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Vinyl Record Manufacturing Association Elects First Executive Board

Board members for new professional trade organization include president Dustin Blocker of Hand Drawn Pressing, vice president Yoli Mara of Welcome to 1979 and several others.
ProSoundWeb
New board members of the Vinyl Record Manufacturing Association.

The Vinyl Record Manufacturing Association (VRMA), a new professional trade association of independent businesses committed to the continued advancement of vinyl record manufacturing through collaboration, advocacy, standardization, and education, has announced the members of its first executive board members were elected during the founder’s meeting held after the recent Making Vinyl Conference in Nashville.

Board members include president Dustin Blocker of Hand Drawn Pressing; vice president Yoli Mara of Welcome to 1979; treasurer Michael Greig Thomas of Echo Base; secretary Greg Schoener of ADS Group/Copy Cats; and board members Chris Jackson of Blue Sprocket Pressing, Alex Cushing of Hand Drawn Pressing, Vincent Slusarz of Gotta Groove Records, Chuck Gorman of MonoStereo Label Service, Don McInnis of Record Technology Inc. (RTI), Broc Barnes of Third Man Records, and Scott Lemasters of Vinyl Lab. In addition, Bryan Ekus, the co-founder of Making Vinyl, has been appointed to serve as the VRMA’s first managing director.

The Vinyl Record Manufacturers Association (VRMA) now comprises more than 30 companies from every level of vinyl production: record labels, mastering, lacquer cutting, electroplating, record pressing, printmakers, equipment manufacturers, brokers, raw material suppliers, and even logistic service providers.

“We are extremely excited to bring this organization to life. The complex ecosystem of our industry’s supply chain makes it wildly important that collaboration and communication amongst its independent suppliers remain interdependent for the benefit of the whole,” says Blocker. “I look forward to serving alongside this board and our membership to benefit our amazing vinyl community.”

The VRMA is currently focused on business-to-business collaboration in the western hemisphere, with plans to roll this concept out globally. The organization also plans to provide outreach and education to consumers worldwide to highlight the processes of cutting and plating while forming internal buying groups that focus on affordable raw goods, which opens less expensive options for record labels and artists.

Membership is now available to all organizations, companies, and individuals interested in participating.

VRMA

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