The Recording Academy Names Harvey Mason Jr. As CEO

Harvey Mason Jr. has been named the Recording Academy’s new president/CEO, effective June 1.

Mason Jr. worked as the interim president/CEO without pay for 16 months.

“We are delighted that Harvey will remain at the helm and continue to steer the organization through this pivotal time. As we journeyed deeper into our extensive search, it became clear that the best person for the job was Harvey. We are immensely impressed by the remarkable work he has done during his interim tenure and look forward to the continued evolution of the Academy under his effective, results-driven leadership,” John Burk and Leslie Ann Jones, search committee co-chairs, said in a joint statement.

“I want to commend the search committee and our partners at Heidrick and Struggles for orchestrating a robust and exhaustive search for our next president and CEO,” Tammy Hurt, vice chair of the Recording Academy said. “I am not surprised that they face significant challenge finding candidates that would meet the standard that has been set by Harvey during these past 16 months. He has led the Academy through one of the most difficult periods in our history. As a music creator himself, he has provided hope, inspiration and a vision for the future that we are well on our way to achieving. We are all thrilled that he has agreed to become our permanent CEO and will continue to lead us into the future.”

Mason Jr. was named as the interim president/CEO after Deborah Dugan was fired. He is the former chair of the Academy’s board. He is responsible for hiring the Recording Academy’s first chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer and restructuring the organization.

“There is nothing more rewarding than having the trust and respect of your colleagues and peers,” Mason Jr. said. “I am honored to have been appointed to continue to lead the Recording Academy on our transformative journey. While I had not initially expected to be in this position, I remain deeply invested in the success of the organization and am motivated to help us achieve our greatest ambitions. I will serve humbly with a steadfast commitment to building a more inclusive, responsive and relevant Academy.”

The #RecordingAcademy's Board of Trustees has appointed @HarveyMasonjr., as the Academy's President/CEO, effective June 1.https://t.co/X3oHcw6yiz

— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) May 13, 2021