Mark Van Vranken - Broken Arrow

Mark started building and repairing guitars in 1989. He majored in Art at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln as well as minoring in Horticulture from 1989-1994. He received academic excellence award from Redwing Tech (4.0 gpa) in 1998. Mark owned and operated a repair shop servicing 30 music stores in Minneapolis from 1997-2002, owned and operated a mobile audio recording business from 2002-2005, and started with Palen Music in September 2006. Mark enjoys flyfishing, vintage hotrods, and playing guitar.

Mike Seidner - Springfield

Mike graduated from the College of the Ozarks in 1971 with a BA in vocal and instrumental music education. He served as band director for Ozark Schools for 12 years starting in 1971 and then 18 years in the Branson school system. He also served as choral director for several of those years. During the 70s and early 80s Mike spent his summers as the official music arranger for the Miss Missouri Pageant in Mexico, Missouri. He also played in the pageant orchestra and served as assistant orchestra director a few of those years. During the late 70s and most of the 80s, Mike was a saxophonist for the Abou Ben Adhem "Swingers", a 13-piece big band. He retired from teaching in 2001. Since then he has done some substitute teaching in the Branson school system and is currently a member of the Springfield Jazz Educators' Big Band and the Springfield Mid-America Singers. He works part-time in the Springfield shop and specializes in woodwind repair.

Mike Coffman - Joplin

Mike was born and raised in the Los Angeles area. He was a good all-around athlete, and started playing guitar when he was 19. After travelling around quite a bit, he finally settled just north of Seattle, WA. Mike graduated from Renton Technical College in 1993 with a degree in Musical Instrument Repair. He was hired two weeks before graduating and has been working in the field ever since with six different companies in four different states. Mike is proficient in the repair of woodwinds, brasswinds, strings, and guitars. His dog Maggie comes to work with him each day. She's a Border Collie/Corgi, and is a great "assistant". Highlights in his repair career are working on a Fender mandolin for Roger Fischer, the guitarist of "Heart" and only having 1 1/2 hours to get it done before his concert. He also worked on a sax for a guy in the band "Youssour 'n Dour" from Senegal, West Africa, on a world tour. Came in very early, to make sure it was done in time for his gig at the Backstage, in Seattle. A couple weeks later they played at Woodstock II, so Mike is now a part of the Woodstock legend!

Gary Roth - Springfield

Gary Roth is a 2009 graduate of the band instrument repair program at Minnesota State College – Southeast Technical in Red Wing, MN under the instruction of John Huth, Greg Beckwith, and Lucas Pemberton.  He joined the repair staff of Palen Music Center in Springfield, MO in September 2009 and became head repair technician in March 2010. 

Before entering the repair field, Gary received his Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln studying clarinet performance with Dr. Diane Barger.  From 2004 to 2008, he performed with the UNL Wind Ensemble, UNL Symphonic Band, Big Red Express Pep Band, and the Cornhusker Marching Band, the Pride of All Nebraska.  Away from the clarinet, he was also a member of the Bells of Rock Handbell Choir at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Lincoln, NE.  During the summer, Gary performed with the pit orchestra for the Papillion-La Vista Community Theatre productions of the musical Oklahoma! in July 2008 and South Pacific in July 2009 in Papillion, NE.  Gary is currently a member of  Hallelujah Bells Handbell Choir and Soul Purpose Praise Band at Redeemer Lutheran Church.

Ron Mink - Springfield

Mr. Mink is a 33 year veteran of the classroom. He was Coordinator of Music for the Great Bend USD 428 Public Schools in Great Bend, Kansas for twenty years. He also taught at Braymer High School, Braymer, Missouri and Fort Scott High School, Fort Scott, Kansas. Mr. Mink’s marching and concert bands were nationally acclaimed for their precision and musicianship. He received his BS in Ed from Southwest Missouri State University in 1972 and a Masters in Music with honors from Pittsburg State University. He has studied extensively in the area of conducting with Leonard Bernstein, Dr. William Revelli, Claude T. Smith, Dr. W. Francis McBeth, Dr. Mark Hinsley, and Professor Elizabeth A.H. Green. Mr. Mink was selected for inclusion in Who’s Who among America’s Teachers from 1996 to 2004. Mr Mink has received numerous honors and awards: Jaycees Outstanding Young Educator Award, Outstanding Young Men of America, High School Teacher Recognition Award from the University of Kansas, Director of Kansas Lion’s Band (1993/1999), Past President of Kansas Music Educators Dist, V, Executive Secretary of Phi Beta Mu, Iota Chapter (15 Years), and was named Outstanding Teacher of the Year in Kansas for Great Bend. After retirement in 2004, Mr. Mink has served as lecturer in residence at Missouri State University, Assistant Marching Director of Bands at Glendale High School, Springfield, MO., and is currently working as a band clinician and repair technician for Palen Music Center -Springfield.

Katy Jacobson - Liberty