Music industry veteran and mobile entertainment champion Ralph Simon received the Outstanding Contribution to Mobile Entertainment award at this years Mobile Entertainment Awards. Now in their second year, the awards shine the spotlight on the mobile content business and were held last week in London.   
With an illustrious background in the music industry spanning three decades, Simon was one of the first international trailblazers for mobile music. As a Founder of MEF (Mobile Entertainment Forum) Americas, and its first Chairman, he successfully argued for linking fans to their favourite artists and music via their mobile phone, forging ongoing alliances and seeding todays $7 billion (3.5 billion) mobile music industry.
Presenting the award, MEF Global Chairman, Patrick Parodi said:
From its inception, MEF has attracted the leading industry pioneers whose passion and drive has allowed two vastly different industries to advance mobile as an exciting new entertainment medium. Ralph launched MEF Americas in Hollywood, helped launch the first UK and US ringtone charts and worked with MEF members to advance innovative mobile music business models. We are delighted that Ralph has been recognized by this special industry award as one of the fathers of mobile entertainment.
In accepting his award, Simon praised the dynamism and innovation within the mobile entertainment industry and said he was delighted yet humbled by the award. Other MEF members to pick up awards were Spin3, Waat, Buongiorno, PlayerX, Groove Mobile, Terraplay, Bango, Admob, Jumbuck, Nokia and Ericsson.