NASHVILLE – The Country Music Association has announced the hiring of two new employees. CMA was the first trade group formed to promote a single genre of music in 1958.

Karen Stump joins the organization as Senior Director, Market Research. In this position, Stump will lead and manage a broad range of research initiatives. She will develop research projects and services that will provide relevant, reliable, and timely consumer information to industry groups; analyze and summarize data from multiple sources to identify patterns; elicit key insights about business situations and opportunities and articulate actionable recommendations; present and disseminate key findings; write research reports and articles; and serve as a source for research and analysis, among other duties. She will report to Tammy Donham, CMA Vice President of Marketing.

“CMA has taken a leadership position in the last few years by establishing itself as a repository for consumer information and research,” said Donham. “We are excited to have Karen join us to expand our research services, and we look forward to providing our membership with a wide range of data analysis to aid them in their business endeavors.”

Stump was previously based in New York City as the Vice President of Market Analytics and Strategic Insights for Scripps Networks Interactive for nearly two years, where she worked closely with leading lifestyle media brands Food Network, Great American Country, HGTV, Cooking Channel, DIY Network, and Travel Channel. Prior to that, she served eight years as the Director of Marketing and Customer Insights for American Standard Inc. Earlier in her career she worked with CSC Consulting as Leader, Marketing Knowledge Management, and at Med Partners Inc., as Manager, Strategic Planning and Market Development. Stump has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing and a Master of Science Degree in Business Administration, both from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Vilma Salinas joins CMA as Senior Manager of Projects. In this position, Salinas will be responsible for managing and executing aspects of CMA special events and programs as they pertain to ticketing, budgeting, booking, and production logistics. She will report to Chris Crawford, CMA Senior Director of Live Events and Special Projects.

“We produce events all year long, ranging in size from our highly-regarded CMA Songwriter Series to our internationally known CMA Music Festival and CMA Awards, and it takes a team of skilled professionals to orchestrate them flawlessly,” said Crawford. “Vilma will make an excellent addition to our team.”

Salinas comes to CMA with strong experience in the hospitality industry. Previously, she served five years as the Sales and Marketing Manager for Nashville’s Hard Rock Cafe, where along with brand management she also handled production and logistics for their live and special events. Prior to that position, Salinas was the Catering Sales Manager of the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville and served as the Event Manager at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from the University of New Orleans.

More than 11,000 music industry professionals and companies around the globe are members of CMA. Formed in 1958 as the first trade association for a single genre of music, the organization’s objectives are to serve as an educational and professional resource for the industry while advancing the growth of Country Music around the world. This is accomplished through CMA’s strategic imperatives – CMA Music Festival and the companion CMA Music Festival television special; “Country Music’s Biggest Night™,” the CMA Awards; and CMA’s latest television venture “CMA Country Christmas.” All of CMA’s TV properties air on the ABC Television Network through 2021. For information about CMA visit www.CMAworld.com.

“I had the opportunity to work with Dick Clark for 50 years, beginning when I wrote the theme for American Bandstand.  He has clearly been the most important figure during my lifetime in the industry.”

- Mike Curb