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UFO Background | Meet Our Personnel
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Peter Casperson - CEO
"The future of the music industry lies in the ability of unique, original, career artists to be able to survive, develop, and be granted entry. The current industry malaise is due to the fact that there are too many mediocre talents that have been granted access to the current anarchy of the market created by the implosion of the major label model. UFO offers the qualifying artists the infrastructure to build their individual business while being true to their artistic vision. Our model will help create the future legends of this industry. The UFO team is dedicated to this mission."
As an established veteran in the music business, Peter Casperson has run successful companies in the areas of artist management, records, publishing, recording studios, and booking. Peter started his first entertainment company in the late 60s while attending Babson Institute as a Finance major. Since that time, his commitment to the music industry has been unwavering. Having been a successful booking agent, personal manager, producer, music publisher, label owner and briefly the CEO of a start-up software company, he feels that the culmination of this extensive career is in the UFO concept. Always the independent entrepreneur, Peter has created the model for UFO based on his vast experience and understanding of the problems with the current music industry. Through charismatic and intuitive leadership, Peter is able to motivate his colleagues to create new opportunities for success in the toughest of business climates. With his independent ideology and hands on experience in all areas of the industry over the past 35 years, there is no better steward to successfully navigate the current rapid evolution of the digital music age.
Read Peter's full bio at InvasionGroup.com.
Peter Casperson comments on publishing:
"Having been an active publisher for 40 years we know how to best create value for an artist's copyrights. There is nothing more potent than making the artist themselves successful. This generates mechanicals, performance royalties and often puts the artist in a room with other artists to create co-writes that optimize song exposure. In addition we pursue sync placements and other commercial usage of material where appropriate. The most important factor in a publisher/writer relationship is getting the personal attention to provide direction and guidance.
"We have worked with Bug Music since 1995 as the worldwide administrator of our catalogues and have developed a terrific relationship with the tremendously passionate mid-sized international operation. Bug's film and TV department works in concert with our film and TV master placement partner Sugaroo! to maximize our exposure for song placements. In the US we work closely Bug's offices in LA, New York and Nashville creating co-writing opportunities with our writers, often as they tour the country.
"A true partner, we often co-publish with Bug through our UFO sister publishing co. Rogues Writers Circle - working with a select group of artists and giving them our full-court treatment. Our relationship with Bug allows us to offer artist co-publishing deals or simply set up administration deals for clients' own companies. Like everything at UFO there is a menu of flexible methodology to serve the clients' needs."
Peter Casperson comments on distribution:
Digital
"As it became clear that digital distribution was going to be the future of music distribution we were developing the United For Opportunity platform. UFO was in the front of the line when iTunes started accepting distribution deals with independent labels. We were equally as aggressive and early in setting up deals on a worldwide basis with the top download sites, allowing us to have direct deals across the globe and to create direct relationships with sites as they emerge.
"Now, thanks to that foresight and aggressive ingenuity, we have no middlemen. iTunes, Amazon digital, emusic and Rhapsody are all dealt with directly by our staff who work these outlets to our advantage for positioning and special programs on behalf of our select group of distributed artists/labels. We are a boutique digital aggregator as well as a distribution conduit for our roster of artists/labels."
Retail
"United For Opportunity was originally distributed to all brick and mortar outlets through RYKO, when Ryko was merged into ADA we became an ADA-distributed label. Our head of sales Karen Macmillan (who works out of the UFO NY office) interfaces with ADA sales organization to maximize all retail sales opportunities. We have access to every retail outlet in the U.S. through ADA, and for the world outside of the U.S. through ADA Global."
Stage and Artist/UFO site sales
"We put tremendous emphasis for all music sales on the direct-to-fan experience. Whenever possible we try to drive the fan and potential fan to a branded artist site (either their own or a microsite on UFOmusic.com) in order to capture all possible information on the person buying music. Obviously this creates the opportunity for the artist to communicate with their fan. We also put a tremendous effort to drive potential fans to see a live performance, sign up for the artist's e-mail list, meet the band and by product at the show. This is the best retail experience as it includes the live experience, a personalized moment with the artist and collecting fan info for future communication. This is also the best financial deal for the artist and serves to underwrite many a tour."
