EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The BulLion Foundation is a nonprofit, multi-cultural global initiative, whose goal is to provide underprivileged people, especially the youth, with the opportunities, resources and supplies needed to create a healthy and stable lifestyle for themselves and their families. Our mission is to improve their quality of life through arts, music, sports and other disciplines.
The Foundation programs we offer vary from panel discussions/lectures to interactive performances by celebrities, up-and-coming artists and students. We encourage students by presenting them with role models and the resources needed to assist them in achieving their goals through our various entertainment and corporate relationships. This is being accomplished through partnerships with other foundations such as Alonzo Mourning Foundation, Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, Allan Houston Legacy Foundation, Jaris Reed Group (film documentary workshops for teens), Van Taylor Productions, Ed Keane Associates, as well as other recreational facilities, hospitals and educational institutions worldwide.
We have successfully completed programs at The Smithsonian, The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Cicely Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts, Harvard Law School, Berklee College of Music, Langston Hughes Community Library and, the Naniki Caribbean Jazz Safari festival series (Barbados, Antigua, Grenada, St. Vincent, et al), to name a few.
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Our international ties continue to grow, due to the number of UN officials and foreign diplomats who are lending their support by presenting our initiative to representatives from their respective countries
The BulLion Foundation will continue to delve into the realms of music, sports, nutrition and computer science to create programs for underprivileged people. Without opportunities and resources, even the most gifted individuals struggle.
Through our services, resources and supplies we will be able to usher in more intelligent, versatile and skilled individuals ready to contribute to the global market.
BUSINESS PROFILE:
Anre’ DaCosta CEO/Founder
As CEO//Founder of The BulLion Foundation, Anre’ has strategized and developed a blueprint combining education with several creative and skill-oriented disciplines for students in an effort to provide them with the tools needed to enhance their academic performance, as well as prepare them to achieve and compete in the global community.
Anre' DaCosta is the Founder and CEO of DIOS Music and BulLion Holdings, Inc. He was the Director of Business Development for TGF where he played a key role in the growth and expansion of that organization.
With 20 (plus) years of experience in the entertainment industry under his belt, Anre’ has gained a uniquely effective approach to marketing, radio promotion, public relations from positions he has held at record labels and corporations such as: Sony Music, Bank Of America, TVT Records, Universal / Uptown Records, DME Interactive / Roc A Blok Records / Places Of Color and Ruben Rodriguez Entertainment, to name a few.
His first venture as an entrepreneur DIOS Music , launched the careers of indie artists: BDS (aka BoonDox Saints). Stereo H (aka Hashim BING) and Electric Life Records artist Derek McKeith, alongwith a host of others.
As an entrepreneur, consultant, manager and producer, Anre' continues to mentor and develop artists representing various genres of music.
Education:
1996 - 2000
UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD -
B.S. Communications, Summer 2000
BUSINESS PROFILE:
SANDRA TRIM-DACOSTA - COO
Sandra Trim-DaCosta is an International Entertainment Marketing Consultant and serves on the board of The BulLion Foundation.
Her previous experience in the entertainment industry includes executive posts at N-Coded Music (Warlock/RED) - (V.P., Artist and Product Development) and GRP (MCA/Universal) - (V.P., Marketing) where her responsibilities included the supervision of the product management, publicity, video and advertising departments, and the development of specific marketing campaigns for the GRP Music Group. She worked closely with an artist roster that included George Benson ,Maysa, Diana Krall, Dr. John, Ramsey Lewis, to name a few.
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Before her tenure at GRP Records, Ms. Trim-DaCosta spent over a decade at CBS Records and Sony Music Entertainment Inc. where she held several positions. She was responsible for the career development and marketing of artists such as Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Earth Wind and Fire, Michael Jackson, Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Mariah Carey, Harry Connick, Jr., Roy Ayers, Marvin Gaye, as well as LL Cool J, Public Enemy and many other artists on the Def Jam/Columbia Records labels.
