Gretsch Drums recently announced a round of leadership changes intended to strengthen how its teams operate across both the U.S. and Europe. Among those changes, Dave Anania is stepping into a newly expanded role as Director of Artist Relations, now overseeing relationships both at home and abroad.
At the same time, Andrew Shreve steps into a wider leadership role, now overseeing brand direction, product development, and production at Gretsch Drums USA.
Anania’s no stranger to Gretsch. For years, he’s been tied to the brand, most notably through his work as Drum Captain with Blue Man Group. His journey with Gretsch actually began during the early days of GEWA Music’s European distribution, when Nico Nevermann brought him on board as an artist. More recently, he’s taken on a stateside marketing and sales role, helping connect with artists across both continents.
Shreve, meanwhile, has already been deeply involved in manufacturing and artist support. He’ll continue to offer that experience while working alongside Terry Bissette, VP of Sales and Marketing at GEWA Music USA, and Nick D’Virgilio, who oversees digital marketing and content. Together, they’re expected to help shape Gretsch’s next chapter.
In Europe, Nico Nevermann keeps his current role in artist relations. On the product side, Stefan Weiler remains in charge of overall strategy for the drum line. Take a look how their incredible production in this great walkthrough video here, from last year.
There’s been movement on the operations front, too. Joshua Safer has taken over as Director of Operations, following years spent working closely with Paul Cooper. Cooper, now moving into a role focused on special projects, will also be leading development at the Ridgeland, South Carolina facility: a site that remains central to Gretsch’s U.S. production.
Leaders from GEWA Music and GEWA USA both pointed out that these shifts are part of a broader effort to bring tighter coordination between their global teams. The goal? A more unified Gretsch experience, no matter where the drums are made or played.
Marcel Messner, CEO of GEWA Music, said the new roles were chosen with long-term plans in mind, aligning each person’s strengths with where the brand is headed. Better communication and more efficient internal systems are just part of what the restructuring aims to improve. Rick Hall, CEO of GEWA Music USA, added that Gretsch now has one of the most capable teams in the industry and remains focused on the people who play and support the brand.
The company also mentioned that more updates are on the way for distributors and retailers as new projects take shape in the coming months.
