Meet the Founders:

With 45 years of independent business experience, Louis Marks brings a persistent spirit of advocacy to all that he does. Marks has led the independent label Ropeadope since 2006, curating an important and historic collection of contemporary music.

Hailed by Tape Op as a “musician, educator and music business visionary,” Joe Pignato regularly works as a consultant with organizations in the areas of music, music technology and music education. He has held management positions at leading music companies, including N2K Incorporated, BMG Classics, RCA Victor, ECM Records, CMP Records and Latin Percussion.

A musician, entrepreneur, educator and community advocate, Fabian Brown has gained a wide range of experience in his 20 years in music. Fabian’s unflagging enthusiasm for lifting up artists and community is evident in all of his roles, from President of Ropeadope to co-founding the nonprofit organization Heights in Progress.