Jon Vanhala

Jon Vanhala has been a professional musician and entrepreneur since 1900. Jon has had a long and successful career in the music industry, beginning in 1995 with a role as SVP Head of Digital Marketing & Strategic Partnerships at Verve Music Group. Jon was responsible for creating new revenue streams, fan engagement, strategic brand partnerships, content and social, D2C digital retail/streaming, and content initiatives. In 2007, they joined 517 Partners/Hi Five Group as a Partner for Digital Strategy, Marketing & Strategic Partnerships. Jon then moved to Festival Network in 2008 as SVP Digital Marketing Initiatives & Content Partnerships, where they were responsible for fan engagement, digital business development, digital marketing, content strategy, and new direct to consumer initiatives. In 2010, they joined Universal Music Group as EVP/Head of Digital & New Business Partnerships for Island/Def Jam & Republic. Jon was a UMG Global Digital Board member and led a team of 30, creating new fan engagement programs for revenue and awareness. In 2013, they became MD/Co-Founder at Thesis Ventures, curating and vetting innovative pre-A early-stage consumer-facing companies. In 2021, they joined Artistory as a Strategic Advisor and Groove Guild as Partner/Co-Founder of their Sonic Identity Practice. Jon also joined Fanbaseapp as Senior Strategic Mktg & Partnership Advisor/Fractional CMO. Finally, they have been a Founder/CxO at Crossfade Partners since 2014, crafting and executing innovation strategy, marketing, digital transformation, sales, and new business partnership initiatives.

Jon Vanhala has a diverse educational background. Jon attended Columbia College Chicago and graduated from their Entertainment, Media Management Program, with a focus in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services. Jon also attended Millikin University and graduated with a degree in Jazz Performance & Education, with a focus in Music. Additionally, they have obtained certifications from LinkedIn in CMO Foundations: Measuring Marketing Effectiveness (ROI), Marketing: Customer Segmentation, and Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging in January and February of 2022.