(03.23.09) NARM announces that innovative and versatile music industry professional Don VanCleave, will be honored with the organization’s first-ever Independent Spirit Award. VanCleave is the Founder and former President of the Coalition of Music Stores (CIMS).

The NARM Independent Spirit award was established to distinguish those who embody the spirit of new thinking, entrepreneurship and success in their business models, and recognize those who help grow and enhance the business of independent music for both retailers and content providers.

VanCleave is the first recipient of this prestigious honor. He will be officially presented with the award at the 2009 NARM Connects: Physical…Digital…Mobile Annual Convention awards dinner, which will be held in San Diego on June 10.

NARM President Jim Donio says, “NARM is introducing this award to acknowledge and appreciate those industry professionals whose business philosophies and dealings are a type of self-expression that – similar to music – brings forth diversity, creativity, and new ideas that enhance the music community at large. We chose Don for this honor because he personifies the essence of the NARM Independent Spirit Award, and we congratulate him on this stellar achievement.”

VanCleave says, “It’s a great honor for me to receive the NARM Independent Spirit Award. I must accept it on behalf of all the independent retailers who have helped me in my journey over the past 20 years. Even though I became the face of independent retailing, I must emphasize that it’s really all about these individual stores who are the heart of the industry.”

Since its inception in 1995, and with VanCleave at the helm, CIMS has been a successful industry marketing liaison between the organization’s retailer membership base and the record labels. Throughout the years, VanCleave has inspired the industry to cooperate and explore new, viable retail opportunities. Last year, VanCleave left CIMS to join The Artists Organization, a Los Angeles-based management company. He currently works with Lenny Kravitz, Counting Crows and Matisyahu, among other artists.

CIMS also owns junketboy.com, an indie store-only distribution company that buys products directly from bands and works with the indie store community to promote and sell the goods. VanCleave helped to grow junketboy.com from several releases in the first year to over 130 releases in the last 12 months. He also spearheaded junketboy’s efforts to provide a digital solution for independent retailers with the website: www.thinkindie.com.