May 13, 2026 I Appointments
Guitar Center Names Jennifer Hatton as Music & Arts President
Jennifer Hatton
Guitar Center has named Jennifer Hatton the new president of Music & Arts, the company’s school music division. Hatton brings nearly three decades of education sector leadership, most recently as chief growth officer at Aramark Collegiate Hospitality, where she helped secure more than $240 million in new business partnerships and achieved a 98% account renewal and retention rate over the last 18 months. Her appointment positions Music & Arts to accelerate growth across its school music, rental and lessons businesses.
“Music and Arts is the largest provider of K–12 band and orchestra rentals and equipment in the United States, and we currently have great momentum in the business,” said Gabe Dalporto, CEO of Guitar Center. “Jennifer has spent her career serving the education sector while building scalable operations, and that’s exactly what Music & Arts needs to keep growing.”
At Follett Higher Education, Hatton served as chief business development officer and executive vice president of retail operations and course materials strategy, overseeing a $1.6 billion business serving students and fans across 1,100 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. That background translates directly to Music & Arts’ network of school partnerships, rental programs, and lesson offerings.
“This brand has been inside schools and music programs for over 70 years,” Hatton said. “That kind of trust is hard to build and easy to lose. I’m here to make sure we keep earning it.”
Hatton’s appointment reflects Guitar Center’s continued investment in Music & Arts as a key component of its broader brand ecosystem, designed to support musicians at every stage of their journey.
