Band and Orchestra
Judy Monk began working for the Armstrong Flute Company before it was purchased by Selmer and moved to a new building in Elkhart in 1975. She has been with Selmer ever since. Judy has worked primarily in corking musical instruments and enjoys her job as well as the people she has worked with over...
Karen Feltz is one of the voices of Conn-Selmer as she serves in the customer service department. She joined Selmer right out of high school and has worked for the company for over 40 years. Music dealers around the world know Karen for her dedication to finding answers to their questions and for...
Bernice Pelmear began working in the Selmer factory in Elkhart, Indiana in 1973. She was trained by veteran co-workers, a tradition she carried on as a trainer years later. Her work focused on assembling oboes and bassoons and continued on after the merge with Conn.
Elaine Taylor began working on the bench at Selmer in Elkhart in 1975, where she covered cases. Over the years she has worked in the cork and padding department for saxophones, also in the instrument cleaning department, in the office and then as a supervisor in the instrument accessory...
Mark Goff was ready to work for a musical instrument manufacturer after college when he was told that he needed retail experience. Impressed with the idea and eager to learn all he could he applied to work at Paige’s Music in Indiana. Mark enjoyed working with the owner, past NAMM Chairman Warner...
Ray Guntren is the president of Midbell Music in Iowa, a retail store he first began working at when he was a teenager. Over the years the chance came up for Ray to purchase the store, which he later did. Under Ray’s direction Midbell Music has been a strong supporter in several industry...
Larry Biernacki opened the first of three music stores in Deerfield, Illinois. Like with all three locations, he named it after the local community to provide a neighborhood feel to each store. Along with a strong focus on customer service, the stores have become the place to be for musicians and...
Ken Ingram served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Selmer Company in Elkhart, Indiana. He enjoyed working with the dealers around the country and the staff at Selmer, which he felt were the best in the business. Ken worked for Selmer from l952 until 1974 when he became Vice...
Dee Starkey recalls the days when his father, Jim, had a well known dance band in Wichita and played at night while teaching music during the day. In 1954 he opened Jim Starkey Music with a strong focus on lesson programs and hiring the best teachers in the area. His wife, Sally, who he met in...
Kenny Fruhauf recalls with a smile the years he spent working with his grandfather, Lou, the founder of Fruhauf Uniforms in Wichita, Kansas. Lou built the business on creative designs, customer service and high quality of products and craftsmanship. The ideals of Lou continued to his son, Ken,...