Peter Casperson comments on merchandise:
"United For Opportunity NYC has partnered with Buffalo-based Righteous Babe to provide a full service, vertically integrated merchandise company. The business of selling merchandise is organized out of NYC while the Righteous Babe staff in Buffalo handles actual fulfillment of orders and storage. We have over 50,000 square feet of storage space to house and organize merchandise, as well as relationships with several top-notch design companies that are available to develop, along with the artist, any and all merchandise items.
"Flexibility is the key to our success with clients. We can handle the whole process - from design and manufacturing to storage - or just warehouse an artist's merchandise for them. We offer design, manufacturing, order fulfillment, storage, drop shipping, and servicing retail distribution. With UFO's marketing expertise, Rigtheous Babe's incredible staff and the very cost effective facility in Buffalo, no one does it better or less expensively than we do."
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Steven Saporta - Director of Strategic Alliances
"In all my 25 years of working in the music industry, there's never been a better time for the UFO business model. This is especially true due to the massive consolidation in the major sector. Literally hundreds of mid-level artists will be looking for a home that UFO provides."
Steven Saporta began his career working with Herb Goldfarb's (former president of London Records) independent marketing company, Herb Goldfarb Associates, where he was instrumental in the breaking of such artists as Steely Dan, Iggy Pop & Melanie. Considered one of the founding fathers of music video, Steven was interviewed on ABC's Nightline the night MTV debuted, as a definitive expert on the subject. Steven was later credited for his help through video in launching and re-launching the careers of Whitney Houston, Anita Baker, Van Morrison, Rod Stewart, Aerosmith, Reba McEntire, Billy Joel, Garth Brooks and Sting.
Read Steven's full bio at InvasionGroup.com.
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| Steve Dalmer - General Manager
"Touring is a great barometer of potential, if you can consistently react live, UFO will be the perfect partner to fuel those flames and spread your music to a wider audience."
While studying business at the University of New Hampshire, Steve began his endeavors in the music business by supporting the efforts of grassroots/regional bands in New England. It was through these "D.I.Y." experiences that he gravitated towards a focus on artists whose growth was based on touring. Relocating to NYC in 1997, he spent 2-years working as a web producer for Penguin Publishing, where he learned the ins and outs of website development, internet marketing and sales. Growing tired of the publishing business Steve returned to his calling of music, where in 1999 he formed a national booking agency and management firm called "In the Pocket," representing artists such as Groove Collective and Jai Uttal. Soon after he joined Invasion Group where he serves as Director of Operations and Artist Manager.
Read Steve's full bio at InvasionGroup.com.
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Tom Baggott - Tour Strategist / A&R
"Sound, grassroots career development requires both the strategic wisdom that comes from experience, and the creativity that comes from loving what we do and truly knowing and understanding our artists and their audiences."
As an agent and artist manager with over 21 years of experience in the music business, Tom Baggott he has developed a number of significant national artists of various styles and genres and participated in the expansive career growth of many others. Having worked with many major national artists, managers, publicists, radio promoters, agencies, distributors and other various music industry professionals, Baggott has amassed a wealth of experience and relationships at many levels and in many different aspects of the industry and is widely regarded as one of the best artist development minds in the business. He also has a reputation for honesty, fairness and unflinching loyalty. Having begun his journey in college as a performer and writer, Baggott has always started from the artist's perspective when approaching the business. Experience has taught him that a no-nonsense, straightforward approach to getting things done is the only approach.
Read Tom's full bio at InvasionGroup.com.
Tom Baggott comments on booking:
"With the addition of TBArtists (TBA), UFO is truly able to represent itself as a 'one stop shop' for the independent artist. Having the booking and tour strategy perspective represented at the table is fundamental to the broad-based, scope and scale approach that informs the UFO model. For some clients, the tour strategy and implementation provided by TBA is the starting point to a broader relationship with UFO and the other services under its umbrella. Touring-- and an artist's ability to both support the touring effort and connect with an audience-- provides critical insight to what an artist actually needs in terms of professional support from the UFO team, so that we may offer guidance in the effort to support the touring, develop new revenue streams and assist in fulfilling the artist's vision."
