the brands his customers wanted and to provide the care and service he himself would want. Chuck has supported...
Mary Luehrsen is a music advocate dedicated to music education and promoting support for music education. As Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations for NAMM and a former music teacher and professional musician, Mary has helped NAMM and its partners with policy issues and legislation...
Felice Mancini grew up in a home full of music. Her father was an Oscar-winning composer and her mother is the noted vocalist who formed the Society of Singers. Felice has devoted herself to the non-profit world when she became involved with the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation in 1998, just two years...
John D’Addario’s family history in the music industry can be traced back to the 1670s when Donato D’Addario worked as a “cordaro” – the Italian word for “string maker.”
Since that time the family has perfected the art of handcrafting strings as well as other music accessories. John’s father had a...
Susan Lipp has a background in the theater, which she has used to great success in running the pro-audio distribution company Full Compass. The company was formed by her husband, Jonathan, in 1977, and has since become an industry leader in pro-audio, pro-lighting and home engineering equipment....
Jonathan Lipp formed a recording studio, which by 1977 turned into a pro audio distribution company he called Full Compass. In the early days of the company he focused on the radio broadcasting market and played a role in the growth of home recording market as equipment prices went down and the...
Sammy Ash was named after his grandfather, the founder of the Sam Ash Music Company in New York City. Like his grandfather, Sammy has a deep passion and understanding of the music business and although both men faced different challenges in different eras, they both felt customer service was the...
George Quinlan Jr. began working in the store his father established before he can remember, sweeping up on weekends and helping with band rental season in the fall. George worked in every position within the store to learn first hand all he could about the business. He said he also did a lot of...
Don Johnson received his degree in journalism and later landed the editor’s job at a recording industry trade magazine. Years later the magazine was sold to the owners of the Music Merchandise Review (MMR). Under Don’s editorial direction the magazine has focused on music dealers with profiles...
Jerry Ash recalls his father, Sam Ash, giving him a pocket full of change and sending him off on the subway to New York City to pick up the sheet music orders from the publishers. With nickels for the subway rides and some string for wrapping the bundles, Jerry set off. United Parcel Service and...