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THE RECORDING ACADEMY® NAMES MAUREEN DRONEY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PRODUCERS & ENGINEERS WING
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Sept. 29, 2005) —The Recording Academy® today announced that it has named Maureen Droney as Executive Director of the Producers & Engineers Wing (P&E Wing). In her new position, Droney will report to Angelia Bibbs-Sanders, Recording Academy Vice President of Member Services. Droney will be responsible for managing the daily activities of the Producers & Engineers Wing, as well as using her technical expertise to further develop programs for its members and leadership. The P&E Wing provides The Recording Academy with a vehicle to reach a specific constituency, to craft advocacy positions, and to better address the daily concerns of these professionals.
"A key component of The Recording Academy, the Producers & Engineers Wing was established to serve our recording community's creative and technical professionals in a focused manner," said Recording Academy President Neil Portnow. "As we strive to grow and develop its programs and services, Maureen's vast knowledge and expertise will further strengthen and expand the P&E Wing's initiatives as we move forward with our Academy's plans for the future."
"With more than 15 years of experience as a recording engineer, as well as her extensive project management skills and her exceptional relationships with manufacturers, Maureen is a welcome addition to our team," said Bibbs-Sanders. "I am confident that Maureen's contributions will help the P&E Wing continue to grow while also strengthening our membership."
Originally from Connecticut, Droney has worked in the music recording industry for more than 20 years. She began her career as an assistant engineer at the legendary Automatt Studios in San Francisco, where she trained with such notable producers and engineers as Fred Catero, Jim Gaines, Leslie Ann Jones, David Kahne, and Ron Nevison. She went on to become a freelance engineer on projects for George Benson, Whitney Houston, John Hiatt, Tower of Power and Santana, among many others, including Santana's GRAMMY®-winning album BluesFor Salvador. She holds a degree in broadcast communication arts from California State University, San Francisco, and has taught seminars in the theory and practice of audio engineering for facilities including ABC Television and Radio, CBS Television, and Deluxe Film Labs Post Production.
Most recently, Droney was executive vice president/general manager of the Kiva Family of Studios, which includes the House of Blues Studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, and East Iris in Nashville. She is the author of Mix Masters, a book of interviews with top engineers, and a regular contributor to numerous audio and performing arts publications, as well as, for the last 10 years, the Los Angeles editor for Mix magazine.
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Currently, 6,000 professionals comprise the P&E Wing. This organized voice for the creative and technical recording community addresses issues that affect the craft of recorded music, while ensuring its role in the development of new technologies, recording and mastering recommendations, and archiving and preservation initiatives. The Wing builds on the existing regional professional development activities of the Academy, which include workshops, forums and panel discussions, and other recording technology-related events, all occurring locally and nationally throughout the year. For more information, please visit www.grammy.com/pe_wing.
Established in 1957, the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., also known as The Recording Academy, is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY® Awards, The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs — including the creation of the national public education campaign What’s The Download® (www.WhatsTheDownload.com). For more information about the Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.
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