Our Management Team
Who We Are
John brings 35 years of corporate, entertainment, sports, and media experience to Sound Relief. John began his career at age 15 as a DJ and local radio host, and was booking music acts by the time he was 20. After graduating from the University of North Texas with a degree in Electrical Engineering, John moved into acquisition and disposition of telecomm assets, working on deals with such giants as Sprint, U.S. telephone, Western Union, and GTE.
John’s mentor, Dr. Tom Durfey, is credited with inventing “Low Power Television” for the FCC. Naugher added to his on-air skills as well as his media promotion and sales experience while working for Durfey’s highly success WHVW AM & FM radio stations in New York. John gained most of his production skills while working with Durfey’s long time friend, Dick Horan, who was then the head of mobile sports production for ABC Sports in New York. At the request of veteran sportscaster, Roone Arlidge, Horan designed and constructed the mobile production vehicles used to establish ABC's “Monday Night Football” program. Naugher worked closely with those who helped "develop the game" of live sports broadcast.
John was instrumental in initiating the “all sports talk” radio format which is now the third most listened to radio format worldwide. He developed partnerships to include the Oakland Raiders, Oakland A’s, and the Golden State Warriors to establish a sports media outlet in the Greater Oakland / East Bay area; and worked with the National Football League (NFL) to produce, distribute and market radio game coverage of the NFL Europe professional football league over western Europe and the United Kingdom.
John has developed and implemented a variety of high-profile projects with renowned corporations such as the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, the Oakland Raiders, Sprint, and Disney. John has produced world-class events ranging from REO Speedwagon, Foghat, and Bachman-Turner Overdrive, to international championship boxing bouts and martial arts events in London, Manchester, Rome, Bangkok, Tokyo, Taipei and Las Vegas.
John’s wealth of experience and mentorship from some the leaders in media and marketing have provided the insight needed to develop the unique business model we now call Sound Relief.
Jerry is the Founder and President of Bluefish Group, Inc. (BGI). Jerry is celebrating his 35th year as an entrepreneur specializing in the creation and implementation of strategic marketing programs for a wide range of clientele. His marketing experience includes these disciplines: branding, advertising (electronic, online, impact), creative development, promotional activity, entertainment, sports marketing, and media planning / negotiating / buying.
Over the years, Jerry has been intimately involved in the forefront of cutting edge new media trends such as the advent of FM Radio, the emergence of cable television, the development of sophisticated sports marketing programs and the growth of online opportunities.Here is a partial roster of distinguished clients that Jerry has worked with on a variety of projects: Mirage Hotel/Casino, Sharp Electronics, Gulf Oil Co., Toyota North America, Sprint, Milton Bradley, Taj Mahal Hotel-Atlantic City, LG Electronics, NAPA Auto Parts, Shubert Organization, Best Western Hotels, Anheuser Busch, Brooklyn College, and many others.
Dennis Gelbaum is an international award winning Creative Director, Producer, Director, Writer, Author and Inventor. He joins the Sound Relief team focusing on helping our clients define and refine their creative and business strategies, producing brand funded multimedia content and live, interactive branding experiences.
Dennis is presently the COO/CMO of Septien Entertainment Group. Established in 1986, SEG is the #1 Music Artist Development Studio in the US This year, SEG artists performed at more than 1000 gigs and received more Grammy nominations than any major record label. For more info, visit
http://theseptiengroup.com/chief-operating-officer-dennis-gelbaum/
Dennis is the former Chief Operation Officer and Executive Creative Director of TourDesign Creative Services, a Live Nation Company, where he worked with the biggest touring artists/performers, major record labels, top radio stations and live event venues in the world. “Nobody has sold more tickets to more live events - NOBODY!"
Dennis has two favorite quotes:
“Those who tell stories shape society.” Plato
"When you have the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance!” Lee Ann Womack
Julia Blair
Corporate Administrator
(Corporation Services of America, Inc.)
Sound Relief is proud to have Julia Blair as our full time corporate administrator. With her 30 years of business management and consulting experience, Julia oversees wide-ranging office operations, corporate bookkeeping, as well as acting as banking liaison and delivering customary support services to clients such as the production and distribution of corporate marketing materials and communique’s.
She has made her home and business headquarters in South Lake Tahoe, Nevada where she provides a full range of commercial support services to a local, national and international business clientele. Julia has assisted in creating and managing several regional and national corporations over the last three decades. Her vast knowledge of day-to-day corporate operations provides Sound Relief the ability to provide our clients the highest level of administrative services, creative solutions no matter the demands for each project.
