MUMBAI: Universal Music Group Distribution (UMGD) promoted Ron Spaulding to president of Fontana, UMGD’s independent distribution arm. The announcement was made by UMGD president and chief executive officer Jim Urie, to whom Spaulding reports.

Formerly Spaulding served as executive vice president & general manager of Fontana.

“Since joining us, Ron has brought extensive retail contacts and a wealth of credibility within the artistic community which the Fontana Team has translated into a great success story,” stated Urie. “In the past year alone, Fontana has had enormous accomplishments on both the indie and the Top 200 charts and has up-streamed numerous artists to our labels.

Moreover, over the last year, Ron has overseen the restructuring of Fontana into a digital player second to none in the world of music distribution.  His sense of humor and infectious enthusiasm has energized all of us that have the pleasure to work with him every day. We are delighted to expand the playing field even more with this well-deserved promotion.”

“Being a part of Fontana has been one of the most personally rewarding and professionally fulfilling experiences of my career,” added Spaulding. “I cannot thank Jim enough for his generous support and confidence; and working closely with the entire Fontana team continues to be a constant source of inspiration since they are second to none. We have built a vibrant and musically diverse company, with a spirited and competitive staff. I am looking forward to building further upon that winning energy; we are only just beginning to realize the possibilities of what we can accomplish.