OH Taxonomy
George Nellas started his career in the music industry at Byerly Music in the 1970s selling home organs in the store's mall locations. After moving to Los Angeles, George worked for Sherman Clay for over a decade as well as Fields Piano. While working retail in California, some industry colleagues...
Ron Losby was classically trained on the piano and began his love of the music industry by providing free lessons at Sherman Clay’s retail chain. He later worked within the Wurlitzer music stores where he was trained on the “Wurlitzer Way” of doing business. Those classes provided a foundation for...
Makoto Muroi's passion for music began in school when he played the French Horn. He studied computers in college and worked on microcomputer development. While working on drum machines at Roland, Mr. Kakehashi suggested to Makoto that he explore how video and music can better work together with...
Mike Capalbo worked as manager at Downey Music which was started by his dad, Nate Capalbo. The family owned and operated, Downey Music was established in 1952 when Nate left La Habra Music. Mike recalls how his father, Nate, used his passion for music and some financial help from his parents, to...
Bob Carlin got interested in rock and roll when he was just 12 years old. As a kid, he would go into Manny’s Music in New York just to see the guitars and how the industry operated. Later in life, Bob became fascinated with the vintage instrument market and how the music products industry became...
Adriana Flores proudly represents the third generation in her family to run Alamo Music in San Antonio, Texas. The store was established by her grandfather Alfredo Flores Sr. (1908-2014) back in 1929. Her father, Alfredo Flores Jr., took over the business from his father and later served as...
Dean Daniels plays a vital role in the production of the annual TEC Awards during the Anaheim NAMM Shows. His expertise in video production goes back to the early days of country music programs on television, which his father helped pioneer. His dad started his career on radio and later directed...
Lou Castro has often said that NAMM is about the people! As a musician and songwriter, Lou has been involved with many musical products and publishers over the years and when it comes time for the trade show each year, he knows he will get the opportunity to connect with those important to his...
Lori Rubinstein was the first employee of the Theatrical Dealers Association, which in 1994 changed its name to the Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA). Under Lori's leadership, the organization created the ANSI-accredited Technical Standards Program, which focuses on safety...
Bernie Williams is the former professional baseball player whose passion for music making led him to a role as a music advocate. Being a musician since he was a kid, Bernie perused a successful career as a baseball player for 16 years before gaining his degree in music at the Manhattan School of...