February Alumni Profile


Name: Sylvia Rhone
School: Penn
Degree: BA
Company: Elektra Entertainment Group
Title: Chairman/CEO

Sylvia Rhone's current tenure as Chairman of the Elektra Entertainment Group is the latest achievement in a distinguished 27-year career in the music business. Her historic appointment as Chairman/CEO of EEG establishes her as the only African American and the first woman in the history of thr recording industry to attain such a title.

During her first year at EEG she was enourmously successful at consolidating the three companies that became the Elektra Entertainment Group. Ms. Rhone guided the delicate merger of Elektra, EastWest, (of which she was formerly CEO), and Sire Records into the Warmer Music Group's premiere boutique label. She has been directly involved in the launch of several artists at EEG, including Staind, Yolanda Adams, Missy Elliott, Fabolous, Third Eye Blind, and Tamia. Long known throughout the industry as a keen developer of musical talent, she was also instrumental in the continuing success of platinum-plus artists like Metallica, Gerald Levert, Tracy Chapman, Bjork, Keith Sweat, and Natalie Merchant.

Her career reads like a virtual litany of firsts. In 1990 she became the first African American woman to head a major record company when she was named CEO/President of Atlantic's now EastWest Records America division. A year later when the EastWest artist roster and operations were combined with those of Atco Records, Rhone was named Chairman/CEO of Atco/EastWest, and subsequently of EastWest Records America

At EastWest, she was directly involved in breaking several talented newcomers as well as taking established artists to new heights. En Vogue, Gerald Levert, Pantera and Dream Theater all ignited during her watch. She also played a pivotal role in the furthering the careers of noted superstars like AC/DC and Simply Red, now both prestigious EEG artists.