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Every band needs more than just great talent to succeed in the American music industry; they need a solid, experienced support team. Such a team would need to consist of Managers, a Producer, and a music industry Attorney. And this band has met the challenge and assembled a world class team. Meet the team:
Eric Lord
Eric Lord has a very successful and diverse background spanning many industries and disciplines. At a young age he was entrepreneurial and driven towards fully understanding the principles of business. When most 16 year olds were reading Hot Rod magazine, Eric was reading case studies in the most recent Harvard Business Review. His fascination and drive to be in the business world started him on his way into small business consulting, where he helped new businesses prepare their Business Plans, all the way through assisting with Business Loans, and through Real Estate locations and build-out. Eric then wanted more, much more, and started studying national and global economics; at the age of 21 he became one of the youngest Commodity Brokers at the Chicago Board Of Trade, where he specialized in Financial Instruments such as the 30-Year $100,000 Treasury Bond, Energy Futures such as Sweet Crude Oil, and Agriculture such as Soybean Options.
Mr. Lord became anxious, he wanted to apply his knowledge to other industries, so he left the world of global economics and started down his true entrepreneurial path. He, along with a few others, founded a Graphic Design Firm in Chicago, and in under a year, as Partner and President, made the strategic decision to become an Internet Marketing Firm. This became a watershed moment as thefirm quickly became a prominent player in the beginning of the Internet Boom. Their services were sought after by many corporations as they quickly grew their portfolio to include clients such as Caterpillar, McGraw-Hilland Allied Van Lines. Eventually Eric brokered a deal with the largest Internet Consultancy in the World, USWeb, where he was elevated to a Partner in-charge of the Chicago division. Eric went on to head up the company's largest and most profitable client engagement, Walgreens.com, with over 125 people working under his direction, driving revenues in the double digit Million's of dollars.
Mr. Lord left the Internet industry just months before the bubble burst, once again wanting to conquer another unknown; Eric went West to pursue his passion in the Entertainment Industry. Eric had already gained first-hand business experience in the Modeling Industry where he managed an International Model through the ranks of small agencies to top agencies like Ford Modeling. With this experience in hand, he went to Los Angeles and became the Executive Producer of a SAG full-length feature film, partnering with Showtime and Blockbuster. The film in cooperation with MP3.com held a contest and had over 1,000 bands submit their original material to the Film Production Company. Eventually several bands were chosen for the soundtrack and will be available once the film is released.
Mr. Lord, never content with sitting still, went on to simultaneously launch several other business ventures. He once again helped found an Integrated Marketing Firm headquartered in Chicago -- project36. Acting as President, with points of presence in Chicago, Las Vegas and Costa Rica, Eric has overseen the portfolio of such Fortune 500 clients as McDonalds, Waste Management, Wrigley, Yellow/Roadway and Budweiser.
Along with project36, Eric also helped found a Real Estate Multiple Listing service in Costa Rica. He is currently retooling the company to expand throughout the country,as well as adding brokerage services in addition to the MLS. He is also the Managing Partner of a Boutique Hotel in San Jose, Costa Rica named Hotel M, a members-only private Hotel and Club. Mr. Lord is also one of the Founding Partners in an Online Gambling Portal where their company, PlayersJet.com acts as an industry-like Consumer Reports and watchdog group, independently ranking hundreds of popular sites giving consumers the information they need to protect themselves.
Eric Lord's quest for expanding throughout the entertainment industry has never diminished, in fact it is stronger now than ever, Eric has joined the Management Team of the up-and-coming girl-band, Sitara. He has been utilizing his vast experience and connections to assist in the business side of the band, from legal to marketing. Of all his ventures to date, launching the girls of Sitara into the American pop-culture is his greatest passion.
Terry McGovern
Terry McGovern has over 40 years experience in the entertainment industry. He initially started out as a very young age playing the piano. He then found his interests quickly changing to guitar and eventually the bass. While in High School and then college, Terry played bass in several regional successful Rock Bands including; Bridgewater Express, Feast, and Orphanage. After college, Terry worked as a Studio Musician for Chicago's powerhouse Ad Agency, Leo Burnett. He also toured nationally as a bassist with Tangerine on The Who's "Magic Bus" tour, and also "Mo Maguire," which was managed at the time by the now famed Hollywood producer, Jerry Weintraub.
Terry took a hiatus from the music business to pursue his entrepreneurial ambitions where he cut his teeth on the fundamentals of business operations and ownership. While success in business ownership became a staple to Terry, he started to have renewed interest in the music industry and took a position as a Booking Agent for one of Chicago's largest Agencies. Although very successful in this position, he yearned to unleash his entrepreneurial spirit once again and made a decision to apply his success in business to his passion for music and he founded an Illinois State Licensed Theatrical Employment Agency specializing in music. His agency quickly became a Chicago success story, handling many of the most popular nightclubs around the city and the Metro area. Over time his agency expanded into production, where it began to produce many regional fairs and festivals, including the first-ever Music Festival in Downtown Chicago at Navy Pier. His fair and festival planning expertise created direct relationships with many national acts and he continued to break attendance records year after year with some sellout crowds of 40,000 a night.
