Leadership

Daniel Wendt

Daniel Wendt was born and raised in Denham Springs, Louisiana. He joined his middle school band in 6th grade and has been playing saxophone ever since. Daniel attended Louisiana State University and graduated in 2016 with a B.S. in Financial Planning and again in 2018 with an M.S. in Corporate Finance. During his college tenure, he marched in the Golden Band From Tigerland as an alto saxophone player from 2012-2014, and as the Drum Major of the band from 2015-2017.  

While at LSU, Daniel co-founded Tonal Innovation with his best friend. Tonal Innovation helped to begin the digital revolution in marching bands by creating the first commercially available phone holder for lyres called eFlip. Since its introduction in 2016, the eFlip product line has grown to accomodate more instruments and Tonal Innovation launched a mobile app for bands to digitally distribute files and documents.

Daniel is a Founding Member of the Four Notes Club at LSU and is the current President Elect. The Four Notes Club was founded in 2019 by a group of Tiger Band alumni who saw an opportunity to create an organization that would bring together alumni and friends of the Tiger Marching Band. TFNC is working quickly to engage former members and is the host of the first Alumni Band Reunion at LSU since the coronavirus pandemic began. 

Ken Corbett

Ken Corbett is from Columbia, SC and is a graduate with a B.S. in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy degree from the University of South Carolina. He began marching Clarinet in the Carolina Band in 1976 until 1979. He switched his major from music to accounting and worked for the University of South Carolina in Finance for 37 years retiring in 2018.

Ken is the current President of the Carolina Alumni Band Association, which began in 2022. The alumni band program has been in place for our 30 years but just became a formal association last year. He volunteers and donates regularly to the University of South Carolina Band Program and runs the online site for band merchandise.

Bill Phillips

Bill Phillips serves as the Vice President for the National Association of Alumni Bands. Bill was a trumpet player in The University of Texas Longhorn Band and joined the Longhorn Alumni Band (LHAB) since graduation in 1976. He has marched in and performed in every halftime show since joining the LHAB.

Bill’s service in the NAoAB will support the goals and mission of the organization. That necessarily includes helping schools with no alumni band create one, provide support for new and existing alumni bands in a manner that helps them reach their goals and objectives, and mentoring alumni bands in an effort to help them accomplish their specific goals.

As a member of the Longhorn Alumni Band Charitable Fund Board of Trustees, he has been instrumental in significantly increasing the number of scholarships and dollar amounts given to LHB students.  He helped create the Longhorn Alumni Band “Legacy Fund”, a fund directly supporting the Longhorn Band and he initiated an annual golf tournament.  As Steering Committee Chair, Bill helped lead a 300-member alumni band (including 235 VIP’s) to perform in Normandy, France for the 75^th of D-Day on June 4, 2019, and was co-producer of the documentary film of the bands performances at the American Cemetery in Omaha Beach and other key events in France.

Bill’s professional career in the energy industry includes over 40 years of industry experience in onshore and offshore domestic and international upstream operations. Bill received a Petroleum Land Management degree from The University of Texas at Austin in 1976.  Bill is the President of Skelly Energy Company and currently serves on the Advisory Council of the Energy Initiative Program in the University of Texas McCombs School of Business, serves on the UT Chancellor’s Council, various energy industry boards and committees.  In the Fine Arts arena, Bill serves on the board of the world renown Dallas Winds.

Geof Sloan

Geof Sloan, helped conceive the formation of the National Association of Alumni Bands in 2018 at the symposium held in Austin, and since June 2019, he has chaired the organizing committee through the process of writing the bylaws and governing documents that created the organization. His vision with NAoAB is to help alumni bands at all the major collegiate programs grow or help those who want to start their alumni bands. His goal is to increase the visibility of alumni bands across the nation supported through the efforts of the association member bands and for NAoAB to be the indispensable advocate for alumni bands. 