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Chris Cate - Booking Agent
Chris Cate started working in the music business as a tour manager and front of house engineer for a couple of Burlington, VT-based artists (Belizbeha and Smokin' Grass). He began working with MT Productions - a small regional agency operated by Tom Baggott - and quickly demonstrated great ability as an agent. He and Baggott formed thebookingagency.com in 1999. The partnership had a significant impact on the burgeoning "jam band" scene of that time, discovering and developing some of the scene's hottest early adapters and essentially creating a live electronica / jam hybrid sound through their work with Disco Biscuits and Sound Tribe Sector 9.
Chris went solo in 2001 and formed Treeline Artists. He was instrumental in starting the career of Railroad Earth, Garaj Mahal and Bluestring and pushed along the careers of Jerry Joseph, Col. Bruce Hampton, The Recipe and The Breakfast, among others. When Chris closed the doors of Treeline in 2004, he opted for steeper terrain and spent nearly 2 years climbing the West Coast's 14,000 foot peaks. Then, back to earth, he landed a job as the Operations Manager at William Morris Agency where he stayed until the May 2009 merger with Endeavor.
Chris began working with Tom Baggott again in the Fall of 2009, handling much of the booking work for TBArtists from his home office in Los Angeles. He joined UFO in the spring of 2010, bringing his experience as an agent and operations manager to the company's growing ranks.
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Bob Donnelly - Legal
"I believe that the music business is in the middle of a giant
cataclysm. I think that the music industry will change more in the next
2 years than it has changed in the last 30... and I believe that
companies like UFO will be part of the new paradigm for how records
will be sold in the future."
Bob Donnelly, an attorney with more than 25 years experience in the music business, maintains his independent law practice within the UFO corporate offices. Over the years, Bob has been involved with a diverse client roster including Aerosmith, Riverdance, Live, Ornette Coleman and The Dave Matthews Band. A lawsuit that Donnelly waged with the New York State Attorney General recently resulted in a settlement of $55 million dollars in past-due royalties being paid to thousands of musical artists. In July 2004, the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts organization gave Donnelly their highest award for service.
Bob Donnelly joined the Invasion Group as head of human affairs in 1991. Invasion was a good fit as Bob cut his legal teeth as the Head of Business Affairs for the very famous 1970s management firm Leber-Krebs, where he represented many well-known recording artists. Bob's artist-friendly demeanor made him a natural to head up United For Opportunity's business affairs and he became an integral player in the development of UFO's "artist friendly" methodology.
In 2007 Bob merged his New York law practice with the prestigious Lommen Abdo law firm, and the UFO offices became home their New York office. This merger has been a win/win for Lommen Abdo and UFO. It has expanded the on-site expertise at UFO to include licensing, music publishing and digital rights and has gained Bob the support staff to become a leading artist advocate at virtually every music industry conference while still delivering his services to clients in record time.
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Rick Kennell - Finance
"In this cluttered and demanding business, it is a pleasure to be associated with a label whose personnel have had a wealth of experience in day to day artist management. Finally, a label that can truly excel in the rapidly shrinking world of artist development!"
Rick began his career as a musician signed to a major label. After deciding to switch over to the business side of the industry he went to work at a financial service company, Lawrence Blau & Associates, where he became a partner in 1988. At Lawrence Blau & Associates, Rick gained an extensive background in business management and financial planning of artists. Rick now manages royalty systems for various publishing and record royalty entities, and is fully versed in the operation of all royalty calculations and the fiduciary responsibility of artists, record companies, and distribution companies.
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Karen Macmillan - Retail / Music Licensing
"I am excited to be a part of an organization that values artist's
musical
vision and also brings to the table much practical knowledge of
the music
industry as it stands, and where it is heading."
