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Board

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Brian Cadd - Director since 2 July 2007

In 2006 Brian celebrated 40 years as a performer, writer and producer. From the seminal 60's bands The GROOP and AXIOM, through a highly successful solo career in Australia in the 70's followed by 20 years in the US and Europe writing for Joe Cocker, The Pointer Sisters and many more, Brian continues to work as an artist and writer and for the betterment of our Industry.

 
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Brett Cottle - Director since 7 August 1997

Chief Executive of Australian Performing Right Association Limited since 1990. Director of Australian Copyright Council and past member of Copyright Law Review Committee. Chief Executive of Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society Limited from 1985-1990.

 
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Meryl Gross (Chair) - Director since 20th August 1997

Now retired, Meryl spent 25 years with Festival Records as a senior executive, spending the last 15 years heading up International operations. She then moved to head up ABC Music and ABC Music Publishing and during her 15 year tenure developed the Broadcaster’s very successful local roster which included The Wiggles and Lee Kernaghan.  ABC Music was Australia's most awarded Independent label at that time.

 
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John Hansen - Director since November 2008

John is a 40 year veteran in the industry ranging from management in the seventies (Johnny O'Keefe and a large stable of others) to international touring (Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck and Don Maclean, to name a few). John's company was also the entertainment supplier and consultant for the Panther group of clubs for over thirty years. He has been a Board member of the Australian Entertainment Industry Association for nearly ten years and a committee member of the ACE Awards for five years.

 
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Sally Howland - Director since 30 November 1998

Director of Member Services (APRA) Australasian Performing Right Association Ltd since 1996. Has held various positions at APRA since 1979. Director of AMC (Australian Music Centre) since 2005.

 
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Michael McMartin - Director since 20 August 1997

Co-Chairman / Director of International Managers Forum Australia for Africa / Asia, Director of AAM (Association of Artist Managers (Australia)), Director of Melody Management and Trafalgar Records Pty Limited.

 
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Robert Patterson - Director since November 2008

Robert has worked in the Australian music industry in a number of roles encompassing retail, sales, marketing and A & R. He heads up ABC Music (Australia's largest independent record label and part of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation). ABC Music is dominant in the genres of classical, children's and country music and is a major force in the Blues & Roots genres and contemporary independent music through its relationship with Triple J.

 
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Geoff Rudd - Director since 30 November 1998

Director & Company Secretary of MMS Retail Solutions Pty Limited since 1992. IT Administration and Operations Manager Festival Records 1986 - 1992.

 
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Lynne Small

Lynne has acted as Company Secretary and Treasurer since 1998, and is also the Manager – Finance, Operations & Administration for both the Recording Industry Association Ltd (ARIA) and Phonographic Performance Company of Australia Ltd (PPCA).

 
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Jim White - Director since 7 August 1997

Currently a director of Vital Entertainment Solutions. Spent approx 30 years at Festival Records, much of that time as General Manager and then Managing Director. General Manager of Australian Record Industry Association Ltd and Phonographic Performance Company of Australia Ltd from 1990 to July 2000 before retiring.

 
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John Woodruff - Director since 2011

John Woodruff commenced his career in Adelaide in 1972 and his list of music industry credentials is long and impressive. He has been responsible for nurturing some of Australia's greatest music talents from the beginning of their careers to international heights, among them The Angels, Icehouse, Johnny Diesel & The Injectors, Baby Animals and Savage Garden.

In the late 1970s John Woodruff, together with Ray Hearn and Rod Willis, formed Dirty Pool Artist Management, adding the legendary Cold Chisel to its impressive satble of artists. Dirty Pool was largely responsible for shifting power and leverage from venue owners to artists.  Previously artists were typically only paid a minimal fee and the venue/promoter kept most of the takings from an event.  By introducing a new system, John brought balance and fairness to remuneration between performer and venue and for the first time introduced live performance contracts into the Australian business. John has been at the forefront of protecting artists' rights, presenting a forum at Parliament House in Canberra in 1996, "Who Took the Music?", prophetically predicting the massive changes that the internet was about to wreak on the music business . The forum resulted in changes to the Copyright Act's provisions on digital rights, which protect artists to some degree to this day.

In 2007, John received ARIA’s Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. The Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honour bestowed by ARIA and is awarded at the discretion of the ARIA Board from time to time, to recognise 'shape shifters' - industry players other than artists who have made a significant and profound contribution to Australian music and the Australian music industry. Previous recipients include Ted Albert, Daryl Somers, Stan Rofe, Ian Meldrum, Michael Gudinski and Charles Fisher. In 2008 John was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for his services in mentoring young Australian musicians.

John joined Support Act’s Board of Directors in 2011.