Geof is currently serving in the University of Texas Longhorn Alumni Band (LHAB) as the Past-President and previously served as the Vice President of Communications. He attended both UT-Austin and University of Mississippi where he performed in the percussion sections and played drum-set in both school’s jazz programs. In 2019, he served as President of the Longhorn Alumni Band when LHAB attended the 75th Anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France, and lead 535 alumni and family members on a week-long adventure honoring the WWII veterans of the allied landing liberating France from German forces in 1944. Geof regularly performs with various small ensembles in Austin and Central Texas, as well as local community bands and symphonies. His website is: www.geofsloan.com 

Geof is a people-oriented executive with proven experience in leadership, media and communications, business development, and client experience, combining a unique career in real estate, media technology and quick-service restaurants. His career has been working in client experience, product development, organizational management, and people development. He has a diverse and eclectic background in operations, communications, digital marketing, brand management and business development and focus on building strong relationships and connecting people. 

Geof’s day job is consulting with clients in Central Texas on real estate transactions. He is very humbled, honored, and excited to serve as the inaugural NAoAB President. 

Robin Oegerle

Robin Oegerle is a founding member of NAoAB. She played piccolo in the University of Florida Gator Band and earned a degree in Music Education. She was a member of the Beta Xi Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma at UF. Robin also is a pianist and received a Master of Music degree from the University of Massachusetts. Her love for the Gator Band had her serve on the board of the Gator Band Alumni Association as both secretary and president. During her term as president, she was instrumental in the fundraising for the Gator Band Practice Facility and received the Pride of the Sunshine award for Exemplary service to the Gator Band. She established the Robin Oegerle Music Education Fund at the University of Florida as she believes that funding music education in the schools is essential.

Robin, a Florida native, is retired and lives in Siesta Key, Florida. She spent her professional career as Marketing Director for three national securities institutions and served as financial advisor. Robin served on the board of the Maryland Stadium Authority, Maryland Public Television and The Baltimore Opera. She was named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women. For fun she runs marathons and plays keyboard with a local rock group.

Erin Kalkwarf

Erin Kalkwarf graduated from Iowa State University in 2005 and have since been an active member of The Society of the ISU Alumni Band, which was formally organized in 1980. You can find more information about the ISU Alumni Band on our website.

Currently, Erin serves on the ISU Alumni Band executive board as the Immediate Past President after previously serving as President, President-elect, Treasurer and Director-at-large.

Erin is interested in this position with the NAoAB because she would love to help new Alumni Bands get started and help current bands do more. Erin met several NAoAB officers at the 2019 symposium in Seattle and felt energized to improve what they do at ISU. Erin continues to worry that as university and college budgets get cut, Alumni groups might be relied upon more heavily to ensure band programs survive.

Candace Vernille

Ranelle Maltas

Ranelle Maltas is from Lincoln, Nebraska and began her marching band experience on the flagline of her Aurora, Nebraska high school, where her instructor (a UNL flagline alumnae) encouraged her to audition at the university. She was on the UNL Cornhusker Marching Band flagline from 1987-91 and served in the band leadership during that time. She graduated with a degree from the College of Business in the summer of 1992.

Returning to participate in every reunion held since her graduation, Ranelle soon became involved with the leadership of the UNL Band Alumni Association. She is currently an elected board member after serving previous terms as Vice-President and General Manager. Ranelle has been served on various boards for other non-profit organizations, such as the Lincoln Chapter of the Association for Talent Development and the University Association for Administrative Development.

Ranelle works at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the Office of Human Resources where she develops and provides employee training. She has been providing computer training and support for the faculty and staff at UNL since August 2000. Ranelle is also an adjunct professor teaching Microsoft applications for Southeast Community College Continuing Education Center.

“My first and favorite memory of being a part of the Cornhusker Marching Band was standing on the field at attention after the first day of my first band camp and realizing the people around me cared as much about marching band as I did. I found my “family.” They are still some of my best friends today.”

