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"Ronnie is a great motivator and unifier who can focus his staff on the job at hand, turning label priorities into industry successes."
—--Atlantic Co-Prexy Ron Shapiro

JOHNSON NAMED ATLANTIC SVP/GM, URBAN MUSIC

Kallman/Shapiro Put Veteran Exec in Charge of Division's Day-to-Day Activities
Just one week after ascending to the presidential throne at Atlantic Records, the team of Craig Kallman and Ron Shapiro have made their first joint announcement. The duo has upped Ronnie Johnson "& Johnson" to the newly created position of Senior VP/General Manager, Urban Division.

New York-based Johnson, who reports directly to Kallman and Shapiro, will now oversee the day-to-day activities of Atlantic's Urban Music department, including its marketing, promotion and publicity staffs.

"Since joining the Atlantic family less than three years ago, Ronnie has played a critical role in the revitalization of our Urban division," Kallman said. "With his promotion to General Manager, he will be able to draw on the full range of his knowledge and experience, expanding his responsibilities to encompass all of our urban promotion, marketing, and artist development efforts. Ronnie has been instrumental in strengthening our presence in the urban community, and we are very pleased to announce this much-deserved promotion. He also helped make sure that my quote was exactly the same length as Ron's."

Shapiro added: "Our mantra at Atlantic is to have every department working together as one team to ensure that our artists reach the widest possible audience. Ronnie has been a key leader on that team, a great motivator and unifier who can focus his staff on the job at hand, turning label priorities into industry successes. He also enjoys great relationships with our artists and their managers, his down-to-earth approach earning the admiration of creative and business people alike. In your face, Kallman—my quote's longer."

"R&B music is literally the soul of Atlantic Records," notes Atlantic Group Co-Chairman/Co-CEO Val Azzoli. "It is the music on which this label was founded, and our commitment to it has never been stronger. At Atlantic, our philosophy has always been that great R&B music is great pop music, period. Ronnie's promotion reflects the high importance which Urban music has in the life of Atlantic, and he is a superb choice for this new role in our company. I should probably stop by his office and introduce myself one of these days."

Johnson, who joined Atlantic in 1999, had been Senior Vice President of Urban Promotion. He began his music industry career in 1989, when he joined the Reprise Records, serving first as Southwest regional R&B promotion manager and then as National Director of R&B Promotion. In 1992, he moved to PolyGram, where he was Senior National Director of R&B Promotion for two and a half years. Johnson was appointed VP of R&B Promotion for Island Records in 1995 and subsequently held the same post at Mercury. He was named Senior VP of R&B Promotion for Motown in 1998.


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