Los Angeles, CA (September 20,2019) - The Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association elected Thomas L. Beckmen to succeed Jay Rasulo as Chair of the Board at its annual meeting today. The appointment is effective as of October 1.
Tom served on the LA Phil Board of Directors from 2003 to 2011 and from 2015 until the present. He currently serves on the Governance and Campaign committees. He also Chairs the YOLA Center Task Force.
"I am honored to be elected Board Chair of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association," said Beckmen. "I look forward to working closely with my colleagues on the Board, the musicians of our orchestra, Gustavo Dudamel, and the LA Phil's remarkable staff as we wrap up our extraordinary Centennial celebration and set the course for our next 100 years. And what better way to begin our second century than by making a profound investment in the expansion of our music education and community programs? As early champions of YOLA since its start in 2007, Judy and I couldn't be prouder to play our part in bringing to life the program's first permanent musical home - the Beckmen YOLA Center at Inglewood. Here is to all that's ahead!"
Thomas L. Beckmen's career began in 1958 after he opened a music store with his band director while still in college. He traveled the country for a decade as a salesman for C. Bruno and Sons, a musical instrument importer and distributor. In 1965, Tom and his wife Judy moved to California to open a distribution center for C. Bruno. Tom established his own distribution company in 1972, Beckmen Musical Instruments. Two years later, he changed the name to Roland Corp. U.S. to focus on the distribution and development of Roland and Boss projects in the U.S. With his keen insight, he envisioned that electronics would play an important role in the performance and production of music. He was able to establish Roland products as a leader in the industry. Tom sold Roland U.S. to its parent company, Roland Japan, and, after a short retirement, Tom and Judy with their son, Steve, established Beckmen Vineyards in Santa Ynez Valley, where they have been growing and producing wine since 1994.
For more than 40 years, Tom and Judy have been strong supporters of the arts and arts education. In addition to the LA Phil, Tom also served on the USC Thornton School of Music's Board of Councilors. He previously served on the boards of the Colburn School and the Music Center. Tom was educated at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, and studied trombone at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. The Beckmens have provided generous support to the LA Phil's Centennial Campaign and the Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen YOLA Center at Inglewood, and funded the associate principal trombone position. The Beckmens have attended LA Phil tours of Europe, Asia, and North America and are Music Center Founders, as well as members of the William Andrews Clark Society.
This year, additional new members include:
FRANCOIS MOBASSER
Francois Mobasser is an entertainment attorney and partner at Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light, LLP. Earlier in his career, Francois was an entertainment law associate in the law offices of Paul G. Marshall in New York. He received a law degree from Wake Forest University and an undergraduate degree from Duke University. His wife, Kate Angelo, is an Emmy-nominated screenwriter best known for television's Will & Grace and The Bernie Mac Show, as well as the films Sex Tape and The Backup Plan.
MEGAN WATANABE
Megan F. Watanabe is executive president of the Riviera Country Club in the Pacific Palisades. The Club was founded in 1926 and is currently owned by Megan's father Noboru Watanabe, chairman of the Tokyo-headquartered Riviera Group, which has more than 2,000 employees in Japan, the United States, and China. A Riviera Group-owned marina will play a part in the sailing competitions for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and the Riviera Country Club has been chosen as the course for the golf competition during the 2028 L.A. Olympics. Megan's husband Hideya Terashima is Financial Director for the Riviera Country Club.
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