Band and Orchestra
Ago (Alan) Koerv joined the Wurlitzer Company in 1960 as Chief Financial Officer after working as a consultant for the instrument maker’s annual reports. Located in the DeKalb headquarters, he oversaw the factory expansion project in the 1970s and took part in the selling of the company’s organ...
Richard Berger is the President of Grover Musical Products. Richard also oversaw the Trophy Grover Company as well as Grossman Musical Products, which was formed by his great uncle, Henry Grossman. During his interview, Richard provided great perspective on the way wholesale and product...
Sylvia Perry and her late husband, Mack, teamed up in 1945 to establish Peripole, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Perry taught music and worked to innovate and manufacture instruments for the growth and development of music education from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. In 1986, the Music Industry Council...
Millie Swanson was known as “The Sweetheart of Wurlitzer.” She joined the company in 1931 as an office clerk while still in high school. Over the years, as Wurlitzer grew into the largest musical instrument maker in the world, Millie was promoted to assistant to Mr. Wurlitzer and served in that...
Bertil Larson was like so many of the former employees at the mighty Wurlitzer Company that found his experiences there to have been happy ones and the friends he has made like family. The DeKalb, Illinois plant and main office brought the home spun feelings to the largest musical instrument...
Anna Sipavich was a real life Rosie the Riveter with ties to the music products industry. She was a factory worker at the Wurlitzer Company in DeKalb, IL, when the Second World War broke out. As talk of lay-offs floated around the company in the early days of the war, a government job soon allowed...
Jeanne Bundy-Morrow was only married to Frank Bundy a few months when her father-in-law, the pioneering instrument designer George Bundy, passed away. Because Jeanne had known George for many years it was a blow to her and her entire family when he died in 1951. At the time, George Bundy was...
William Reglein played a key role in the growth and development of the jj Babbitt Company since taking over its presidency from his father, Bud. William’s great uncle was the company’s founder, Jessie James Babbitt, who began creating musical instrument mouthpieces out of his small garage in...
Wu H. Hsieh is the president of KHS Musical Instruments. KHS was named for the Chinese words Kong for contribution, Hsue for school and Sheh for society, therefore clearly stating the company’s goal of contributing to school and society. KHS produces a long line of brands such as Jupiter, Mapex,...
Hugo Schreiber along with his brother and father formed the W. Schreiber Music Company in Germany in 1946. In very difficult post war years, Hugo oversaw the expansion of the market and guided the company’s import and export business. He served as president of the company when it was taken over by...