During her time in band, Ranelle met and married her best friend, Bill Maltas, an alto sax player. Together, they own The Waffleman™ providing fundraising opportunities for organizations. They have two adult sons active in music. Their oldest joined the Cornhusker Marching Band in 2018 as a trombone player and will be one of the Drum Majors in 2021. 

“I serve on the Board of UNL BAA because I believe we are continuing to build life-long memories and friendships for the current band and our alumni. I have made many friends and have gotten to know many other alumni from different eras that are now a part of my extended band family. On the board of the NAoAB, I want to help others do the same for their bands and alumni.”

Tim Parenti

John Combs

John Combs is a Montana native who graduated from The University of Montana in 1977, Combs taught for three years in Shelby, Montana before entering The University of Southern California where he graduated summa cum laude in 1981 with a masters of music education degree and was selected as the outstanding graduate student in music education. He spent the next 28 years as the Director of Bands at Hellgate High School in Missoula. John was on the founding board for the UM Alumni Band in 1988.

His bands performed three times at the Fiesta Bowl parade in Phoenix, four times at the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena and twice at Northwest Division Conferences. His jazz band was selected as the outstanding band of the festival during a National Association for Music Education contest at Disney World. Combs was inducted into the Bandworld John Philip Sousa Legion of Honor in 2008. He is the only Montana band director with that distinction. He was selected as the Outstanding Music Educator for the northwest from the National Federation of High Schools that same year. During his tenure as Fine Arts Supervisor for Missoula County Public Schools, Missoula was selected as one of only 26 cities in America as an Any Given Child site by the Kennedy Center. SPARK! Arts Ignites Learning has brought arts integration, enhancement, and renewed dedication to the performing arts to all children in Missoula County Public Schools. He was given the Leadership Award from the Montana Music Educators Association in 2014, the Leadership Award for the Northwest Division of NAfME in 2018 and the Distinguished Service Award for Lifetime Achievement in Music Education in 2020. He currently acts as the Mentor Coordinator for the MMEA and is President of the University of Montana Alumni Band. John has been married to his wife, Bobbi, for 39 years. They have three grown daughters who all played in their dad’s high school band.

Don Sabo

Angelia Barnett

Lynn Collins

Sarah Bennett-Harper

Alison Beidler

Leigh Tompros

Leigh White Tompros is a member of the Redcoat Band Alumni Association (RBAA), where she has served as Homecoming Chairman, Secretary, Ways and Means, and President. As Past President, her participation in Board meetings, Homecoming, and Ways and Means has continued.

Over the years, Leigh has headed up various fundraising events for her Alumni Band, (Golf Tournament and Brick Walkway). These events came with different twists and turns along the way. Some great, some not so great! But all were learning experiences that have helped Leigh as she has moved on to other activities within the organization.

After stepping away from a career in International Business, many years ago, Leigh became a professional Volunteer. This has included Historical Organizations, Genealogical Associations, Church activities, Philanthropic Endeavors, and The Redcoat Alumni Band. Leigh’s volunteering also continued to her local high school, where she was the head of the College Room. This position gave Leigh the opportunity to assist high school students gain admission to the college or university of their choice. Helping them with college applications, SAT, ACT prep scheduling, and references needed for band applications and auditions. Especially loved the time working with those band students!

The NAoAB has a great vision, one that Leigh would like to possibly assist with carrying out. She feels like there is a need to communicate and share experiences among alumni bands. Each of our experiences gleans such welcomed knowledge, both good and bad. All being very helpful as the bands navigate different situations. What a great resource this will be!

As a Region Officer, Leigh sees this position as one of communication and sharing resources. Staying in touch with alumni was one of the main missions stated in the RBAA bylaws. Networking with band family is something Leigh enjoys doing, and that trait would be important to a regional officer. Leigh prioritizes helping these alumni band take their first steps with this national organization.