While Director of Educational/Cultural Affairs, Corporate Division at Sony Music, Ms. Trim-DaCosta developed educational initiatives and coordinated cultural affairs events for several labels. Prior to that, she worked at Columbia Records and held the positions of Director, Marketing, Columbia Records; Director, Artist Development, Columbia Records; Associate Director, Press and Public Information, CBS Records. Throughout her stint at Columbia, Ms. Trim-DaCosta pioneered “alternate” marketing techniques and was instrumental in establishing one of the internship programs for college students of color.
Ms. Trim-DaCosta served as a business and marketing consultant to several colleges and universities including Howard, Harvard law School, Hampton, San Diego City College, NYU, Berklee College of Music, to name a few. She is also in the midst of a long-term project with the Japanese-based Harmony Eyes Foundation’s educational/cultural initiatives and Osaka University project. Additional programs include music workshops for students in Barbados, Antigua, Grenada, etc. in conjunction with the Naniki Caribbean Jazz Safari festival series.
A native New Yorker, Ms. Trim-DaCosta was a member of the UNDP (United Nations Development Program for the Eradication of Poverty) Advisory Board and CACE International She also held positions on the Board of Directors of Graham Windham and Jazzmobile.
A recipient of several awards for her community service efforts, Ms.Trim-DaCosta is listed in “Who’s Who in Black America.” She was named as one of the Dollars and Sense Top 100 Black Business andProfessional Women. She was given the CEBA Award for excellence in advertising and received an award as one of the Outstanding Young Women in America. In addition, she was presented with a “Partner in Education” Award by the New York City Public Schools.
Education:
Richmond College - Bachelor of Arts - Education, Simmons College Management training program
CBS School of Management
BUSINESS PROFILE:
Van Taylor – Executive Director
Van has entertained all over the world at various Resorts and Embassies for over 30 years. He is a songwriter, and owner of Van Taylor Production music publishing company, and TM International an Internet music distributor company. Van is an artist developer, concert promoter and events coordinator. Van is the bandleader of the internationally known R&B/Jazz band “Taylor Made Jazz
Over the course of 30 years Van has helped to educate hundreds of musicians, and thousands of children with musical workshops, and has provided shows for over a hundred thousand members of our U.S. military and Embassies, their families and our allies by lifting their spirits and morale with musical performances. Van Has Lead some of the longest tours for Department of Defense on record for AFE. Van has produced several successful artists and TV shows. Many of his music students have opened their own businesses with their own bands, creating hundreds of jobs. Van plans to continue giving to his local and the world community to make a difference through music by supporting organization with sustainable conclusion such as The Hunger Project. Noted for his Charitable work Van Taylor’s band Taylor Made Jazz celebrated it’s 21st anniversary in 2008 by donating proceeds to National inner city youth opportunities and student against violence education.
In 2009, again in 2010 Van Taylor organized and produced “Concert From The Heart” the 1st cross genre concert bringing together classical, jazz rhythm and blues musicians to benefit the Food bank of Western New York, and the Buffalo City Mission. Featured was the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Taylor Made Jazz Concert Band, The Legendary Singer Lance Diamond, the Old School B Boys with The Mark Mazur Big little Band and the George Scott Big Band Featuring Melissa Kate. Van has served on 3 board of directors Buffalo Media Resource Group for film and digital development ( Squeaky Wheels) Retired, The Buffalo Music Hall of Fame, and the Colored Musicians Club the Oldest Jazz club in the United States
Van works with Young Audience of Western New York and Rochester providing music educational concerts and workshops for children in grade 3 to high school with his group Taylor Made Jazz
