Established in 2021, the Bernice Ash Memorial Award “honors the remarkable life and legacy of Bernice Ash, a music retail visionary who spearheaded the expansion of the Sam Ash family-owned music stores, broadening inventory for the chain across multiple new categories.”
The annual award provides up-and-coming industry leaders with a scholarship to support professional development, tuition and/or training opportunities. In addition to this, the Bernice Ash Memorial Award will assist the recipients with a one-time travel stipend to attend The NAMM Show for the first time. Awardees will also participate in a one-year mentorship program through the NAMM Young Professionals (NAMM YP), a group dedicated to connecting like-minded peers, building solid business relationships, and facilitating learning opportunities with industry veterans. More information about the award can be found here.
Two emerging professionals, Kwanté Greenidge, General Manager of Sam Ash Music - Brooklyn, and Anna Nguyen, Digital Marketing Analyst at Yamaha, will attend The NAMM Show in June, thanks to the lasting memory of Bernice Ash.
Greenidge began his journey with Sam Ash Music in 2017 as a sales associate in the retailer’s Brooklyn store. After years of teaching music, Greenidge harnessed these skills to connect with his customers and quickly rose through the ranks, being promoted to sales manager and now the store's general manager. Perhaps even more impressive is that these rapid promotions within the Sam Ash organization happened concurrently alongside Greenidge’s pursuit of a Bachelor of Business Administration at Baruch College.
Upon notification of his selection Greenidge said, “This award means so much to me. It is an honor to represent Sam Ash Music and the legacy of Bernice at The 2022 NAMM Show. I look forward to all the future opportunities to better myself and help those around me. Working at Sam Ash over the past four years has only fueled my passion for music and helped further my career in music management.”
Greenidge’s career aspiration is to one day serve at the highest echelon of the organization. “Although I never had the chance to meet Bernice, I’ve heard countless stories about her vision and love of music. With this award, I will not only be able to further my education but also use what I am learning to enhance my leadership skills at Sam Ash Music.”
As a drummer, Greenidge is anxious to head to The NAMM Show to check out all the latest products from his favorite brands. He said, “It will be a blast to geek out!” This energetic enthusiasm and glimmer of wonder that Greenidge possesses are precisely what The NAMM Show represents.
Learn more about the Bernice Ash Memorial Award and how to attend The NAMM Show