Dinah Gretsch Receives 2014 She Rocks Award

Gretsch Company CFO Honored by The Women’s International Music Network

The WiMN’s Front and Center interview with Dinah Gretsch.

Dinah Gretsch, executive vice president and CFO of the Gretsch Company—famous for the creation of high-quality drums and guitars—is among a select group of women honored by the Women’s International Music Network (WiMN) with the organization’s 2014 She Rocks Award. As a leader in the music industry and a keen proponent of music education, Dinah was recognized for her unique talents, accomplishments, and philanthropic works. The presentation took place at a ceremony on Friday, January 24, 2014 at the Anaheim Marriott Hotel in Anaheim, California during the 2014 NAMM musical-instrument trade show.

Dinah has been a prominent figure in the musical instrument industry for more than thirty years. That prominence was recognized in 2003, when the Atlanta Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) presented her with the Heroes Award, a distinction awarded to Community Leaders in the Music Industry. In 2008, Dinah was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, which honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the Georgia Music Industry

June 2010, Dinah created the Mrs. G’s Music Foundation to fund music teachers, provide in-house artist programs, and supply musical instruments to rural schools. The purpose of the Foundation is “To Enrich Children’s Lives through Participation in Music.”

Dinah has enjoyed working with all of the Gretsch Drum and Guitar Artists through her thirty-plus years in the business. She has signed many of the Gretsch artists.

She is also on the boards of the Georgia Music Foundation, Loyola High School (NYC), and the Georgia Southern University Class Advisory Board. She has been a strong supporter of many children’s programs through her music career, according to her belief that music has the power to change children’s lives in a positive way.

Other 2014 She Rocks honorees include percussion icon Sheila E., Hendrix Experience CEO Janie L. Hendrix, Guitar Institute of Technology program director Beth Marlis, West Music Company president and CEO Robin Walenta, and Seymour Duncan Company custom pickup winder Maricela Juarez. “I’m very proud to recognize the legacy of these women,” comments WiMN founder and She Rocks Awards host, Laura B. Whitmore. “By inspiring and encouraging fellow women in the industry, each one of these recipients embodies the spirit of the She Rocks Awards.” Photos and footage from the inaugural awards in 2013 can be viewed at www.thewimn.com/2013-she-rocks-awards/.

The 2014 She Rocks Awards included a catered breakfast, live performances, and more. A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the Girls Rock Camp Alliance, aiding the organization in empowering girls and women in Girls Rock Camp programs throughout the world. For more information, go to www.thewimn.com/events/she-rocks-awards/.

For more information on the Women’s International Music Network visit www.thewimn.com.
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