L-R: Trisha Tubbs, Mona Salyer, Mark Schuster, John Young
The IBMA Foundation board of directors is proud to announce Trisha Tubbs will serve as president and board chair for the 2024 – 2025 fiscal year, following Fred Bartenstein’s retirement from the board at the end of June. Alan Tompkins, Ruth McLain, and Wendy Tyner will continue in their roles as vice-chair, secretary, and treasurer, respectively.
The board also welcomes Mona Salyer, Mark Schuster, and John Young as new members, as Bartenstein, Arthur Hancock IV, and Michael Webb rotate off the board.
Born and raised in Hawaii, Trisha Tubbs lived in Washington state for 40 years before moving to southeast Arizona five years ago. Now retired, she is a former executive with several Fortune 100 companies, business owner, and management consultant who has served on the IBMA Foundation board since July 2022. She has an MBA in Finance and Accounting, a BSBA in Business Administration and Marketing, an IT certificate from AT&T’s Systems Program at MIT, and she is a graduate of GE’s Financial Management Program. Trisha has held multiple corporate positions including General Manager, Director of Marketing, and Director of Operations. In her 20 years as a director with a consulting firm, she had several non-profit clients including AARP, the Johnson Foundation (Racine, Wisconsin), the American Heart Association, Museum of Modern Art (NYC), YMCA of Greater Seattle, and CARE. Her past board service was with Leadership Tomorrow (Seattle), Northwest Telco Credit Union (Everett, Washington), Planned Parenthood of Snohomish County, University YMCA, and others. Her many roles in the bluegrass community included managing regional bluegrass bands, producing numerous concerts and concert series, writing a regular bluegrass newsletter column, serving on the Leadership Bluegrass Planning Committee, facilitating IBMA’s Leadership Bluegrass program, volunteering for 20+ years as the Bluegrass Coordinator for Northwest Folklife (Seattle, Washington), co-producing the 2010 IBMA Music Awards, and serving as a board member of Acoustic Sound (Wintergrass Music Festival, Bellevue, Washington).
Trisha is a member of the IBMA Foundation’s Arnold Shultz Fund Advisory Committee, the producer of IBMA’s Momentum Awards, and she serves on the production team for IBMA’s Industry and Distinguished Achievement Awards. A volunteer docent at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, Arizona, Trisha is a life-long learner who enjoys the outdoors, birding, fine art painting, glass art, photography, yoga, and riding her recumbent trike. “I am honored and excited to be working with this board and Executive Director Nancy Cardwell! They are a great team that, under Fred Bartenstein’s leadership, significantly grew the Foundation and the grants and scholarships it awards to the bluegrass community,” said Trisha. “I’m also grateful to Arthur Hancock IV and Michael Webb for their board service and support for bluegrass music!”
Mona Salyer, of Bristol, Virginia, is recently retired from East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, where she served as the Director of Development for the College of Arts and Sciences. Included in her fundraising responsibilities was the department of Appalachian Studies, including Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music Studies; the Archives of Appalachia; and the Institute for Appalachian Music and Culture. Her previous experience includes Director of Development for the ETSU Quillen College of Medicine; Assistant VP for enrollment management at King University; working in public education, and banking. Mona volunteers for Bristol Rhythm & Roots Festival, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Blue Highway Fest, Bravissima! Women Supporting the Arts, and the Mount Rogers Appalachian Trail Club. “I grew up in southwest Virginia and was immersed in bluegrass music from the earliest time I can remember,” Mona said. “When I came to ETSU and began fundraising for its world-renown Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music Studies program, I felt like I had come home after a long journey. I’m excited and humbled to come alongside the remarkable board at the IBMA Foundation to grow the awareness and impact of bluegrass for people everywhere!”
Mark Schuster is a fifth generation Seattleite in Washington state, with a passion for the propagation, education, and preservation of the bluegrass music genre. He is the Chairman of The Schuster Group, a nationally acclaimed real estate investment and development firm. Mark was widely recognized as an early pioneer in the green building movement and has been a member of the US Green Building Council LEED Program, Built Green, and the international Green Globes. He also is the President of the Schuster Foundation, a privately held non-profit 501c3, and is a certified Master Business Coach from the Fowler School. Mark has served on numerous regional and national boards and organizations including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Seattle Guild, Mazon Hunger Relief, US – Fund for UNICEF Seattle Council, and the Anti-Defamation League, where he served as the board Chair of the Pacific Northwest five state region and as a National Commissioner for the League. Mark is the author of Lofty Pursuits which garnered two national book awards. He is the recipient of the ADL’s Torch of Liberty Award, and has been recognized as a philanthropic leader by Seattle’s business community. Mark plays banjo, bass, and is involved with various aspects of the local music community in the Pacific Northwest. “I’m delighted and honored to join this extraordinary organization and group of people, and I look forward to contributing to fostering, preserving, and growing the mission of the IBMA Foundation,” Mark said.
John Young is a retired social worker from Fairhope, Alabama. He received his Master of Social Work degree from the University of Alabama and has worked as a psychotherapist and clinical social worker. Eventually working in administration, he served as Chief Operating Officer with Catholic Charities of Memphis, Tennessee for 10 years and retired after 20 years as CEO of Catholic Charities of Yakima, Washington. John has served on the boards of Catholic Charities USA in Alexandria, Virginia, from 2004 to 2013, holding several board positions including board chair. He was board chair of Consumer Credit Counseling Services of the Yakima Valley, Washington as well as a board member of Circle of Success in Central Washington, a Dolly Parton Imagination Library sponsor. John is well-versed in nonprofit management and governance. John is the leader and mandolin player of the band Blue Mullet in Fairhope, Alabama. In Washington he played with Catch & Release, followed by the Coyote Ridge Bluegrass Wranglers.
“Music and, in particular, bluegrass music, has flavored my life, becoming integral to the person that I am,” Young said. “I am excited to be given this opportunity to combine my professional experience and passion for this music in order to support the mission of the IBMA Foundation.”
RETURN to the July 2024 issue of The Cornerstone.
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