American Society for Collective Rights Licensing

Who We Are

ASCRL, The American Society for Collective Rights Licensing, Inc., is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit collective management organization (CMO) for visual art authors and rights owners. We collect royalties and distribute them to our members based upon representation agreements that we have with other collecting societies around the world. Our intention is to provide you with an ongoing revenue stream from reprographic funds because you are an author or rights owner in visual work.
​
ASCRL works to maximize the return to rights holders and minimize collection and distribution expenses. ASCRL is the only author and rights holder created CMO that is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit organization in the U.S. We are on your side working to help you sustain your businesses and improve your livelihood at no cost to you. Learn more
Leadership

​ASCRL is managed by its board of directors: Michael Grecco, Eugene Mopsik, Jeffrey Sedlik, John Simson, Esq., and James Silverberg, Esq. All directors serve, in their capacity as directors, as volunteers without compensation.  The current board members have extensive experience and knowledge in the area of collective rights management both here in the United States and around the world. Eugene Mopsik also serves as ASCRL's Chief Executive Officer.
​James Silverberg, Esq., also serves as General Counsel to ASCRL and works on ASCRL business affairs.

Michael Grecco

Director

Michael Grecco is a multiple award-winning industry leader best known for his iconic celebrity portraits and visionary magazine covers, editorials, and advertising spreads for NBS/Universal, GE, Pfizer, HBO, Kodak, ABC, IBM, Yahoo!, ESPN, Wired, Time, Entertainment Weekly, Esquire, Premier, MAXIM and more. His distinguished work is regularly featured in prestigious galleries such as: Louis Stern, G. Ray Hawkins, Stephen Cohen and Fahey Klein.

Eugene Mopsik

Chief Executive Officer

Eugene Mopsik has a long and distinguished record as an advocate for photographers and other visual artists and served as the Executive Director of the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) from 2003 to 2014. He is a passionate supporter of artists’ rights, earning him a high level of respect from artists’ organizations, publishers, industry partners, lawmakers and government agencies in the US and globally.  Mopsik attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and worked as a successful corporate /industrial photographer for 32 years with clients such as Mack Truck, Ingersoll-Rand and Hyster Company.

Jeffrey Sedlik

Director

Jeff Sedlik is a photographer, director, educator, publisher, and consultant. A leading expert on image licensing, copyright and the business o​f photography, Sedlik is President of the PLUS Coalition, and past National President of the APA. Recognition: 2005 IPC Photography Industry Leadership Award. 2006 PhotoMedia Photography Person of the Year. 2007 APA Industry Advocate of the Year. 2008 Honorary Masters Degree for Professional Achievement, Brooks Institute, Clio, Ozzie, Creativity Award, Art Directors Club, Communication Arts (10), One Show, PDN/Nikon, One Show, Art Direction Magazine.

John Simson, Esq.

Director

 John Simson, Esq., served as the Executive Director of SoundExchange from 2001-2010, an organization he helped launch in 2001. SoundExchange collects royalties from internet and satellite radio services on behalf of recording artists and record labels. The organization is now responsible for distributions greater than Two Billion
Dollars since inception.                                              

James Silverberg, Esq.

Director

General Counsel, Business Affairs

James Silverberg is a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, and is a multi jurisdictional trial lawyer admitted to practice in federal courts throughout the United States. For over 30 years he has been an authors rights advocate, representing some of the most famous intellectual properties in the world, while advocating for such organizations as the American Center for Design, American Institute of Graphic Artists, American Photographic Artists, Graphic Design Education Association, and White House News Photographers Association. JD The National Law Center, The George Washington University, B.A. Honors, State University of New York. 

Advisory Board

​ASCRL has a distinguished Advisory Board composed of industry and trade group representatives, leading academic scholars, and licensing experts. ASCRL works closely with the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations (IFRRO). 

ASCRL Advisory Board:
​Whitney Sherman, MICA, Director, MFA in Illustration Practice, Co-Director, Dolphin Press & Print
Taina Litwak, Litwak Illustration Studio
Jim Griffin, OneHouse
John Harrington, White House News Photographers Association
Ramon Purcell, American Photographic Artists
David Trust, Professional Photographers Of America
Vincent van Eijnde, Pictoright, Netherlands
Bob Mason, Society of Animal Artists 
Bill Rosenblatt, GiantSteps Media Technology Strategies