Bunnell is also the founder and owner of The Record Exchange in Boise, Idaho, with his wife Jil Sevy. With his retirement from CIMS, Bunnell plans to devote more time to the family-run store he opened 42 years ago.

“I’m very proud of the work I have done over the last 11 years at CIMS, and I hope that I have represented my group of stores and the independent physical retail sector in a favorable light,” Bunnell said. “Managing the organization during the recession and all the dramatic changes in the music industry presented many difficult challenges which myself and the CIMS Board worked vigorously to overcome.”

“The independent stores remain the heart and soul of this industry, and it’s where the true believers still reside. In an age of instant gratification and digital domination, our stores still fight the good fight and bring art and excitement to communities around the world. They all deserve respect from an industry that hasn’t made it easy for them to survive. I hope that by providing them all a platform to share ideas and marketing muscle, the CIMS stores are stronger and more resilient than they were when I arrived.”

His successor Paschal has worked closely with Bunnell to grow the coalition and keep CIMS at the forefront of the independent retail sector.