Instructors • Bios

Alexander Abel
Abel Hammer Company  -  International (Germany)

Alexander Abel is the third generation to produce hammerheads in the Abel Hammer Company. His career started 9 years ago with a one year apprenticeship as a carpenter followed by 4 years apprenticing as a piano technician in several workshops and a piano manufacturer in Germany. The last 2 years he studied at the Ludwigsburg School for Piano Technology in Germany to finish his apprenticeship as a German Klavierbaumeister (Piano Master Builder). Beside his own piano business, Alexander is working in the Abel Hammer Company focused on improving the automation of the hammer making process.

Norbert Abel
Abel Hammer Company  -  International (Germany)

Norbert Abel has been working in the hammer making business for more than 25 years. He learned his skills for making hammers from his father Helmut. Besides his daily work in production, Norbert is responsible for the commercial part of the Abel Hammer Company. In the past 15 years, Norbert has taught at more than 50 seminars in the United States, Australia, Korea, Japan and Europe. Norbert's goal is to steadily improve the felt material and hammer production process. From 2003 to 2006, he was largely involved in a felt research project sponsored by the European community. The first goal of this research was to find out the status of the felt quality from different manufacturers. The second goal was to develop a high quality felt material. This felt is now used in the hammer production of the Abel Hammer Company under the name Abel Natural Felt.

Daniel Alberts, RPT
Indiana University of Pennsylvania  -  Pittsburgh, PA

Dan Alberts has been in the piano business for 38 years. He maintains a service business for many clientele cultivated over the years. Dan is the technician for an 'All Steinway School' at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) with 100 pianos. He began his career in 1978 after completing the Piano Technology program at Mount Aloysius College. During his career, Dan was in music retail as the owner and president of Music World, Inc. for 10 years as a new piano dealer where music education was strongly emphasized along with used pianos that were restored in his shop.

Dan has served his PTG chapter as a past president and also served as the coordinating director for The Piano 300 program held at The Carnegie Science Center which was featured in the PTG Journal. Dan is forever grateful for the years, the learning experience, and opportunity he had to work side by side in the rebuilding shop with his mentor, colleague, and very good friend the late Mr. Leo Caffari, RPT. It was those learning years that have inspired the present day with the desire and motivation to give back and contribute to our craft. When not servicing pianos Dan is involved and has a passion for men’s ministry, family ministry, keeping families together and serving others.

Rick Baldassin, RPT
Baldassin Pianos  -  Salt Lake City, UT

Rick received his education and piano technology training from Brigham Young University. He is the author of the book On Pitch, which was recently re-published. Rick served as the Tuning Editor for the Journal from 1987 to 1991. His teaching has taken him to piano factories and conventions throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Russia, Korea, Indonesia and Australia. Rick has served as the Concert Technician for the Utah Symphony for over 20 years, and has been the Teaching and Technical Consultant for Renner since 1989. He has been trained in the concert and artist programs of Fazioli, Steinway and Yamaha, and has been a consultant to the Falcone, Mason & Hamlin, and Pramberger and Samick Piano Companies. Rick also serves as the Technical Support Director for Fazioli in North America. He has received the PTG Member of Note, Jim Burton, and Hall of Fame awards, and most recently was honored with the prestigious PTG Golden Hammer award. Rick and his wife Cindy currently operate Baldassin Pianos, a full-line rebuilding and retail showroom located in the Salt Lake City area.

Christian Bolduc
Pianos Bolduc  -  Factory Manager

Internationally renowned rebuilder, Christian Bolduc is the Factory Manager at Pianos Bolduc. A technician specializing in soundboards and pinblocks, he is also a cabinet and furniture expert. Christian studied cabinetmaking at Ecole du Meuble de Victoriaville, and spent one year at the Schimmel factory in Braunschweig, Germany studying piano structure and design. He has apprenticed in piano restoration with his father, André Bolduc, and in the art of soundboard replacement with Peter Mohr of New England Classic Piano Restoration.

Pianos Bolduc has grown and developed over 34 years into an institution known world wide for its superior quality White Spruce Soundboards and Maple Pinblocks, as well as products used in the manufacturing and restoration of fine pianos.

Keith Bowman, RPT
Performance Piano  -  South Central Pennsylvania

Keith has a broad background in woodworking, spanning nearly three decades, where he has specialized in wood carving, cabinet making, and furniture restoration. His interest in piano technology began in 1979 with an apprenticeship in piano restoration, player piano rebuilding, harpsichord and other early instrument restoration, leading to the management of a full service piano restoration & sales facility. In 1984, he started his own business which now services a diverse tuning clientele and includes piano remanufacturing, harpsichord and American reed organ restoration. Keith is responsible for the development of the Renner USA Custom Tuning Lever program, and personally hand crafts each of the Artist Series custom tuning and voicing tools.

In 1992, he Co-developed PTG's first marketing class with RPT Member, Fred Fornwalt and subsequently taught several business classes and workshops. He has written many articles for the Piano Technicians Journal, and currently teaches a variety of technical classes dealing with tuning, tool use, and shop procedure topics. He is active in the music industry and in 1993 received a citation from the National Coalition for Music Education, and has received several PTG awards including the Member of Note.

