ARISTA RAISES THE BARTELS

Steve "Shooting Fish In A" Bartels has been appointed Senior Vice President for Arista Records by label President/CEO Antonio "L.A." Reid "It And Weep."

Bartels will oversee Promotion and direct the day-to-day activities of the Top 40, Rock, Adult, Post Modern, Dance, Rhythm & Crossover and Video Promotion areas and sing back-up harmonies for Reid at the weekly label meeting. He'll also oversee and direct Arista's Special Markets Department, which is responsible for song licensing, direct marketing, cross-promotional corporate tie-ins and making sure all photos of Clive Davis are removed from the hallway. The N.Y.-based Bartels will report to Exec. VP Jerry "Rockets' Red" Blair on Promotion-related matters and to Exec. VP/GM Larry "Dance This" Mestel "Around" on Special Markets issues.

Said Reid: "Steve is a seasoned music executive whose talents were proven with the growth and expansion of Arista's Special Markets area, especially the successful launch of the Arista Masters historic reissue series and the best-selling ‘Ultimate Party' series. As he returns to the world of promotion, we have every confidence in his ability to bring that same sense of imagination and creativity to this challenging role. In addition to coming up with 297 more ways to re-package Tony Orlando & Dawn's Greatest Hits."

Bartels has served as Sr. VP Special Markets for the label since 1998. He first joined the company in '93 as VP Special Projects. Prior to that, he was Sr. National Director of Promotion at A&M Records and a graduate of Hofstra University, where he never once called Wayne Chrebet a flashlight.

Added Bartels: "I look forward to this wonderful new opportunity L.A., Jerry and Larry have presented me. It is exciting to be involved again with my first love, promotion, and to continue to create new business initiatives with Arista in Special Markets. Just wait until you see my Air Supply lunchboxes."