KATZ TO LEAD MARTELL FOUNDATION

Joel Katz has been tapped as chairman of the board of the T.J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research. He will succeed founder Tony Martell, who died last November at the age of 90.

Katz, a partner at Greenberg Traurig, has long been considered one of most influential attorneys in the entertainment biz. His client list has included Michael Jackson, James Brown, Willie Nelson, Justin Timberlake and Little Big Town. He’s had an equal impact for his philanthropic endeavors.

“On behalf of the Martell family, it gives us great pleasure to have Joel Katz as the Chairman of the T.J. Martell Foundation,” said Debbie Martell, daughter of Tony Martell. “Joel was very close to my father for many years as his entertainment attorney and as his friend. He will be an excellent leader and will help continue the important mission of the foundation.”

"It is an honor to have the opportunity to build on the strong foundation established by Tony Martell," said Katz. "The T.J. Martell Foundation has tremendous opportunities for growth in supporting innovative cancer research and ultimately improving the lives of patients. I am honored to have been selected as chair of this outstanding organization."

The T.J. Martell Foundation–founded in 1975 in memory of Tony Martell’s son T.J., who died of leukemia–is the music industry’s leading cancer research funding organization, raising more than $280 million.