Terry McGovern received Gottlieb awards for having the Top Booking Agency and Management Company in Chicago. He has also been inducted in the Illinois Festival Association's Hall of Fame, as well as inducted into the Who's Who of Business Professionals and Executives (2001-2002 Edition). After once again conquering another segment of the music industry, Terry decided it was time to get back to his roots and fully concentrate on what he truly loves and excels at, Artist Management. Currently Toucan Management is in the works with multiple talent, but their primary focus is the All-Female Pop Vocalist Group from Mongolia, known as Sitara.
Kris Valentine
Kris Valentine has over 35 years experience in the entertainment industry. He started playing instruments early on as a child and during the "Beatle Era" where he started his first band or "Combo" in 6th Grade called The Fairview Four. During Junior High and High School Kris continued with the School Band and increased his music instruction. Throughout this time he was the lead singer-front man and business leader of multiple Rock Bands doing "Coke Dances," Battle of the Bands, and night clubs. Upon graduation, he went to college and was hired by Don Q. Davidson Booking Agency where he worked while attending classes toward a degree. Kris was schooled in Music Business, Artist Marketing and Management, and was Licensed and approved by Chicago Federation of Musicians Union. During college he worked at WHCM Radio, where he was appointed Production Director for one year and then was promoted to Program Director for two additional years. Kris worked with many National Acts such as Jim Croce, Harry Chapin, and Ricky Nelson on simul-casting their shows on radio.
After college he went to work for Impact Entertainment Agency booking local talent in Chicago, IL. Kris then decided to work as an Entertainer full-time where he toured the US and Canada in numerous rock bands. Kris also started his own Booking Agency, Titan Entertainment, to book the many venues to support these bands. He then returned to Chicago and joined a band that was managed by ARK Entertainment and Terry McGovern. They were the opening act for many National Artists during this time from April Wine, Survivor, Cheap Trick to Jeff Beck. Kris Valentine with Terry McGovern started a new company called Entertainment One, one of Chicago's most successful Agencies specializing in Night Club booking. After initial success, Entertainment One then expanded into Fair and Festival Production and started working with National Artists such as ELO, Foreigner, Mickey Thomas of Starship, Pat Benetar, Eddie Money, Kool and the Gang, Peter Frampton, Rick Springfield just to name a few. Some of the company's clients were the City of Chicago, The Arena Football League, and countless cities in and around the Chicago Metro Area. In addition to his Partnership in Entertainment One, Kris is currently working as Partner in Management for a musical talent management firm called Toucan Management. Although Toucan Management has several prospects interested in their representation, the company's primary Project is working with the All-Female Pop Vocalists from Mongolia known as "Sitara."
Ben C. McLane, ESQ
The Music Industry's Attorney:
Ben Mclane is a seasoned, successful, Music Industry Attorney. His law degree is from Pepperdine University, School of Law, Malibu, CA. His undergraduate degree is a BS from Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS.
Ben McLane is a true music connoisseur. Beyond his amazing legal related talents and distinctions, Ben is true musical historian that writes on bands from the past to the current. He has over 60 published articles on the music business, including; Alternative Press, Audities, Amplifier, Rock City News, Music Scene, Discoveries, Night Moves, Factor X, Synth Music Network, Shred, Diamond Hard, Los Angeles Lawyer, MIDEM 2001, Billboard Encyclopedia, Songwriters Universe.com, JP Follas.com, The LA Music Scene.com and Indie-Connections.com to name a few.
His experience includes woking in legal and business affairs at Rhino Records and Priority Records and Head of Business Affairs/CFO for JWP - USA/BMG Records, he was also a Talent Scout for Sire Records.
Ben McLane worked at major management company Tim Neece Management where ge represented; Bruce Hornsby, The Posies, Rickie Lee Jones, Charlie Sexton, The Origin, Leon Russell, Grapes of Wrath, Big Star, Martha Davis, and more.
He is licensed to practice before all courts in the state of California and the U.S. District Courts.
Ben's Awards include; 1995 Los Angeles Music Award's "Attorney of the Year;" 2004 Pepperdine Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology Law Excellence in Entrepreneurship and Entertainment Law Award; Gold and Platinum Records Award for Big Bad Voo Doo Daddy; Platinum Record Award for Dixie Chicks; Gold Record Award for Tracy Byrd; Platinum Record Award for Soundtrack to "Above the Rim"; Gold Record Award for Sparkle; Gold Record Award for 311; Gold Record Award for Guns and Roses; Platinum Record Award for Afroman; Gold Record Award for the Soundtrack Swingers; Platinum Record Award for Cher; Gold Record Award for MYA; Platinum Record Award for Eagles; Gold Record Award for Khia.
Some of Ben's notable projects in addition to working with the band include, but not limited too; Legendary Artists such as Weezer, Fifty Cent, Doors, Puff Daddy, No Doubt, Eric Clapton, Rolling Stones, Bonnie Rait, Cher, Eagles, J Lo, Phish, Roots, Shaggy, Willie nelson, Ben Harper, Guns & Roses, Jeff Beck, Sixpence None the Richer, Black Eyed Peas, Dixie Chicks, Beatles, Martina McBride, Frank Zappa, Gloria Estafan, U2, Pearl Jam, Richie Valens, Bon Jovi, Dio, Faith Hill, Madonna, Tim McGraw, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Tu Pac, Wilson-Phillips, Alice Cooper, Yanni, Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow, Motorhead, Mary J Blige, Chicago, Heart, Nancy Sinatra, Boyz II Men, Dr Dre, Jay Z, Frankie Avalon, Nine Inch Nails, Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, Lifehouse, Carson Daley, and more.
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