Raised just 90 miles outside of Nashville in the small town of Waverly, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University grad Ebie McFarland founded Essential Broadcast Media, LLC, an award-winning PR company in 2007. Since, she has helped launch the careers of critically acclaimed artists such as Ashley McBryde and Caitlyn Smith to earning the trust of discriminating artists such as George Strait, Kenny Chesney and Eric Church to retaining longtime clients such as Darius Rucker and Hootie & the Blowfish, further reinforcing McFarland and her team understand and execute the growing importance of telling one’s story with passion, grit and perseverance.

Currently, McFarland serves on both the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music Board of Directors as well as the Academy of Country Music’s Lifting Lives.

Randy Bernard is co-manager of Garth Brooks. As the former CEO of two major entertainment brands, the Professional Bull Riders and INDYCAR, Bernard brings a significant amount of experience in building brands that engage and entertain fans of all ages.

Bernard was the Chief Executive Officer from December 2012 to July 2014 of Rural Media Group, the world’s leading provider of multimedia content dedicated to the rural and western lifestyle. During this time, Bernard also became the Chief Executive Officer of Rural Media Group Events, LLC.

Bernard was able to take his past experience and create the ultimate one-day rodeo, the AMERICAN. First debuted in 2014, the AMERICAN is the world’s richest one-day rodeo. This event is redefining rodeo, offering competitors a chance to win their share of $2,000,000. The event showcases the top 10 contestants in the world after the PBR World Finals and WNFR. In addition, any other athlete who wishes to compete against the world’s best will be eligible for part of the payout. According to fan feedback, it’s the most prestigious rodeo. The AMERICAN has become the rodeo you must watch.

Previously, as CEO for INDYCAR, Bernard guided the strategic transformation of INDYCAR. During his tenure Bernard was instrumental in introducing the new DW12 car – a move critics heralded as bringing the best open wheel racing in over two and a half decades – changing the name from IRL to INDYCAR, creating a successful ladder series, implementing double file starts and the first to develop double header races in a weekend.

Bernard developed his leadership skills while serving as the CEO of the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. Bernard was instrumental in making PBR a worldwide sport, taking it from eight events in 1994 to over 220 in five countries being broadcast in over 100 countries around the world by 2006.

In April 2007, Bernard successfully secured a merger between Professional Bull Riders, Inc. and Spire Capital Partners, a New York-based private equity firm at $100 million. The merger allowed the founding members and other bull riding shareholders to capitalize on their vision, dedication and commitment, while maintaining a significant equity stake in the organization. In his professional life, Bernard has sold near $1 billion in sponsorships.

Bernard currently serves on the board for The Teammates for Kids Foundation, started by Garth Brooks and Troy Aikman, and the Academy of Country Music board. He has two children (Priscilla and Alexandria). Bernard is based out of Nashville, Tennessee and in September 2014, he was inducted into the National Cowboy & Heritage Museum's Rodeo Hall of Fame.

Lacy joined WMN in 2005, following posts at Tom Collins Music Publishing, Rick Hall/FAME Publishing, Island Bound Music, and WMG’s Warner Chappell Music. At WMN, she was upped to SVP of A&R in 2017 and EVP of A&R two years later. Lacy has been the driving force behind the signing of many of the label’s most prominent artists, including Kenny Chesney, Zac Brown Band, Cole Swindell, Ashley McBryde, Cody Johnson, Chris Janson and Gabby Barrett.

Carmen Romano was born and raised in northern New Jersey. He graduated Bloomfield College with a B.S. in Accounting in 1985. Upon graduation he immediately began his accounting career with a mid-size firm in New Jersey.

Romano quickly realized that he had an interest in the entertainment industry and subsequently began working as a staff accountant for the firm Padell, Nadell, Fine and Weinberger Co. in 1987. He was promoted to Business Manager in 1993. In 1996, Romano became owner and President of Progressive Business Management. On January 1, 2005 Romano opened the New York office for Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy Inc., already a prominent Business Management firm in Tennessee, and became a shareholder of the company in 2010.

Romano is a member of the ACM, CMA and NARAS. His clients include Brantley Gilbert, Cam, Diplo, MGMT, Michael Franti and others. He enjoys hobbies such as running, boating and scuba diving. Romano currently resides in northern New Jersey with his wife Peggy and three children, Nicole, Gabriella and Michael.

By all accounts, Gayle Holcomb is a force to behold. Her boundless energy and unshakeable confidence have served her well in her rise as an agent at WME. Those attributes also have bolstered the Academy of Country Music during her many years as a board member and four years as ACM chairman. Holcomb was instrumental in moving the ACM Awards show to Las Vegas and helping craft the long-term partnership between the Academy and dick clark productions. Holcomb was also a driving force behind the creation of ACM Lifting Lives, where she has served as chairman of the board and also established the ACM Lifting Lives Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund in memory of her mother. Holcomb has been the recipient of the ACM Crystal Milestone Award, the ACM Mae Boren Axton Service Award and the Gary Haber Lifting Lives Award for her service to the Academy and Lifting Lives.

Krones began his career as an intern at CAA in 2004 and was promoted to Agent in 2007. He was elected to the Board of the Academy of Country Music in 2017, and has been featured in many distinguished lists from Pollstar and Billboard. In 2021 he was promoted to Co-Head of CAA's Nashville Music Office. 

Atlanta-born and Chicago-raised, Tommy Moore attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI, where he graduated with a degree in Broadcasting and Electronic Communications. His life-long love for Country Music dovetailed professionally with an early job in country radio at WMIL-FM in Milwaukee, where he worked as a morning show production assistant. Moore joined the Academy in 2011, where he most recently served as Senior Director, Governance & Board Administration, a position that was absorbed into his current expanded role. As Vice President, Artist & Industry Relations, Board Administration & Governance, he directs the overall Board communication of ACM. Moore also directs and manages ticketing for all ACM events. In his role, Moore spearheads artist communication and engagement within the Academy. He is a SOLID alumnus, class of 2014. He reports to Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy.