Terri McIntyre, the former executive director, has recently filed a lawsuit against Mike Greene, who served as the president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences from the 1980s to 2002. The allegations against Greene include charges of sexual assault, harassment, and negligence. The lawsuit was officially lodged on Wednesday in the Los Angeles County Superior Court and implies a potential cover-up involving Greene and/or the Recording Academy. This article takes a closer look at the life and career of the former Grammy CEO in light of the emerging legal controversy.
WHO IS MIKE GREEN?
EDUCATION
After delving into the artistry of ceramics at the University of Georgia and obtaining a Bachelor of Business Administration from West Georgia College, Greene proudly possesses a unique doctoral degree in music from the University of Southern California. In addition to this distinctive accomplishment, he has been graciously bestowed with honorary doctorates from Temple University and the esteemed Berklee School of Music.
Greene entered the music scene as a singer-songwriter, producer, and recording artist, hailing from a family with a rich legacy in Big Band leadership. His journey unfolded as he contributed his talents to Warner Brothers, Mercury Records, and GRC Recordings.
MUSIC INDUSTRY
Greene founded Total Entertainment & Media Productions, Inc. and The Cable Marketing Group Ltd., pioneering cable production, consulting, and ad placement services. In 1981, he established one of the world’s earliest cable video music networks, The Video Music Channel (VMC).
VMC swiftly emerged as a prominent force on the national stage, garnering a substantial following of more than 4 million subscribers. The company distinguished itself through its dynamic live events and a varied array of music programming videos. As the enterprise expanded its reach to encompass conventional VHF and UHF television stations, Greene took on the responsibilities of vice president and general manager at WVEU (UHF), the network’s primary station located in Atlanta, Georgia.
Simultaneously, Greene served as the Senior Vice President of Universal Video Corporation in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company produced sixteen hours of original programming daily for Prudential, marking a significant milestone as the first Direct Broadcast Satellite Service.
GRAMMY FOUNDATION
Throughout Greene’s presidency, the academy orchestrated various educational programs on a global scale. He founded and led two 501C-3 Foundations, and through the Grammy Foundation’s yearly allocation exceeding $4 million, grants and educational initiatives reached and positively impacted over 2 million individuals.
Under their leadership, significant strides were made in Congress, leading to the creation of the National Coalition for Music Education, the National Recording Registry for preserving historic recordings, and coalitions advocating for PBS, NPR, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Recognized for his musical contributions, Greene received a Georgy Award and was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. The University of Southern California honored him with both an Honorary Doctorate and a Special Doctorate in Music.