Karen Macmillan has over seventeen years experience in the music industry, a BA in Communications/Media Studies and a lifelong love of music. She serves as both UFO's retail specialist as well as our rep on all things music licensing through her involvement with LA-based licensing company Sugaroo! Karen has a strong history providing sales and marketing services for independent labels including: Acony Records (owned by Gillian Welch), World Music Network, and Rockingale Records (owned by Carole King). Previously, she also managed the Marketing Department at DNA Distribution, did Sales & Marketing at Valley Media and Advertising at Tower Corporate. Karen's hands-on experience allows her to maneuver through these varying systems with efficiency and respect for all involved.
Karen Macmillan comments on music licensing:
"Acting as the New York office for Sugaroo!, I am well positioned to maximize sync opportunities for UFO artists. The secret to the success of sync licensing (outside of great music!) is being able to swiftly interpret and respond to the needs of ad agencies and music supervisors. It's my job to work with east coast contacts in the film and TV world, as well as provide my west coast colleagues with all of the ammunition they need to get their jobs done. As part of the UFO team, my extensive knowledge of the UFO catalog comes in handy when considering what to pitch for various film and TV opportunities."
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Jana Fisher - Internet Marketing
"The advent of the Internet has leveled the playing field in the music industry by giving every musician an online platform. UFO helps artists to stand out in the online crowd through fresh and interactive content that keeps their fans involved and invested in their music."
A graduate from Stetson University in Deland, FL with a double major in Digital Arts: Sound and French, Jana Fisher specializes in online and social network marketing for artists and labels. She uses her knowledge of Photoshop, HTML, CSS, Javascript, video, and interactive technology regularly to keeps artists' web content fresh and interactive through frequent posting, contests, content and design updates. She uses the cutting-edge tools in the UFO arsenal to foster relationships between artists and their fans through exclusive, direct-to-fan sales campaigns where fans can buy a special bundle without ever leaving the artist's website. Fans are always kept up-to-date on the latest news and upcoming shows in their area through artist-branded email marketing. Ever interested in building relationships between artists and their fans, Jana also heads up street team development for UFO - getting fans engaged and personally invested in the success of artists they care about. She is an active artist and performer in the NYC music scene.
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Robert Heyburn - Tour Marketing
"The people at UFO really care about music and the artists they work for. I feel fortunate to work with and learn from such a dedicated and talented team."
Beginning formal training in the second grade, Robert Heyburn has surrounded himself with music almost his entire life. A Monmouth University graduate, he holds a Bachelors of Arts in Music with a concentration in Music Industry and a minor in Communication. Robert began working with UFO right after college as an Assistant Project Manager on the Internet Marketing Team. Currently working as Tour Promotion Coordinator, he maintains relationships with venues, coordinates street teams, manages artist websites, and oversees interns.
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Kellyn Slone - Publicity
"In publicity, one of my greatest headaches is navigating the chain of command to get information, materials and approvals separately from managers, artists, labels, etc. With UFO, the synergy between independent specialists who work together means my requests get streamlined and my time is freed up to concentrate on the media."
A graduate of Emerson College with a BA in Marketing Communications and specializations in Public Relations and Entertainment Marketing, Kellyn Slone began her music industry career in early 2006 after moving from Boston to NYC. She has worked under veteran flacks on a wide variety of artists at Good Cop Public Relations and 2:30 Publicity, and prides herself on her honest approach and ability to tailor campaigns to any artist's specific needs in a realistic and effective way. At UFO, Kellyn provides tour publicity for artists year round as well as national outreach around album releases, writing of promotional materials and attention to day-to-day media needs. She understands that a solid, grassroots build is not about promoting an artist for a few months around an album release, but a constant push that must be micro-managed and maintained.
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Nick Kroetz - Graphic Design
"They say to never judge a book by its cover - which is true - but a visually stimulating book cover is more likely to garner an impression that leads someone to pick up that book and peek inside. I love the challenge of translating an artist's voice into that visual stimulus that fuses artistry of music into a cohesive brand image."
Originally hailing from the live music capitol of the world, Austin, Texas, Nick Kroetz has sought out New York City as the only place that will satisfy both his desire for higher education, and urge to begin his career. Nick attends New York University with studies in Sociology and Business of Entertainment, Media and Technologies. Nick has worked as a graphic designer both at firms and freelance and has achieved various awards and notoriety in the arts throughout the years. With an eye for design and background in fine art, Nick develops unique and viral branding for UFO artists using photography, web design, and graphics.
