Fender: Music Industry Leaders Panel
An American icon, Fender was founded 70 years ago in a small Fullerton, California workshop and has established a worldwide influence that extends from the studio to the stage—and beyond. Everyone from beginners to the world’s most acclaimed artists have used Fender instruments, amps and gear, making the company not only a revered industry leader but a cultural symbol that resonates globally. Nearly seven decades since founder Leo Fender built his first electric guitar, Fender’s reach transcends instruments and accessories, encompassing a range of innovative digital experiences that fuel musical expression and serve players at every stage–on every stage. In 1985, Fender opened its flagship U.S. factory and headquarters in Corona, California, and in 1987, the renowned Fender Custom Shop debuted at the Corona facility. Known as the “Dream Factory” and home to Fender’s Master Builders, the Custom Shop lives up to its nickname, crafting dream instruments for avid collectors and esteemed artists, including Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Merle Haggard, Courtney Love, David Gilmore, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Join Fender’s Helena Ngo, Director of Artist Marketing, Beth Wawerna Director of Brand Copy, and Richard Bussey Vice President, Accessories, Lifestyle, and Licensing as they discuss Fender’s role in music, how they support artists with gear, product development, and marketing, and what kinds of jobs can be found all across Southern California’s music industry with Fender. Q&A and mixer to follow.
Panelists
After unsuccessfully leading an early-2000’s punk band, Richard turned his knack for self-promotion into a business career. Beginning as an assistant buyer in the travel industry, he quickly found a passion for taste making and decisive assortment decisions. Upon moving to LA to chase a failed stand-up comedy career, he turned his focus to the music products business where he began a career at Guitar Center, where his love of business was matched with the desire to create the tools needed for musicians to craft their own sound. Joining Fender as the Director of Guitar Accessories, he launched a variety of products including Fender’s first foray into the Effects Pedal market. As Vice President, Accessories, Lifestyle, and Licensing he oversees an amazing department of product managers and a licensing department responsible for myriad partnerships and outbound collaborations, such as 2023’s Fender x Wrangler collection.
Helena’s career in the music industry has been fueled by a strong passion for supporting artists and empowering them to create and share their music with the world. Her diverse resume included roles in artist management, at an indie label, music journalism, public relations, music licensing and account management at brand agencies, and leading music marketing in-house at global brands. Prior to joining Fender, she was tapped to led brand marketing for Dolby’s launch of Dolby Atmos spatial audio for music and was responsible for leading the legacy brand’s largest marketing campaigns to date featuring top tier artists like Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, J Balvin, Justin Bieber, and Post Malone.
Helena is currently Director of Artist Marketing at Fender, where she leads artist marketing strategy, Fender’s artist teams based in LA and London, and is an advocate for diversity and inclusion.
Beth is a copywriter, creative director and musician with over two decades of experience in the entertainment industry. She got her start in the late 90s as a writer for Spin Magazine during which time she interviewed lots of bands, wrote lots of words, saw lots of shows and stole lots of beer when no one was looking. She then moved on to VH1 where I worked for many years as the Editorial Director in the Brand Creative Department. I now lead the Brand Copy team at Fender. In this role, I work both strategically and creatively to guide Fender’s brand messaging strategy across all platforms. I’m named after a KISS song, I front a band called Bird of Youth and I *always* prefer the Dave Edmunds version.