The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced the hiring of Joe Spann as their new Member Services Manager.
Joe is a recognized expert on prewar flathead banjos, is the author of Spann’s Guide To Gibson Banjos 1902-1941, and had been working for Huber Banjos in Hendersonville prior to taking this position with IBMA.
IBMA Executive Director Paul Schiminger reports that both he and the organization’s leadership are delighted to find someone so experienced in the industry to take on this crucial role.
“Joe checks off so many boxes for us. He’s a people guy, he knows so many folks in bluegrass already, and he has experience as an office manager. We expect that he will help a lot with our internal bookkeeping as well.”
The hire fills an open spot for IBMA that has been vacant for several months awaiting the announcement of a new Executive Director. As is common in such situations, IBMA wanted to allow the new director to choose the next staffer.
Paul said that they had a lot of candidates to look over since he came onboard in June, and that he is glad to have completed the process and have all his people in place.
“Now we are fully staffed with Joe’s arrival, with better separation of responsibilities. Joe’s been on the job since Friday, August 31, and he has some great ideas about member communication, both to existing and prospective members. Look for those new initiatives to be implemented soon.
Time allocation is always an issue for an organization with limited staff, but members have to be our #1 priority.”
Members who don’t yet know Joe will have the opportunity to meet him at the upcoming World Of Bluegrass convention in Raleigh.