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David Werner - A&R
"More than ever musicians know how necessary it is to take an active role in defining themselves and their music to the listener. You just can't rely on someone else to do it and at the same time you can't do it all alone. UFO is a great way for any motivated artist or band to professionally release their music to a large audience without having to sacrifice creativity or control."
David Werner's music career began as a recording artist, songwriter and producer at the age of 17 with the first of three critically acclaimed solo albums. Whizz Kid (RCA), Imagination Quota (RCA), and David Werner (Epic) were all written and co-produced by Werner. David's work was a contemporary synthesis of rock music encompassing, in the broadest definition, the best elements of power pop and hard rock with a commercial hook, yet very distinctive.
In the years following his recording career, David concentrated his efforts on songwriting and producing, signing on as a writer with EMI Publishing. It was not long until Werner established himself as one of EMI's top writer/collaborators, getting numerous covers on albums released in the US and Europe. In 1990, he earned a platinum record for Billy Idol, penning his hit single "Cradle of Love." With over thirty years of experience in writing hit songs and developing unique talent, David Werner is perfectly suited to assist UFO in the signing and nurturing of career oriented artists.
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Scott Wolfman - A&R
"I feel good about bringing together talent and the team of people at UFO,
who actually have souls, and an appreciation for art and artists. I am all
about the win-win and UFO's business model provides just that."
Scott Wolfman has dabbled in the music business for over 20 years, buying and selling music acts at colleges and universites and through his own booking agency. Sixteen years in business, Wolfman Productions is one the nation's top booking agencies for speakers, celebrities and performing arts programs. Scott is a music fiend, listening to a varied and eclectic mix of music from all over the world.
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Tom Schneider - UFO Marketing
Tom Schneider first crossed paths with Peter Casperson of UFO records in the mid 1980s when Peter signed a local Boston band managed by Tom to his Invasion Records label. While the band enjoyed a mild run of success with their recording, Tom and Peter forged a relationship which has lasted for 20 years. After five years of band management Tom started a brand promotion firm called Target Marketing and Promotions. Schneider grew his promotions agency into a multi-million dollar business by creating bold and unconventional grass roots marketing campaigns for a roster of national clients: Jose Cuervo Tequila, Glen Ellen Wines, Sam Adams Beer, Anhueser-Busch brands, Pepsi-Cola, Cadbury Beverages, Volkswagen, Reebok and Hasbro. During this time, Tom, Peter and Steven Saporta of the UFO office collaborated to help promote Woodstock '94 and '99.
As an early adopter of partnership marketing, Tom conceived of the renowned Jetta Trek campaign for Volkswagen that has since become the widely used co-branding model for the auto industry. In 1995, Schneider and his team concepted "Cuervo Nation" for Jose Cuervo Tequila, Diageo, an unprecedented integrated event-marketing campaign that he is still executing for Cuervo today. Later, Schneider created the POX Secret Agent viral marketing campaign widely recognized in Businessweek, the New York Times Magazine and the book Buzz - Harness the Power and Influence and Create Demand. This project has since become a Harvard Business School case study.
In 2001, TMP was acquired by Alloy, Inc (NAS: ALOY) a New York based marketing and Media conglomerate. In 2002, Tom spearheaded the formation of Alloy Marketing and Promotions (AMP), which was honored as the #1 "Agency of the Year" by PROMO magazine. Schneider held the position of Chief Marketing Officer and currently serves as a part time consultant to AMP.
Now after 20 years of driving brand marketing, Tom has come full circle to work with Peter again as lead marketing consultant for UFO records and UFO clients. Peter chose Tom to drive a grassroots approach to marketing UFO and their bands, much like you would do to create a solid brand.
Tom received a BS degree from Boston College and is active within BC's Carol School of Business as a member of its CEO Club. He is also a trustee member of the Boston Ad Club and a member of MIMC.
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Robin Danar - UFO West Coast Representative
"UFO is just what the doctor ordered. The questions today are limitless and they provide many answers. It's great to be involved with them in that process."