Byron Cain

Byron Cain, of Dallas, Texas, has been a fan of the marching and concert band genre since playing in the excellent bands of the Richardson School District north of Dallas. He went on to play woodwinds in the marching, basketball, and concert bands at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Byron periodically served as the student conductor of the basketball band.

The demanding graduate business program at The University of Texas, where he earned an MBA, did not allow time to participate in renown Longhorn Band, but his tie to the “Showband of the Southwest” is via his father, who served as drum major. Realizing that his talent in supporting bands lay much more in the organizational and management side than playing, he has spent much time as an adult volunteering his organizational skills to assist the Texas Longhorn Alumni Band (of which he is an Honorary member).

Byron also is the founding chairman of the board of the Dallas Winds, as professional ensemble of extraordinary musicians celebrating American band music. Dallas Winds is the leading professional civilian wind band in the United States today. Comprised of 50 woodwind, brass and percussion players, the band performs an eclectic blend of musical styles ranging from Bach to Bernstein and Sousa to Strauss. Byron’s musical performance these days consists of conducting his extensive record and CD collection of Broadway musical theater recordings, much to his family’s dismay. Byron possesses a wealth of knowledge on collegiate bands and their history and conducts research about bands and their early beginnings and traditions.

When not volunteering for musical groups, Byron operates HERITAGE TOURS LLC (originally named Texas International Tours that he founded in 1992) that leads groups on history-focused trips around the American Southeast, Southwest and a few spots in Europe. Heritage Tours is a provider of customized group tours for travelers interested in learning about various fascinating areas of the world, primarily the American Southeast, Southwest and certain destinations outside America to include the Maritimes of Canada, Scotland, and Luxembourg.

Nick Ricco

Nicholas Ricco grew up in the Dallas area and is a resident of Carrollton, Texas. A trombonist and conducting student, Nick received a Bachelor in Music degree in 1977 from the University of North Texas (UNT), having marched in the Green Brigade Band for four years. He later received a Master of Music degree from the University of Northern Iowa, where he served as a graduate assistant for the marching and concert bands. After a short career as a high school band director, Nick joined his family’s insurance and real estate business, and later worked in the international insurance brokerage and underwriting sector.

Nick organized the first alumni band event at the University of North Texas in 1987, and sponsored band reunions at UNT in 2007 and 2016. Upon retirement, Nick devoted much of his time to establish a permanent band alumni group. In 2021, the director of Athletic Bands at UNT and the Dean of the College of Music became very supportive of creating a Green Brigade Alumni Band Network with annual events.

As an alumni band founder and organizer, Nick endeavors to build and grow relationships with former students and university administration and faculty, offer recreative activities, and foster a sustainable band alumni experience. Nick is a lifetime member of the University of North Texas President’s Council, and served on the College of Music Advisory Board. The Ricco family has supported UNT through endowments for scholarships and sponsors the Ricco Ethics Award for students throughout the entire UNT System.

Barbara Helbert

Stan Yantis

Knowing we all benefit by sharing ideas with each other, Yantis hopes to collaborate with existing alumni bands, while helping other colleges establish new alumni band programs. Yantis feels alumni should focus on supporting student musicians on the field, so college marching bands can always flourish.

Yantis (BA MusicEd, BA Music, University of Washington, trumpet) has been active with the Husky Marching Band Alumni Association for 37 years. HMBAA was created to serve the staff and students of the Husky Band, while allowing former Huskies to stand in front of fans, playing those songs they love. Alumni also combine with the Varsity Band to march in summer parades and the first halftime show of the football season. Now in his seventh year as HMBAA president, Yantis first spent six years on its board of directors. The funds HMBAA raises annually are turned directly into scholarships, while allowing for occasionally feeding the band and purchasing instruments. During his 42 years as a middle school music teacher, Yantis also established two community bands that entertain the public while helping non-profit organizations raise money.

Yantis’s two daughters also marched and met their future husbands in Husky Band. He predicts his grandchildren will most likely march with the Huskies.

TBD