Kendall Keith
Chief Business Development Officer
(Monkey Boy Productions, Inc.)
Kendall’s degrees in Management, Marketing and Economics and his 20 years of experience in the record, concert and promotion industries have provided much of the insight and know-how for creating and developing the new business model fostered at Sound Relief. Having directed tour promotions for Chrysalis Records, Kendall branched out to manage independent promotions for high-profile heavy metal, rock, and country acts.
Kendall maintains relationships with some of the world’s top artist management entities. Kendall’s public marketing, sponsor support, and media relations acumen have been sharpened through his global experience as a tour promotional director. Kendall has been a business partner for many years with John Naugher in various projects including those with industry giants like MGM Grand Casino, the Oakland Raiders, and various radio station and television entities.
Robert (Kool) Bell
Executive Vice President,
Industry Relations
(KTFA Productions LLC)
Kool heads the legendary group Kool & The Gang and has sold over 70 million albums worldwide over the course of three generations. The release of the band’s self-titled debut album in 1969 launched a string of hits, including “Celebration,” “Cherish,” and “Jungle Boogie.” Kool & The Gang have won two Grammy® Awards, seven American Music Awards, 25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine Top Ten Pop hits, and 31 Gold and Platinum albums. Kool’s songs have been used in over 200 movie scores, more than any other artist to date.
Kool & The Gang are recipients of the National Association of Recording Merchandisers Chairman’s Award For Sustained Creative Achievement, a distinguished honor whose past recipients include Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Michael Jackson, and Barbra Streisand. Kool has spent four decades learning firsthand the intricate ins and outs of the entertainment business. He brings this valuable experience, along with his vast contacts, to the Sound Relief team mix.
Bob Pritchard
Chief Financial Officer
Client & Investor Relations
(Marketforce One Business Strategies Limited)
BOB PRITCHARD: International business troubleshooter for 30 years, global business radio show host, author of 5 best selling books, over 1500 speech presentations in 53 countries, winner of the 'International Marketer of the Year' and many other prestigious awards.
Known for straight talk, simple, logical, practical outside the box solutions to differentiate businesses and products and drive success. Bob is very educational, funny, energetic, interactive and entertaining.
Pritchard always receives rave reviews, BMW describing him as "the best speaker we have ever heard at a conference". Tim Draper, the Prince of Silicon Valley, the creator of viral marketing, responsible for Hotmail, Skype, Baidu and many others says of Bob Pritchard's new book, Kick Ass Business and Marketing Secrets - How to Blitz Your Competition - "Bob demystifies all that is sacred in business and marketing. If you read it, they will come".
Varied high profile challenges: - A consultant to Fox Studios, Darling Harbour in Sydney - the fifth largest Olympic Games site in history; Marketing Director for Formula One; 91 Fortune 500 clients; Featured on 60 Minutes; A plethora of articles in Business and Marketing Magazines globally; Created and implemented "100 Years......100 Movies" for the American Film Industry; Guest lecturer at USC, UCLA, Pepperdine, Macquarie, Stockholm and 2M Universities worldwide. Pritchard's radio show on VoiceAmerica Business attracts 246,000 listeners on 5 continents and is an educational tool for entrepreneurs, early stage businesses and SME's.
Pritchard is described as a genius of vision, a great motivator, communicator, businessman and marketer. As a speaker he is known for his extensive research, dynamic delivery, meticulous preparation, with practical take away value, filling conference rooms across the world.
From 8 family members in one room as a child to international success, Bob Pritchard is an extraordinary achiever
Wendy is a proven professional with significant program and budget management experience in Marketing/Strategy, Project & Account Management, Administration, Financial & Statistical Analysis, Securing & Managing National Strategic Alliance Partner Accounts, Budgeting & Forecasting.
Specialties: Strategic Planning, Sales, Building & Maintaining Staff, Budget Development & Maintenance, Vendor Supervision, Marketing ROI Analysis, Conflict Resolution, Database Administration, Contract Negotiation/Execution/Management, Program Valuation, Cost Benefit Analysis, Design & Implement Analytical Reports
Heather Lewis
Director of Catering,
Craft Services &
Special Events Coordinator
Heather@soundrelief.org
(Beau Monde Staffing)
Heather has over two decades of catering and staff managment experience. She is responsible for planning and organizing all special events. From menu planning and staffing to decorating and travel arrangments, Heather coordinates with all vendors and venues to ensure the VIP experience that Sound Relief provides is enjoyable for the Guest and invaluable for the Client.