The GRAMMY Foundation announced today that Ryan Seacrest has been appointed Honorary Chair of the GRAMMY Foundation Board.
Seacrest joins current GRAMMY Foundation Board Chair Rusty Rueff, venture backer; Vice Chair Tim Bucher, founder and CEO of TastingRoom.com and Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur; Secretary/Treasurer Geoff Cottrill, chief marketing officer of Converse; and Chair Emeritus Beatriz R. Perez, chief sustainability officer of the Coca-Cola Company.
“I speak for all of the officers and directors of the GRAMMY Foundation in wholeheartedly welcoming Ryan to our Board,” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy and GRAMMY Foundation. “I’ve known Ryan personally and professionally for many years, and his energy, integrity and keen vision will bring an increased strength to our mission and programs.”
In recognition of the significant role of teachers in shaping their students’ musical experiences, the GRAMMY Foundation and The Recording Academy are partnering to present the first Music Educator Award. Open to current U.S. kindergarten through college music teachers, the Music Educator Award will be awarded annually starting in 2014 during GRAMMY Week. The nomination process will launch online beginning Feb. 10 at www.grammymusicteacher.com and the deadline for submissions is April 15.
“Contributing to the great work of the GRAMMY Foundation will be an honor and privilege, as music has forever been a powerful force in my life,” said Seacrest. “It’s truly exciting to join the Board and help launch the Music Educator Award, which will recognize one of America’s greatest treasures: music teachers.”
Seacrest holds preeminent positions in broadcast and cable television, nationally syndicated radio and local radio as both an Emmy-winning producer and host. He is widely known as host of the top-rated primetime talent showcase “American Idol,” serves as an executive producer and host of “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest,” and has on-air broadcasting and producing duties across the NBC and E! networks. On radio, Seacrest is host of “On Air With Ryan Seacrest,” his market-topping, Los Angeles-based nationally syndicated morning drive-time show for Clear Channel’s KIIS-FM, as well as a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show.
He launched Ryan Seacrest Productions in 2006, which has since become an Emmy-winning television production powerhouse creating unscripted, scripted and digital programming. RSP produces the hit series “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” and spin-offs “Kourtney And Kim Take Miami” and “Khloe And Lamar.” RSP is currently producing “Married To Jonas” and “Shahs Of Sunset.” The company also produced the Emmy-winning reality series “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.”
Seacrest is also chairman of the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for seriously ill and injured children through unique programs that utilize multimedia and interactive platforms. The foundation is building broadcast media centers within hospitals for children to explore the creative realms of radio, television and new media, and has opened broadcast media centers in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Dallas.
Source: Grammy.org
