Country Music Association INC
EIN 620606066 · TN · 501(c)06
The organisation
- 35 MUSIC SQ E STE 201, NASHVILLE, TN, 37203-4516, TN 37203-4516
- Classified purpose: Arts, Culture & Humanities
- Size band: 9
Source: IRS Tax-Exempt Organization filings and the Exempt Organization Business Master File. US Federal Government public domain. Board history observed across annual filings.
Board at a glance
Tenure and departures are observed across annual filings. Observed tenure is a lower bound - a member may have joined before the first year on record. The organisation reported 75 voting members of its governing body on its latest Form 990 Part VI, which matches the board listed here.
Renewal outlook
High-priority approach observed from annual filings
- 9 board members were on the previous filing but not the latest one - several seats appear to have opened.
- Large organisation (revenue $78m) - the scale that runs a formal, external board search.
- The board chair has served at least 6 years (observed across filings) - a chair transition may be approaching.
A computed likelihood from the observed filing history and filed revenue. It is not a confirmed vacancy, and this edition never states that a nonprofit is recruiting. "Departures" mean a board member was on the previous filing but not the latest one, which usually means a seat opened but can also mean they were simply not listed that year.
Filed finances
| Tax year | Total revenue | Total expenses |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $78.2m | $61.8m |
As filed on the IRS Form 990.
The board (directors and trustees)
| Name | Title as filed | On the filings |
|---|---|---|
| Jennie Smythe Chair | CHAIRMAN | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Adam Weiser | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| Anna-Sophie Mertens | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2020 (at least 5y) |
| Annie Ortmeier | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| Austin Neal | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| BEN Kline | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| BEN Vaughn | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Brandy Clark | DIRECTOR | first appears 2025 |
| Brent Daughrity | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| Brian O'Connell | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Brittany Schaffer | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| Candice Watkins | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| Charlie Morgan | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Charlie Worsham | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| Chris Kappy | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| Chris Lisle | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| Chris Parr | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| Chuck ALY | DIRECTOR | first appears 2025 |
| Curt Jenkins | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| DAN Rogers | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| Danny Rader | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2020 (at least 5y) |
| David Crow | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2021 (at least 4y) |
| David Haskell | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| David Kells | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| Debbie Carroll | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| Derek Wells | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| ED Warm | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| J William Denny | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Jamie Cheek | SECRETARY/TREASURER | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| JAY Demarcus | DIRECTOR | first appears 2025 |
| JAY Liepis | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| JAY Williams | PRESIDENT | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Jeffrey Hasson | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| Jenee Fleenor | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| JIM Beavers | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| John Zarling | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| JON Loba | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Jonathan Levine | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| Josh VAN Valkenburg | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| Karen Fairchild | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Katie Mccartney | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| Kella Farris | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2020 (at least 5y) |
| KEN Robold | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2021 (at least 4y) |
| Kerri Edwards | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Kurt Johnson | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| Lindsay Bertelli | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| LIZ Rose | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Marc Dennis | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2020 (at least 5y) |
| Mary Hilliard Harrington | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| Michelle Tigard Kammerer | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| Mike Harris | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| Natalie Waller | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2021 (at least 4y) |
| Priscilla Block | DIRECTOR | first appears 2025 |
| R Horton Frank III (also filed as R Horton Frank) | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Rachel Whitney | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| Ralph Peer II (also filed as Ralph Peer) | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Rhett Akins | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| RJ Curtis | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| ROD Phillips | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Sally Williams | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Scott Borchetta | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Shannan Hatch | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
| Shannon Sanders | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| Sina Hall | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| Stacy VEE | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| Steve Blatter | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Terry Calonge | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| TIM Roberts | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2020 (at least 5y) |
| TJ Osborne | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| Troy Tomlinson | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Troy Vollhoffer | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Tyne Parrish | PRESIDENT-ELECT | on filings since 2019 (at least 6y) |
| Virginia Bunetta | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| Warren Copnick | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2023 (at least 2y) |
| WES Vause | DIRECTOR | on filings since 2024 (at least 1y) |
The board is the directors and trustees named in Part VII of the organisation's annual IRS Form 990; officers and senior staff are listed separately below, not counted as board. The IRS files no appointment date, so tenure here is observed from how many years a person appears on the filings - a lower bound, not a filed start date. Names are exactly as filed. The IRS publishes no person identifier, so this edition does not yet link a person across organisations.
Source: IRS Tax-Exempt Organization filings and the Exempt Organization Business Master File. US Federal Government public domain. Board history observed across annual filings.
Officers and senior leadership
Named in Part VII as officers, key employees or highest-compensated staff - not board members, shown for completeness.
| Name | Title as filed | On the filings |
|---|---|---|
| AMY F Smartt | SVP OF FINANCE AND ADMINIS | since 2019 |
| BEN Balch | DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTING & FINANCIAL PLANNING | since 2021 |
| BEN Vaughn | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 2024 |
| Brandi Simms | SR DIRECTOR OF AWARDS AND INDUSTRY RELATIONS | 2020 |
| Catherine Frizzell | VP OF MARKETING | since 2019 |
| Catherine Mcnelly | VP OF COMMUNICATIONS | since 2020 |
| Chris Crawford | SR. DIRECTOR OF LIVE EVENT | since 2019 |
| Clay Hunnicutt | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 2019 |
| Damon Whiteside | CMO | since 2019 |
| Emily Evans | VP STRATEGIC INITIATIVES | since 2019 |
| JAY Williams | PRESIDENT-ELECT | 2024 |
| Jennie Smythe | PRESIDENT | 2024 |
| JIM Beavers | PRESIDENT ELECT | since 2020 |
| Jody Williams | CHAIRMAN | 2019 |
| Justin Randall | IT PROJECT MANAGER | since 2021 |
| Karen Stump | SR. DIRECTOR MARKET RESEARCH | since 2019 |
| Kella Farris | CHAIRMAN | 2024 |
| Kelly Striewski | SVP MARKETING & STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS | since 2021 |
| KEN Sanderson | DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY | since 2021 |
| Kevin Wilson | SVP BUSINESS AFFAIRS | since 2019 |
| Kurt Johnson | PRESIDENT | since 2019 |
| Mary Hilliard Harrington | PRESIDENT ELECT | since 2019 |
| Megan Wise | DIRECTOR SALES DEVELOPMENT & STRATEGY | since 2021 |
| MIA Mcneal | SR DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY RELATIONS & INCLUSION | 2024 |
| Michael Farris | SR. DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS STRATEGY & INSIGHTS | since 2024 |
| Michelle Kirk | DIRECTOR INTEGRATED MARKETING | since 2021 |
| Milly Olykan | VP INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS & DEVELOPMENT | since 2019 |
| Ryan Nelson | SR. DIRECTOR, EVENT OPERATIONS | 2025 |
| Sarah Trahern | CEO | since 2019 |
| Tiffany Kerns | VP COMMUNITY INDUSTRY RELATIONS & PHILANTHROPY | since 2020 |
| Todd Hartley | SVP LEGAL & BUSINESS AFFAIRS | since 2023 |
| Tyler Torti | SR DIRECTOR CREATIVE CONTENT | 2020 |
| Virginia Bunetta | SECRETARY/TREASURER | since 2020 |
| Williams | VP OF COMMUNICATIONS AND T | 2019 |