Chris Woltman
Founder of Element1 Music , Marketing & Management Chris Woltman has a foundation of twenty-plus years of experience. The Columbus, Ohio native scored his first job with Promo West Productions, the concert promoter behind Newport Music Hall. Woltman’s college years also found his participation in the Sony Music College Rep Program, which included various marketing, radio and retail tasks that gave him a foothold on the industry’s major aspects.
Upon graduation, Woltman became an Account Service Rep for Sony Distribution in Boston,MA working within the entire New England retail marketplace. A position in Cleveland, OH soon opened in regional promotion for SBK Records, which found Woltman working directly with everyone from Jesus Jones to Vanilla Ice, though a trip back to the Sony system was right around the corner.
As the mid-90s set in, Woltman segued to Sony’s Columbia Records working Regional Promotion out of Cleveland,OH for a year, followed by a position in New York, NY as Director of Rock Promotion. His nomadic lifestyle continued with a transfer to Los Angeles, CA and a position shift to Senior Director of Promotion and VP West Coast Promotion (encompassing all formats), which led to his work with the likes of Pink Floyd, Alice In Chains, Cypress Hill, The Offspring, Train and System of a Down.
At the tip of the 2000’s, Woltman applied his experience in artist development to his time with J Records in New York, NY where he was personally hired by Clive Davis (Whitney Houston, Santana, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen to name a few). Outside of work with Splender and Soil as Senior Vice President of Rock Music, Woltman was instrumental in developing Maroon 5’s career.
When J Records merged with RCA Records, Woltman’s focus turned to the Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, The Strokes and Kings of Leon, though he left in 2004 to pursue a more independent mindset. “You don’t have to have a major label to build a career or break an artist.”
As a result of that foresight, Element1 Music, Marketing & Management partnered with Family Force 5, who’ve since become one of the most recognized bands and “brands” on the alternative rock/pop/dance circuit (backed by EMI distribution). That resulted in the creation of Transparent Media Group , the band's own label, publisher and merchandiser. Other acts under the management division include Danyew, signed to EMI, alongside a division known as Plan R Soundtracks that has thus far wrapped up credits for “We Are Marshall,” “Cloverfield” and many more. Additionally, the Element 1 Record label which serves as a virtual label for independent artist clients providing all of the marketing and promotion resources of a traditional label.
As for an overall vision of Element1 Music, Marketing & Management, Woltman wants to continue building an entertainment company fueled by creativity with an understanding of how to take that creativity into the marketplace for the most direct connection possible with consumers.