OH Taxonomy
Ron Rowe served as President of JW Pepper following the tennor of his dear friend Dean Burtch. The two men were not only incredible business partners, they were close personal friends. Using the same passion and ethics as Dean, Ron helped grow the business during very trying times including a...
Bret Rhoades began his career in the music industry by working for Ken Stanton Music in Georgia. Bret learned band instrument repairs while attending college, and after a short time as a teacher he landed a job with Ted Frank in New Orleans. Ted Frank operated the sheet music department within...
Kathy Fernandes was lucky enough to have an inspiring flute teacher while in high school that helped encourage and foster Kathy’s interest in music. In fact, Kathy pursued a career as a school music teacher thanks to those teachers she learned from. While in graduate school, she was hired as a...
Charles Slater had a rich background in music publishing, having worked with a number of companies before arriving at JW Pepper. At Pepper, Charles worked on many projects over the years and expanded his interest in the accounting department to the level of becoming the CFO. His passion for...
Bobby Guitar Bennett was among the pioneering musicians who proved that Fender Stratocaster was the perfect instrument for the blues. Mr. Fender designed his electric guitar for country music and it was soon used by early rock and roll artists such as Buddy Holly, however it was Guitar Bennett and...
Michael Lipe turned his passion for guitars into his own, successful business. Founder and owner of Lipe Guitars in California, Michael gained experience for his trade by building a series of different styles of guitars. He created a name for himself as one of the most respected luthiers in the...
Leslie Faltin earned a degree the University of Arizona in chemistry with a minor in mathematics and physics. She was selling radiation therapy equipment in Bellflower, California with a career in science before her. That was, until she met Michael Faltin, who had just finished his degree in music...
Jennifer Batten is often found at a NAMM booth checking out the gear or providing her feedback on products she has played over the years. Washburn Guitars released a signature model that she took part in designing, which she has proudly played on recordings and on tour. While working with Jeff...
Greg Voelker is the inventor of a specialized drum rack system that has been used by top artists since the 1980s. His first rack was distributed by Premier Drums, which led to a full series of products including custom racks designed and created for Tommy Aldridge, Nick Menza, and Mickey Hart from...
Maricella Juarez, lovingly known throughout the industry as MJ, has been a positive force along side Seymour Duncan for several decades. Together they have created lasting and meaningful relationships with dealers, musicians, and even their own competition. The sincerity of her efforts to create...