Your quarterly update from NAPAMA. Read on for NAPAMA news, APAP and conference updates, member benefits and ways to get involved.

From the President
As I write this, my final column as President of NAPAMA, I realize that I've been thinking about this 'going away' column for months. While at times the job has been just plain difficult, overall it's been an intense, challenging and remarkably rewarding experience. In the past I've written about the rewards of service to the community and, as I reflect back over the last 2+ years, I can honestly say that despite the amount of hard work and time I've given, I wouldn't trade any of it. It has truly been some of the most fun I've had in my over 40 years in the entertainment industry. While there are certainly parts of the job I am going to be thrilled to pass on, I know how much I am going to miss serving as the shepherd of our organization. That being said, I can't tell you how much I owe, and what a deep sense of gratitude I have to the remarkable group of people who have served with me on the board during my time as President. To them and to you, the members of NAPAMA, I can only say thank you for all of your support.

It seems like just 20 minutes ago we were all bouncing from city to city attending the regional conference's and maybe an hour or two before that when we were in New York at APAP 2015. It is really amazing at how quickly the year passes. While much of what we had put on our NAPAMA 'wish list' still remains, there has been so much that we've been able to accomplish this past year.

One of our biggest new initiatives was to look at where we've been as an organization and where we'd like us to go. To that end, the board took part in full day strategic planning meeting and was able to identify the areas we'd most like to develop. In the months since, in addition to our regular activities and programming, we've been working on the plans to achieve those goals and to 'set the stage' to really get all of us involved in making them happen. One of the most important things needed to accomplish these goals is to increase member involvement in our activities. While there are already more 'non-board' members getting involved, that is still one of our primary goals for 2016. Find us at the APAP Opening Night Party to make sure you're included (details below). And make sure you attend the Annual Awards Luncheon on Monday. It is going to be my pleasure to be able to honor Harold Norris, the Director of Booking and Artist Representation, as our NAPAMA Agent/Manager of the Year and to also honor Steve Duchrow, Director of Performing Arts at Elgin Community College as our Presenter of the Year.

I know we're all busy, especially at this time of year but please, take the time to review the information in the newsletter. I can't tell you how thankful I am to Chrissie DiAngelus and her Communications Committee and how proud I am of what this newsletter has become. You will find lots of really useful info and more.

I want to wish everyone a truly joyous holiday season and remind you to make sure you take time for yourselves and your families at this wonderful time of year. And again, thank you, thank you, thank you. You have all been a part of making the last 2 years so special for me. Happy holidays all - see you in New York.

~Jerry Ross, President
Membership Update
2016 is going to be an exciting year for NAPAMA. Our membership is mobilizing and we are excited that more and more people are getting involved in various initiatives. Please contact NAPAMA board member Mr. Mojo (mojoandthebayougypsies@gmail.com) if you are interested in being placed into projects.

If you are attending APAP, try to find Mr. Mojo and me, David Wannen, at the opening night party. We plan to find some space to discuss NAPAMA work and volunteers.

Also - make sure to review the Actor's Federal Credit Union benefit below and take advantage of the relationship NAPAMA has established with the Union for your banking needs.

Finally, if your membership has expired PLEASE take a few minutes and renew today. We want to be in the strongest position possible closing out our 2015 fiscal year (
Dec 31) and going into the new year and APAP. Any questions please direct to david@nygasp.org. Use your email and password to renew here: http://www.napama.org/renew/

Critical for membership renewal process: Renewal notices go out on a regular basis. They come from David Wannen, but if you don't think you have ever seen them, PLEASE add napama@greenarrow.123signup9.com to your contacts so that your junk folder or spam folder doesn't filter out our email from the system. You might want to search your junk/spam filters for email from my name if you haven't been receiving renewal notices regularly.
Update from the Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee process for the 2016 Board of Directors slate is well under way, with many qualified candidates to review.  The current target is to present a slate to membership via NAPAMA email alert by  Dec 24, 2015 .  
Agent & Manager Awards

Thank you to all who nominated colleagues. As Jerry mentioned, we are thrilled to honor Harold Norris, Director of Booking & Artist Representation and Steve Duchrow, Director of Performing Arts at Elgin Community College. Please join us in honoring both our Agent/Manager and Presenter of the Year Awardees when we present them with their awards.  Having our award presentations included as part of the annual industry awards luncheon is particularly meaningful to our organization and we look forward to you being there. The pomp and circumstance will commence Monday, January 18 from 12 noon - 1:45pm in the Grand Ballroom. 
NAPAMA Annual Meeting at APAP

Mark your calendars: The annual NAPAMA Member Meeting will be Sunday, January 17, 2016 at 10:00am, Hilton East Suite (on the 4th floor).

We really hope you make every effort to attend as we will be voting on the new board slate. There are 2 open board seats and 2 board members up for re-election for their 2nd terms. In addition, we will be introducing our new Ethical Guidelines. And there is always a lively discussion about matters of import relating to APAP, the regional conferences and more.
Making Artistic Cents - PD at APAP and CMA 

Making Artistic Cents V: Getting To Yes
Sunday January 17, 2016, 9:00-9:50am
The East Suite, 4th floor, Hilton
 
A facilitated discussion between Agents, Managers, and Presenters on the booking process. From the discussion to the hold to the offer to the contract... has it gotten easier or more complex? Our panel will explore the evolving paradigm of buying and selling the Arts.