Van has served as a conference speaker on the business of music, marketing and international touring, to many music educational seminars and conferences over the years. During the late 1980s early 1990s Van served as regional conference coordinator for the Minnesota Black Music expo, the international Association of African American Music and the Western New York Music conference, He also served in Toronto as a Music Conference panelist and coordinator for the WNY Music Conference. During the 1970’s Van served as Music Director for several Motown and Philly International Touring Bands. During the late 1980’s Van produced the Hit TV show City Rhythm which aired on Fox Superstation taking the top spot in the Neilson Ratings. Van is also promoting a song called agape the hunger project to benefit the organization called the Hunger Project. Van is Current Seeking to expand his Company to support Veterans and servicemen and women while putting musicians to work. Van is actively working with the Traveling Guitar Foundation and BulLion Entertainment to provide support through the arts and giving physical support through corporate giving
Education: Seneca Voc high Electronics Electricity - Numerical Control Science, Erie Opportunity Center - Computer Science, Erie Community College - Electrical Science incomplete, EOC -PCA Certified Traumatic Brian Injury. Board of Directors: Buffalo Media Resource group19 years, Buffalo Music Hall of fame 15 years, Colored Musicians Club Advisory Board 20 years, Vice President Colored Musicians Club
Van’s references can be found in the Marquis Who’s Who in the East, Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World; also in Men of Achievement in Cambridge, England and the Buffalo News
BUSINESS PROFILE:
Ed Keane – CFO
Ed Keane founded Ed Keane Associates, Inc., a management and booking agency representing artistsincluding the multi-award winning Nnenna Freelon, Grammy and Dove Award winners Take 6, T. S.Monk, and others. Ed has produced several critically acclaimed recordings (including Nnenna’
Freelon’s LIVE, T.S. Monk’s Monk On Monk) and broadcast specials including Ladies of Note
(featuring legendary Lainie Kazan, Melba Moore, and Nnenna Freelon), which won the prestigious
National Education Television Association Performance Award. Prior to this, he worked as an
agent at Ted Kurland Associates representing artists including Chick Corea, Sonny Rollins, Pat
Metheny , Nina Simone, and more. His education activities and speaking engagements are many, most recently the Harvard Law School’s ‘Recording Artists Project,’ The Kennedy Center’s ‘Mid-Atlantic Arts Initiative,’ the Berklee College of Music’s ‘Business of Music Industry’ Day, the Tanglewood Jazz Festival industry panel, and many more. He has participated in and supported a variety of causes, fundraisers and special events including the Cambridge Housing Authority Foundation fundraiser (Cambridge, MA), DIVAS: Simply Singing AIDS Awareness Fundraiser (Los Angeles), Artist Services’Whitman-Walker Clinic fundraiser (Washington, D.C.), as well as the 2004 Democratic NationalConvention’s Black Caucus Institute (Boston, MA). Under his management, Ed’s artists have appeared to great success on the Grammy Awards Telecast, In Performance At The White House, andinnumerable other national and international programming.
In charity endeavors and community involvement, Ed has served on the Board of Directors for
several organizations including ZUMIX, Inc., the New England Jazz Foundation, Traveling Guitar
Foundation, and the Institute for Medicine, Psychology, and Religion (IMPR) and participated in the
Thelonious Monk Institute’s Annual Artist Competition, and maintains an active membership in the
National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences ‘Grammy In The Schools’ program.
In literary endeavors, he has worked to bring about True Coming of Age (2004, McGraw- Hill) and
Interviewing In-Depth: The Interactive-Relational Approach (Sage) with John Chirban, PhD., ThD.
In addition, he consults for Columbia College Chicago for the Chicago Jazz Ensemble. His efforts
have increased overall sales revenue by a factor of ten, raised the national profile of the organization,
and Ed earned his A. B. from Harvard University in Biochemical Sciences, a Certificate in Management
and Administration from Harvard’s Extension School, and is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree.
Awards & Honors
Producer of Live Shows:
“Dreaming The Duke” (funding by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
“Ladies Of Note” - - Kentucky Educational Television – National Education Award
“Monk On Monk”
Producer on Recordings:
Soulcall – (Nnenna Freelon, Artist – 2001) – Grammy nomination
Monk On Monk – (T. S. Monk, Artist – 1997 – Best Jazz Recording – New York Jazz Awards)
Among many others
EDUCATION
1985-86 Certificate in Management & Administration, Harvard University Extension
Program - Accounting, Management Principles
1980-84 A.B., Biochemical Sciences, Harvard University