For Immediate Release

THE RECORDING ACADEMY® CHICAGO CHAPTER
ELECTS NEW OFFICERS FOR 2008 — 2009

CHICAGO, IL (June 16, 2008) — Peter J. Strand, Larry Sturm, and Lyndia Johnson have been elected to the 2008 – 2009 Chicago Chapter Board, it was announced today by The Recording Academy®  Chicago Chapter. Strand will serve as President, Strum as Vice President, and Johnson as Secretary. The newly elected officers will work in conjunction with Academy staff and the Chapter Board regarding the Chicago Chapter's programs and initiatives.

"Being an elected leader of our Chapter Board is an integral role, and we are grateful to have these accomplished industry professionals support our ongoing advancement of The Academy's mission and goals," said Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow. "With their invaluable experience and creative input, we will continue to expand our outreach, awareness, and services to our members as well as the music community.

About The Officers:
President: Peter J. Strand — Strand is a music and entertainment attorney at Holland & Knight and represents musicians, recording artists, producers, managers, songwriters, independent record labels and production companies. He is also an Adjunct Professor of music law and entertainment law at DePaul University Law School and serves on the Board for the Lawyers for the Creative Arts. Strand was a full-time musician before practicing law and recorded two albums for RCA/Millennium Records, and he currently performs with his band Mystery Train.

Vice President: Larry Sturm — Presently recording and mixing many different musical styles from hip hop, blues, R&B, dance, pop, rock to heavy metal, Sturm has deep roots in not only the local music scene, the music he's worked on can be heard throughout the world. To read Sturm's discography is like looking at a list of the music industry's who's who. Presently co-chair of the Producers & Engineers Wing, Chief Engineer at Pressure Point Recording Studio, strongly embedded in the music industry and looking forward to the numerous challenges ahead for the music industry.

Secretary: Lyndia Johnson — Johnson has been a professional vocalist for more than 20 years. She received a bachelor's in music from Temple University and a Masters in music from Roosevelt University with advance studies in voice/speech pathology.  Johnson founded Sterling Voice Coaching, which concentrates on helping singers achieve maximum vocal results with minimum vocal damage, and also works with UIC Institute for Voice Care. She developed a vocal coaching technique that attracts an impressive client roster of recording artists, has been featured in Jet and Rolling Out Magazines and is the frequent voice coach for the GRAMMY Foundation®'s GRAMMY Camp® program.

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. In its 50th year, The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. The Recording Academy Chicago Chapter, often known as the local GRAMMY® office, is one of 12 regional Chapters throughout the country. Chapter offices represent The Recording Academy — internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — on a local level by helping to support and raise profiles of the local the music community. With more than 1,300 members (voting, associate, and student), the Chicago Chapter supports communities across the Midwest including Milwaukee, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Detroit, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Kansas City, Omaha, and every city in between. For more information about the Chapter or The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.

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