UMG EVP Michele Anthony has been named the 2017 UJA Federation Music Visionary of the Year.

The first woman to receive this award as a solo honoree, Anthony will be honored for her exceptional professional accomplishments and commitment to philanthropy at the annual Music Visionary of the Year Award Luncheon on 6/14.

Said Glassnote founder and UJA Vice Chair Daniel Glass: “Michele is a standout talent in the music industry—a champion for artists, with extraordinary business acumen and incredible vision, she creates new and innovative opportunities for Universal Music and its artists. We are particularly proud to honor Michele because she pairs that with her longstanding and deep commitment to philanthropy. She is an inspiration.”

“Music continues to serve as a powerful force in society and culture,” Anthony noted. “I’m so proud to have worked with incredible artists that have impacted fans and left an indelible mark on the world. Doing good through organizations such as UJA and helping artists bring their music to a global audience are two of my greatest passions. I’m humbled to be recognized by UJA and honored to receive this award.”

The Music Visionary Luncheon, a must-attend event for the music industry for over 15 years, attracts more than 600 top executives and an A-list roster of talent every year. Past performers include Alicia Keys, Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, Adele, Mariah Carey, Jay Z, HAIM and Jennifer Hudson.

Funds raised at the event are shared across various UJA efforts, ranging from its Music for Youth initiative, which enables and supports quality children’s music education programming, to its annual campaign, which supports the most vulnerable in our community.

With a career in the music industry spanning more than 35 years, Anthony has an unparalleled depth of experience on both the label and artist sides of the industry. She serves on the Executive Management Board for UMG and helps with the daily management of the labels and the company’s operations.

She oversees UMG’s U.S. Commercial Services Division, which includes sales, college marketing, Insights, fan and consumer engagement, as well as content strategy, operations and partnerships. She also oversees UMG’s global brand partnerships and live events, working with the company’s labels to maximize commercial and strategic opportunities to establish new revenue streams, form alliances with third parties and create a variety of special projects.

Additionally, Anthony jointly oversees UMG’s film, television and theatrical projects along with UMPG Chairman/CEO Jody Gerson, as well as streaming marketing with UMG’s EVP of Marketing Andrew Kronfeld. Anthony’s wide-ranging responsibilities encompass the company’s Canadian operations and catalog division UMe as well.

Before joining UMG in October 2013, Anthony founded 7H Entertainment, a consulting and management firm whose clients included Pearl Jam, Black Sabbath & Ozzy Osbourne, Prince, Björk and Soundgarden. Anthony was President/COO of Sony Music U.S. during a distinguished 17-year tenure.

The tireless Anthony somehow finds the time to work with the Global Poverty Project (GPP), an organization that strives to end global poverty based on the UN’s eight Millennium Development Goals. She chairs the Global Citizen Tickets Initiative, a campaign whereby major artists donate concert tickets that are earned when users take specified actions to end global poverty, and is an advisor for GPP’s annual Central Park Global Citizen Festival, which last year featured Pearl Jam, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar and Demi Lovato. Prior to her efforts on behalf of GPP, she served on the board of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Anthony is an outspoken advocate for women’s rights, supporting various initiatives including co-chairing fundraisers for Hedgebrook, a nonprofit retreat for female writers, with their Creative Advisory Board Co-Chair, Gloria Steinem, and various pro-choice organizations.