Guitar Center Inc.
Bryan Bradley proudly states in his NAMM interview that he has had several mentors throughout his career that helped him grow and develop within the industry. Among those mentors were Gene Joly and Morty Manus. Bryan wrote songs for several television projects before becoming a buyer for Guitar...
Gina Bergmann was introduced to music at a young age, and attended a music school while growing up in Chicago, Illinois. When a Sam Ash music store opened up in her neighborhood, Gina got a job, which was her introduction to the music industry. She went on to work for both Mars Music and Guitar...
Ray Scherr was hired by Wayne Mitchell, the founder of Guitar Center, to help strengthen and develop the small store. Ray added the culture and helped drive the growth of the company from the one location to the largest music store chain in the world. His passion for the music industry began when...
Elliott Wessel likes to point out the fact that he has had five different positions at Schmitt Music at five different times during his career. He also conveys, as many others have, that Schmitt Music employees are much like a family. While Elliott worked at a time for Guitar Center in Dallas and...
David Angress has spent his career in the technology and specialty products markets, holding several senior executive positions in retail, manufacturing and installation segments at companies including Guitar Center, Harman, and Sound Genesis. Angress was an essential member of the core group of...
Bill Robinson began working in the music industry when he was in his 20s. His high school friend opened a music store after graduation and hired Bill to work for the store where he later became a partner. When the store closed some years later, Bill became an independent rep for several music...
Richie Pidanick was the Vice President of Culture and Values at Guitar Center. It was Richie’s job to train the company’s employees on the philosophy of what is most important to the corporate culture, namely customer service. Richie knew the culture and Guitar Center’s values as he lived them...
Gene Joly is a well respected leader within the industry who has mentored many young employees who have developed within their own careers as well as helping grow the industry! After performing on the road for several years, Gene was offered a job in the music store he often hung out at, EU...
Bob Scheiwiller taught music for three years before landing a job at a music store; the very first store he would later purchase. Bob bought and opened several music stores over the years beginning in the early 1970s, with a strong focus on band instruments. Also beginning in the early 1970s, Bob...
Marty Albertson began working at the Guitar Center in San Francisco when the small chain’s founder, Wayne Mitchell, was still active in the business. Marty was there to see the store locations expand and grow and was very much a part of the executive branch of the company when it was first offered...