Tom Silverman, CEO of Tommy Boy Records

Tom Silverman is the CEO of Tommy Boy Records. In the course of 30 years in popular music, Tommy Boy founder Tom Silverman created a striking success story for himself and his company. In the process Tommy Boy has earned gold and platinum albums by such artists as Everlast, Queen Latifah, Coolio, Naughty By Nature, De La Soul and House of Pain, and has been Billboard Magazine’s #1 dance label for 6 years in a row. In addition to great records and artists, Silverman’s innovative ideas about packaging, marketing and distribution helped separate Tommy Boy from the pack. In 1981 he created the original New Music Seminar as grassroots music industry gathering for disenfranchised music business upstarts. From humble beginnings New Music Seminar became the biggest and most important convention in the music industry; its combination of panels, workshops and live showcases became the industry model. Silverman is a founding member of the American Asso of Independent Music and Merlin; sits on the board of SoundExchange, RIAA and has served on the boards of NARM, NAIRD, AFIM, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Dance Music Hall of Fame. Host Kelli Richards is a top music industry executive and strategic connector. She is the co-author of The Art of Digital Music is a compilation of the expertise of 56 visionary artists, producers, programmers, record label executives and music industry insiders, recently a Best Books Award Winner by USABookNews.com.