Legendary Nancy Cartoonist Guy Gilchrist Signs Wayne Halper and The Consortium's Mike Martinovich and Al Schilitz As New Management Team

    NASHVILLE, TN, April 29, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Award winning internationally syndicated cartoonist and author of the iconic Nancy comic strip, Guy Gilchrist has signed Wayne Halper, The Consortium's Mike Martinovich and Al Schilitz as his management team. The trio will manage strategic partnerships, business development, marketing, creative development, and all business matters associated with the legendary cartoonist. Gilchrist is highly sought after for his entertaining speeches, seminars, and exemplary artwork. In reaching this agreement, Gilchrist is looking to expand his professional brand and business partnerships.

"I am honored to be working with Al, Mike, and Wayne," said Guy Gilchrist. "Not only are they friends and leaders in professional management but they have managed and mentored many people who I have long admired and held up as heroes in the industry."

I've worked with Guy for many years and as our professional relationship grew into a close friendship, a light bulb went off (like we see in the comics) simultaneously over our heads as we both said let's take this relationship to the next level," said Wayne Halper. "Having done business with Al and Mike (the Consortium) for almost 20 years, I knew that their track record as successful marketers and entertainment industry executives would be the perfect addition to Guy's management team.

"Guy is one of the most creative people I know and I look forward to being part of the team that shows the world the many sides of Guy," concluded Halper.

"Working with such an incomparably gifted and multi-faceted talent as Guy Gilchrist is really exciting, said Mike Martinovich of The Consortium. "Al and I look forward to partnering with Wayne as part of Guy's management team."

Guy Gilchrist at the age of 24, was hand-selected to create Jim Henson's Muppets Comic Strip that was printed worldwide in 660-plus newspapers daily from 1981 to 1986. Throughout the years, he has set his hand to such notable cartoons as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry, Fraggle Rock and The Pink Panther and was instrumental in the creation of The Muppet Babies. He resides in Nashville, Tennessee.

Syndicated internationally in 80 countries and some 400 newspapers, Nancy has a viewership of 57 million readers around the world. And as fans of the the comic strip know, Nancy resides in the fictional town of Three Rocks with her Aunt Fritzi and friend, Sluggo. Gilchrist took over the Nancy comic strip in 1995. In 2013 he unveiled a one-of-a-kind exhibit, Nancy Loves Nashville, at the Nashville International Airport that revealed the location of Three Rocks as a suburb just outside of Nashville.

Mike Martinovich spent 25 years at CBS Records/Sony Music. As VP Merchandising-Marketing at NY headquarters he was involved in the marketing of Billy Joel, Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, illie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, Journey and Pink Floyd. As VP Marketing for Sony Music Nashville, he spearheaded the marketing for such greats as Dolly Parton, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Tammy Wynette as well as for an array of developing artists. Mike has served as consultant to record labels, artist management firms, and music distributors, including Anderson Merchandisers, Capitol Records, Sony Music, Arista Records and independent labels such as Broken Bow and Midas Records. He planned and directed Wal-Mart's "Country Music Across America Tour. The Consortium has also conceived and implemented the development of several Weather Channel-branded CDs and DVDs. The company enjoyed an eight-year stint with The Dr Pepper Snapple Group for whom the company planned and activated over 300 Walmart artist CD signings, in-store acoustic and parking lot concerts.

From working on the road to working closely with agencies and management companies, Al Schiltz has a background that spans all facets of the live entertainment industry. In 1996 he formed AS Is Management to serve as personal manager for recording artist Billy Ray Cyrus, with whom he had been involved since the 1992 release of Cyrus's successful debut album "Some Gave All." Schiltz encouraged the development of Cyrus's acting career, which encompasses several movies, guest television appearances, and the March 2001 debut of the PAX Television series "Doc," which featured Cyrus in the starring role. The most critically acclaimed album of Cyrus' career, "Trail of Tears", was released during Schiltz's tenure as manager. He also helped Cyrus secure record deals with Sony Nashville and Word Records. His 2003 Word release "The Other Side", marked his entrance into the world of Gospel music, and garnered rave reviews from media outlets all over the country and was nominated for a Dove award. Schiltz was also responsible for the career direction of recording artist Tammy Cochran, whose self-titled 2001 Epic debut album included the single, "Angels in Waiting" which rocketed to #9 on the country charts. Schiltz is currently involved in the management & development of comedian T Bubba Bechtol, the 2014 ICMA Comedian of The Year. RCA Records, and BMG International were among the list of corporate clients during that time as well. While a partner in The Consortium, he was part of the consulting team for independent record labels Broken Bow and Midas Records. Other notable projects included The Weather Channel branded CDs and DVDs, over 300 events for the Dr Pepper Snapple Group, several projects for Great American Country Television Network, including producing three tours across America expanding the GAC brand at Fairs and Festival.

A music industry veteran attorney and active member of the Nashville recording and arts community, Wayne Halper currently operates a boutique law office/consulting service for all areas of the entertainment industry. He got his start in the 1970s representing Grace Jones and Teena Marie but gravitated toward country music and moved to Nashville in 1984 to be part of the Oak Ridge Boys management team. After leaving them, he formed Halper and Associates, a business management firm, where his first clients were Steve Earle and James Stroud. In 1989, he joined Capitol Nashville Records, rose to Senior Vice President, Business Affairs and worked with such stars as Garth Brooks, Tanya Tucker, Suzy Bogguss and Billy Dean.

After leaving Capitol Nashville Records, Halper became General Manager/Head of Label Operations for DreamWorks Records Nashville where he supervised the day-to-day activities of the label, oversaw business affairs, business development, legal, financial and administrative functions, and coordinated the efforts of the sales, marketing, media, promotion and video departments. Halper has been NARAS Trustee/Secretary-Treasurer as well as Treasurer both for the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Chapter of the T. J. Martell Foundation, served as Chair of the Finance Committee for the Country Music Association and is a past President of Leadership Music.

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