Music Manufacturing
Judy Rinehart began working for the Selmer Company in Elkhart, Indiana in the 1970s. Her work at the time was very precise hand work, which changed over the years with the advent of the CNC machines, but was never fully replaced by machines. With the goal of creating quality musical instruments,...
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...
Tom Ott began training in the tool and die business right after high school at which point he was hired by the CG Conn Company in Elkhart, Indiana to work in the factory. Tom has been there ever since! Tom’s work has been focused on making jigs, dies and machine tools for the process of musical...
Lorna Kirchner has worked for Selmer, now Conn-Selmer, in Elkhart for over 40 years. She recalls the days before the CNC machines came into the factory, when all of the work was done by hand. Her attention to details and skills at soldering continue to be used in making musical instruments and...
John Creachbaum began his career in the music industry with Coffman Music in Ohio before he joined the Selmer Company in Elkhart, Indiana in 1984. He studied music education in college and trained to be a band director before working for the music store for eight years. His background as both an...
Paula Walker began working in the music industry right out of high school for the Gemeinhart flute company in Elkhart, Indiana. In the early years she worked primarily on student instruments for Gemeinhart, which provided products designed especially for younger students. Her attention to detail...
Jack Shanholt began working for Selmer in Elkhart, Indiana in the factory. He was proud of his training, from the veteran craftsmen at the time, which is a tradition continued to this day. In fact, Jack has trained several younger employees over the years. As a musician and former band member in...
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...
Tom Fischer worked for the Gemeinhart flute company in Elkhart, Indiana for over 25 years. Tom was part of the factory workers team and contributed his hand-craftsmenship to the assembly of both student and professional level flutes. He later joined the Conn-Selmer Company where he continued to...
Cynthia Templeton has worked for one and only one company in the music industry. She was hired by Selmer in Elkhart, Indiana in the early 1970s and remained with the company for her entire career. She remained with the company when it merged with Conn in 2003 and has supported the company in a...