Gini Rainey
Candidate for At-Large Board Member
Gini Rainey is a musician with over 70 years of experience. She began playing the piano at age five and has studied not only piano, but also organ, violin, flute, and guitar. As the daughter of two professional musicians, music has been the focal point of most of her life. She has taught piano, served as a staff organist, and directed children’s, youth, and adult choirs. She has also been an active participant in choirs, orchestras, and bands.
She was introduced to handbells 35 years ago by Arnold Sherman and soon became a member of his Joy Ringers handbell group at Pollard United Methodist Church. Not long after, she was invited to join vibré, a handbell quartet in which she is still active, and was also a charter member of Arnold’s semi-professional handbell group, the East Texas Handbell Ensemble. Additionally, she served as President of Tyler Community Concerts for over 20 years, with responsibilities that included fundraising, contracting, and presenting live entertainment to the Tyler, Texas, area, as well as chairing its Board of Directors.
She has served as a board member and officer for several nonprofit organizations and was a State Cabinet member and Tri-State Representative for March of Dimes. More recently, she was the owner of an independent car dealership for 15 years, having served as its business manager for 10 years prior to purchasing it. Most recently, she has been volunteering for the City of Tyler, Texas, where she has been placed in the Risk and Human Resources Departments.
What is your vision for Handbell Musicians of America?
My vision for Handbell Musicians of America is for it to continue to grow by encouraging young musicians to be part of handbell experiences. By making handbells more available and appealing to the secular populace through contemporary musical arrangements, the potential for growth could be phenomenal. The trend toward this type of music has already begun, and I feel it is a great step toward helping the world at large discover that handbells are not just for church anymore. The support being given to our young composers is a giant step toward that goal and a reminder that music can cross all borders and boundaries.
What expertise and experience will you bring to Handbell Musicians of America board of directors?
My expertise and experience help me recognize that the significant amount of time I have spent serving on a broad selection of nonprofit boards, along with my experience as a business manager for a successful car dealership, has given me the knowledge and understanding of the management and financial growth necessary to help make a difference in Handbell Musicians of America. Making my right brain shake hands with my left brain was a challenge, and I feel I was quite successful in accomplishing that. Serving Handbell Musicians of America would be an opportunity for me to combine my gifts, talents, and experience toward the goal of making a difference on a larger scale with an organization that I truly love.
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