YNOT – Adult industry trade and lobbying association Free Speech Coalition on Tuesday announced the slate of candidates for the group’s 2010 board of directors. Seven individuals, four of them incumbents, are running for five seats.
Incumbent board members-at-large running for re-election are Tom Hymes, Joy King and Theresa “Darklady” Reed. Board President Jim Everett also is running unopposed for re-election.
Everett is president of the Everett Retail Group, an international retail services firm based in Columbus, Ohio. His clients include many of the world’s leading retailers and manufacturers. He also is a frequent speaker at retail trade associations, universities and retail events and currently serves on the steering committee for Habitat for Humanity.
Hymes has worked in the adult industry for 10 years as a writer, editor, publisher and communications professional for companies including AVN Media Network and FSC. He also has coordinated and participated in trade show seminars, and still finds time to update his own website, DailyBabylon.com. He is running for his second term on the board.
King got her start in adult in 1984 at Caballero Home Video. In 1995, she moved to Wicked Pictures, where she currently serves as vice president. Among her career highlights is shepherding Jenna Jameson to megastar status. She has assisted in the FSC’s lobbying efforts for the past 10 years.
Reed is a freelance writer for publications including AVN and HuffingtonPost.com. In addition, she is president of Portland, Ore.-based Darklady Productions Inc., which produces pansexual fundraising events. She serves not only as the FSC’s liaison to the Free Speech Alliance, but also to the Woodhull Freedom Foundation. A screenwriter, public speaker and sex educator, Reed has run for local public office twice.
The three new candidates are Christian Mann, Neda Ghazanfarpour and Sasha Hollander.
A 30 year veteran of adult entertainment, Mann has worked in publishing, mail-order, video production, sales and marketing. Formerly the owner of Video Team, today he serves as the general manager of Evil Angel Entertainment. A staunch defender of the First Amendment, Mann was acquitted of federal obscenity charges in 1989 after a lengthy trial in Texas. He was awarded AVN’s 1st Amendment Defense Award in 1991 and the FSC’s Good Guy Award in 2000 and will be inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame — Founder’s Branch in January.
Ghazanfarpour is the founder of HR Monster LLC, a human resources service provider. She earned more than 10 years of hands-on human resources and business operations experience following receipt of a masters degree in organizational leadership with an emphasis in human resources.
Hollander is a performer and the owner of Mercus, Yogi & Hollander Inc., which she established to help adult businesses create and manage their brand images.
More information about the election, as well as photos and brief bios of each of the candidates, is available at the FSC’s website, FreeSpeechCoalition.com.
Electronic ballots have been sent to all active members. Ballots must be returned by midnight Jan. 15 in order for votes to be tallied.
“We hope that FSC members will take the time to cast their votes,” FSC Executive Director Diane Duke said. “It’s important that they are well-represented by their industry’s trade association.”
Sue Denim is a freelance writer specializing in sexuality and the adult entertainment industry.
