Amid speculation this week that the threatened Gospel Music Association (GMA) could be closing its doors for good, it is moving ahead with a reorganization that includes future events such as the Dove Awards and membership drives, officials said.

"The GMA organization is actively engaged in a focused reorganization to best serve our membership as we move into 2010," Ed Leonard, GMA board chairman and Daywind Music Group president, told Christian Retailing. "You will be hearing about progress regarding events, the Dove Awards and membership in coming weeks."

Leonard's statement followed a Monday posting on the online social networking sites Twitter and Facebook by Nashville Publicity Group President Brian Mayes, who claimed that GMA was holding a vote the next day "to shut down the organization." In subsequent postings, Mayes questioned why members were still being called to renew memberships and where the $350,000 recently raised during the "Save the GMA" fund-raising event would go. The money was to help retire a $800,000 debt incurred from a past GMA Dove Awards sponsor dropout, GMA officials said.

In a recent interview with Christian Retailing, Leonard said the GMA benefit was one of several elements intended to "reset the organization," which has in recent years faced shrinking membership and attendance at its annual GMA Music Week. As part of that reorganization, John Styll, president and CEO for six years, stepped down from the role last month as the organization refits itself as "a more volunteer-driven operation." Styll remains a board member.

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