CLEVELAND (CelebrityAccess) – GRAMMY Museum Mississippi has announced the addition of three new members to its Board of Directors. The new members are Betsy Aguzzi of the Mississippi Limestone Corporation, music publicist and entrepreneur Zach Farnum and artist manager Gaines Sturdivant. Aguzzi, Farnum and Sturdivant have been elected to 3-year terms. All terms for the new Board Members began in January 2025.
The Board of Directors is responsible for governance, oversight, and major decision-making for GRAMMY Museum Mississippi, and establishing a strategic plan so that the Museum can fulfill its educational mission.
“We are thrilled to welcome Betsy Aguzzi, Zach Farnum and Gaines Sturdivant to our Board of Directors,” said Emily Havens, Executive Director of GRAMMY Museum Mississippi. “Each of these talented new members is an expert in their individual field and will be an exceptional addition to our Board. We’re looking forward to working with them and the rest of our Board to continue to enhance our music education programming and other inspiring events that we offer here at GRAMMY Museum Mississippi for the next several years and beyond.”
About Betsy Aguzzi
Betsy Aguzzi is a graduate of Delta State University where she obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology and biological sciences. Aguzzi worked for Baxter Healthcare Corporation for 24 years and held roles of increasing responsibility in both the Quality and Operations organizations. She was the Director of Quality for 10 years and ended her career at Baxter as the Site Director. Aguzzi is currently the Operations Director for the Mississippi Limestone Corporation. She lives in Cleveland, Miss., with her husband, John Aguzzi, Jr., and attends Our Lady of Victories Catholic Church. She and John have two children.
About Zach Farnum
Zach Farnum is a respected publicist, entrepreneur and music industry leader dedicated to amplifying the legacies of music icons and championing the careers of rising stars. As the founder and president of 117 Entertainment, he has led high-impact PR campaigns for legends like Randy Travis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Mickey Gilley, and Bobby Bare, as well as contemporary talents such as David Nail, Muscadine Bloodline, and Emily Ann Roberts. Farnum has been at the forefront of some of country music’s most significant moments in recent years. In 2024, he was on the team with Warner Music Nashville to help launch Randy Travis’ “Where That Came From” — the first-ever commercial single using artificial intelligence to ethically recreate an artist’s voice with their consent and involvement. He also coordinated Randy and Mary Travis’ testimony before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee in support of the American Music Fairness Act (AMFA) and AI protections for artists. Before founding 117 Entertainment in 2017, Farnum worked at Nashville’s leading firms, handling PR for icons like Charlie Daniels and Kenny Rogers, as well as corporate clients such as APA and Springer Mountain Farms. Beyond his PR work, Farnum is a committed industry advocate. In 2025, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum added him to the leadership team for its Young Professional Troubadour Advisory Council. Farnum is also a board member of the Randy Travis Foundation and sits on the Academy of Country Music’s Public Relations Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the Country Music Association and The Recording Academy. A Rhode Island native, Farnum moved to Nashville to study communications and music business at Trevecca Nazarene University.
About Gaines Sturdivant
Gaines Sturdivant is an artist manager at Red Light Management, the largest and leading independent management company. He has directed the careers of A-list entertainers for nearly 20 years. Upon completion of his master’s degree from New York University, he immediately entered the field and currently oversees a personal roster including artists Jon Pardi, Kip Moore and Craig Morgan. Sturdivant and his son co-authored the children’s book A Waffle Can Change the World, a feat through which Sturdivant continues to champion philanthropic integration in the music business. Net profits from Sturdivant’s children’s book benefit the A Waffle Can Change the World Fund, which honors associates of Waffle House #473 by supporting non-profit organizations engaged in youth enrichment services and education on a local and national level to positively impact future generations. His international pursuits have expanded the footprint of country music, most notably in South Africa, including the Cape Town Country Music Festival. He is a founding member of the Manager’s Think Tank for the GRAMMY Creators Alliance and an advocate for the larger creative community. Hailing from Mississippi, he currently resides in Nashville and is an avid pilot.
