MCA Records taps Levin

By VARIETY STAFF

In a further beefing up of its ranks, MCA Records has tapped promotion powerhouse Nancy Levin as senior veep. In the newly created post, Levin will oversee MCA's promotion department as well as play a key role in guiding the label.

Levin, who joins from an eight-month stint as veep at the beleaguered Red Ant Entertainment, brings to MCA an extensive background in record promotion.

"Nancy's wealth of experience will galvanize our promotion department and drive us to a new level," Abbey Konowitch, exec veep of MCA Records, told Daily Variety. "Her energy and sense of getting the job done in breaking new artists and her overall knowledge of the marketing areas make her the perfect fit for the creative/marketing team."

Levin, known as a creative promo powerhouse who excels in breaking discs in the R&B and alternative genres, came in over promotion veep Skip Bishop.

Bishop sacrifice?

Sources said Bishop, who helped shepherd a number of successful discs during his tenure, is in the process of settling his pact and ankling the label.

"Musically, MCA is a feast for me," Levin said. "The records and artists are great and the potential is through the roof."

Before Red Ant, Levin was senior veep of promotion at Priority Records. She also spent eight years in various posts at Warner/Reprise Records.

She is credited with promoting successful discs from Ice Cube, among others, while at Priority Records. Red Ants on march

Label insiders note that Levin, who is expected to bring a handful of her Red Ant promo compatriots to the new gig, will join the label at a time when it is on the verge of breaking several key records from such acts as Blink 182 and Aqua.

In June, MCA restructured several of its key departments, resulting in the exits of more than a dozen staffers at all levels of the company.