Robin Danar is a music producer, engineer and mixer from New York who is now based in Los Angeles. Robin is a modern version of what the music industry once was. He comes from a time when contributions by a producer were much more than what they often are today. He applies this old-school artistry and sensibility to new music and technology.
Robin's resume covers involvement with every aspect of music. His live work dates back to CBGB in the 70s and includes artists ranging from Blondie, Patti Smith and the Ramones through Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, Laurie Anderson, Cyndi Lauper and the B-52's. His studio work includes artists like Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Steely Dan and Chaka Khan. The main priority, however, remains discovery and development, which deserves more attention than it gets in today's music world. His involvements with KCRW (Los Angeles), XMRadio, MTV, MOG.com and artists such as Sia or The Strokes represent his desire to find new artists and help them to get heard. His current work includes artists like Pete Yorn, Rachael Yamagata, Inara George (The Bird and the Bee) and Jesca Hoop.
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Woody Armstrong
An accomplished business professional and entrepreneur, Woody Armstrong has more than 30 years of diversified experience in media and entertainment, financial services, alternative asset management and investing, and technology professional services. As an entrepreneur, he has founded or co-founded three boutique asset management / strategic services firms, and consulted to numerous other entrepreneurs and small and mid-sized businesses, including many in the music and entertainment industries.
Woody was a key member of the original management team for MusicianFirst, an innovative online music business subsequently acquired by Guitar Center, Inc. His background in technology professional services includes time spent with Qwest Communications' Global Services Division, Princeton Internet Group, Inc., and Midi, Inc., during which he was instrumental in setting strategic direction, developing new business and partnerships, and managing key client relationships. Previously, Woody spent 10+ years in the financial services industry, where he held positions as a trader, trading operations manager, administrator and systems analyst with such firms as Commodities Corporation USA (later became Goldman Sachs Hedge Fund Strategies Group), Kemper Currency, Inc., Shearson American Express, and Pacton Management.
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Etty Glenn - Administrative
"My experience in dealing with international issues for our artists will allow me to assist UFO in becoming a fully internationally connected organization."
Born in Tangiers, Morocco and raised in both Europe and the United States, Etty Glenn is a vital asset to the UFO. Her fluency in Spanish and French provides UFO with the ability to communicate effectively with business contacts, concert promoters, and a wide range of entities across Europe and beyond, significantly increasing the company's worldwide reach. Ms. Glenn handles international travel, touring, and visa issues as well as foreign press and translations when necessary. Additionally, Ms. Glenn serves as UFO's office manager in New York, where her duties include maintaining procedures and systems, overseeing client accounts and invoicing, and other trafficking issues.
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UFO has a comprehensive intern program offered to both students interested in the entertainment business and graduates looking for entry into the business. If you are interested in more information about the UFO internship program, please contact us with the subject "Internship Program."
Past Interns
Here is a sampling of the careers built by past interns:
Noah Dinkin interned at UFO throughout his years at the Stern Business School at NYU. After graduation he joined the UFO team, and a few years later he went on to co-found leading email management service for artists FanBridge. Keenan O'Meara went on to launch a career in tour management. When he's not on the road he splits his time between hip Williamsburg venue Brooklyn Bowl and the UFO offices where he works in tour marketing/artist management. Robert Heyburn joined the tour marketing team at UFO/Invasion. Jana Fisher also joined the UFO/Invasion team and heads up Internet Marketing. Jenny Johnson went on to launch the Nashville office for "A" Side Music Publishing. Katy Lane began a career at artist booking agency Moodswing360. Jesse Roman launched his own LA-based event planning and promotion company, StepUp Productions. Megan Albert went on to start a career at national music video promotion company HIP Video Promo. Lauren Kester is a Jr. Account Manager at digital marketing company LBi US. Mandi LeBlanc moved to Austin, TX where she works for music/entertainment creative branding agency DMX. Brett Spigelman plays in the band We Love Monsters. Regan Meador now has a successful career as a digital strategist with Grey Advertising. Jennifer Chang went on to work for Sony Accounting. Leah Shapiro is the drummer for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
Did you intern at UFO? Let us know what you're up to!
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