Dave Wannen - Moderator NY Gilbert and Sullivan Players, NY
Kathryn Maguet - Executive Dir, Weiss Center, Bucknell Univ, PA
Pamela Green - PMG Arts Mgmt
Chad Herzog - Director, International Festival of Arts and Ideas, New Haven, CT

Other APAP Updates

APAP members: Your voice (and vote) are needed!
If you are an APAP member, be sure you are a part of shaping the association's future! For the coming year, APAP is putting forth two items on which they are asking members to vote: 1. The 2016 slate of board leaders who are up for renewal and; 2. The 2015 APAP Annual Membership Meeting minutes. Each organizational member of APAP is entitled to ONE vote so please take moment to make sure your organization's voice is heard and cast your vote on these critical items.

To review both the minutes and the board slate in detail, please click here. You can cast your vote here. The deadline to cast your electronic vote is Wednesday, January 6, 2016.

Name Badges
The last day to purchase additional name badges is January 13th at the $250 rate. After January 13, and on-site, the rate is $350.

Resource Room Booth Numbers
In an effort to make navigating the Resource Halls easier for everyone, APAP has renumbered all of the booths. There was a committee formed earlier this year made up of NAPAMA members, non-affiliated exhibitors and presenters to try and create a more orderly pattern with booth and aisle numbers. If you take a moment to look at the maps of the Halls, you will see the new numbers. Also, Rhinelander are all 3 numbers, Americas I are all 1000's and Americas II are all 2000's.
Agents & Managers Retreat

The Agents & Managers Retreat is now in its sixth year! It has grown since its inception in 2011 - both in numbers and in ideas and content, and this year, NAPAMA is thrilled to be offering more to our participants. In 2016 we journey to the Pocono Mountain area of PA and to the gorgeous and relaxing Shawnee Inn. You can expect topics to include technology, small business efficiency strategies, partnerships, and legal conversations with Brian Taylor Goldstein. A preliminary schedule with topics and speakers will be posted closer to APAP. Registration and hotel information will also be available at that time. 

More information here.
Conference Updates

Chamber Music America
CMA's 2016 National Conference will be held January 7-10 at the Westin New York at Times Square. 
More information is here.

Get to Know NAPAMA
Saturday, January 9, 2016 at 6:30pm - 7:30pm 
Laurelle Favreau, board member and secretary, GAMI/Simonds, LLC
Rob Robbins, former board member, Alliance Artist Management
Martha Woods, former board member, Jonathan Wentworth Associates 

International Society of Performing Arts
ISPA's 2016 Congress will be held January 11-14, 2016 at multiple venues in NYC. 
More information is here as well as on the organization's website.

International Performing Arts for Youth
IPAY's 2016 Showcase will be held January 27-30, 2016 in Montreal, Canada.
More information is here and on the organization's website.

Arts Midwest
The conference has announced Laurel Canan (Center Productions, Inc and NAPAMA Treasurer) and John Hassig (Marcus Center for the Performing Arts) as conference co-chairs. The 2016 conference will be in Milwaukee, WI September 13-16, 2016.

Comings & Goings

A lot of presenters coming and going since early fall. Read the round up here.

Member Benefit - Actors Federal Credit Union

We are pleased to have renewed a partership with Actors Federal Credit Union to offer another terrific benefit to you, our members. More information is below and attached and we will have a representative of ActorsFCU at the Member Meeting to talk briefly about the credit union.

ActorsFCU is a full service not for profit banking cooperative headquartered in the heart of Times Square in NYC. With additional offices in Chicago, LA, and North Hollywood the Credit Union can easily serve members across the nation. When combined with eBranch and their smartphone apps access is never more than a few clicks away. ActorsFCU boasts an 11 hour phone day for those times when you want or need that personal touch.

Services start with the basics like free checking and savings and include debit cards with rewards and 30,000 fee-free ATMs across the nation. A one stop shop when it comes to your banking needs ActorsFCU offers credit cards, auto loans, and mortgages all at amazing rates and consumer loans to fit just about every need.

To download the brochure, click here. More information can be foundonline:  http://actorsfcu.com/

Member News

We are thrilled that our own Laurel Canan (Center Productions, Inc and NAPAMA Treasure) will be conference co-chair at the 2016 Arts Midwest Conference. Congrats, Laurel!

Cheryle Hanson (Kids Entertainment) was named Agent of the Year at Ontario Contact. Congrats, Cheryl!

Arts Northwest has announced Sam Calhoun as its new Executive Director.

WAA announces China Tour. Next Spring, WAA will organize a delegation of 15-25 U.S. and Canadian artists, agents, presenters, and more on a 10-day familiarization trip to China. This delegation to follow a group of WAA artists on a 10-day performance tour of China booked by A C Orange. Along the tour, WAA and A C Orange would offer workshops, guest speakers, panels, networking events, performances, and other cultural experiences to build their knowledge, experience and understanding of the performing arts in China. 

Jane Perlis Ambrose
In Rememberance

Jane Perlis Ambrose 1939-2015
She was Professor Emerita of Music, having served ten years as Chair of the Department of Music at the University of Vermont and for twenty-three years as Director of UVM's George Bishop Lane Artists' Series. 
Obituary here.

Sid McQueen
The note from his daughter Suzzane is as follows:
My father died peacefully tonight as I held his hand. A friend wrote me earlier today that, "it is still the fortunate among the humans who bury their parents. I could even go so far as to say: and for those for whom it aches the heart, they are all the more blessed, because they have loved and been loved so deeply". It brought some comfort as I said goodbye to my father tonight. It has been such a long, tragic and sad journey these last years; I hope maybe he is happy and at peace now. He believed in God and heaven so perhaps there was something better waiting for him. Thank you all for your support.. I will get an obituary out in the next fews days that can be circulatedto his friends and colleagues. ~Suzz

NAPAMA wishes everyone a joyous holiday season and happy new year.
See you at APAP!

NAPAMA |   napama.org

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