Melanie Brooks
Brooks LTD Piano Products  -  Connecticut

Melanie Brooks is the owner of Brooks LTD Piano Products, a family-owned business providing quality hammer, action and rebuilding supplies and services. After obtaining a degree in Economics and Business, she rejoined Brooks LTD in 1995 specializing in customer service and technical support. Melanie took on the role of General Manager in 2002, and in 2009 purchased Brooks LTD, carrying its successful philosophies into a second generation.

Melanie was raised in a rebuilding shop and is a third generation PTG member, actively participating since 1996. She continues to teach courses on wood, wood products and grand action replacements throughout North America. Committed to collaborating with technicians and rebuilders to create, service, and restore instruments with innovative and specialized products.

Rick Butler, RPT
Steinway Concert Technician  -  Washington, DC

Rick has served as chief piano technician for two large universities and as shop foreman for a major piano dealer. His service as concert technician includes many years with the National Symphony Orchestra, the Kennedy Center, Washington Performing Arts Society, and the White House. He currently serves as Chief Concert Technician for Steinway & Sons in Washington D.C.

Within the the Piano Technicians Guild, he has served his Chapter (Washington D.C.), as President, Vice President and Secretary, as well as served on various committees locally and nationally. He has also lectured at local, regional and national meetings on such subjects as Tuning, Voicing, Regulation and various aspects of Rebuilding. He is also certified to administer the written, tuning and technical examinations which are given to qualify members as 'Registered Piano Technicians'. Rick founded 'The Butler School of Piano Technology' in 2005, which is a home study course helping interested people to learn this very rewarding profession.

Dave Carpenter, RPT
Veritune, Inc.  -  Chicago, IL

Dave is the lead designer of the Verituner electronic tuning devices and president of Veritune, Inc. Dave's background includes an engineering degree from the University of Illinois and a career in software design. After discovering the joy of piano technology, Dave joined the guild and pursued his Chicago area piano service business. Combining his skills and interests, Dave embarked on the development of a new tuning device in 1998, and since has enjoyed spending the majority of his time supporting and improving the product line. A continual student of piano acoustics, Dave is a frequent instructor at PTG conventions and seminars, and an RPT member and past president of the PTG Chicago Chapter.

T. Michael Carraher, RPT
Performance Piano  -  South Central Pennsylvania

Mike has worked full time in piano service and rebuilding since 1979 . He has been a Certified Examiner for the PTG since 1981 and has served on numerous committees at the local and national level. Mike has received several PTG awards including Member of Note and Examiner of the Year. Mike developed the first repair jigs for the PTG Technical Exam, created Associate Days, which was the first pilot program in the Northeast for mentoring those aspiring to RPT certification, and continues to provide training and mentorship as a regional and National instructor. Mike's innovations in shop procedures and equipment can be seen in many fixtures carried through Renner USA and his overall experience provides a firm basis for factory consultation for Hailun USA. He has been the owner/operator of Carr's Piano Service in Elizabethtown, PA for over thirty-three years.

In 1992, he Co-developed PTG's first marketing class with RPT Member, Fred Fornwalt and subsequently taught several business classes and workshops. He has written many articles for the Piano Technicians Journal, and currently teaches a variety of technical classes dealing with tuning, tool use, and shop procedure topics. He is active in the music industry and in 1993 received a citation from the National Coalition for Music Education, and has received several PTG awards including the Member of Note.

Gregory Cheng, RPT
Jacobs Music  -  Southeastern Pennsylvania

Gregory Cheng graduated from West Chester University with degrees in Music Performance and Computer Science. Tuning pianos since he was a teenager, Greg worked through college apprenticing with the Chief Technician at West Chester University. During his tenure at the university, he learned and refined his skills in aural tuning, repairs, and action rebuilding.

Greg is the Service Manager for Jacobs Music Company, Philadelphia’s Steinway and Yamaha Dealer. He is responsible for a service department of 15 full-time technicians that take care of thousands of in home customers, concert venues, and universities. Greg also specializes in modern player piano repair, action rebuilding, touch weight analysis, and polyester/lacquer furniture repair. Greg is highly regarded and sought after by the top manufacturers for his customer, technical and problem solving skills.

Bruce Clark
Wessell, Nickel & Gross  -  Boston, MA

Bruce Clark grew up working in the shop of his fathers piano store in Garden City, Kansas. He later learned to tune and service pianos at the professional level. While studying at the University of Wyoming, Bruce tuned for the music department as well as other concerts.

After college, Bruce went to Boston to work for Santi Falcone, specializing in replacing soundboards in vintage pianos as well as creating the Key Proportion Job: the complete re-design of the action geometry and leverage. He was one of the major contributors in the creation of Falcone Pianos.

He worked for Mason & Hamlin (Aeolian American Corp.) and then Pratt/Read, when they assumed ownership of Mason & Hamlin in 1985. In 1989, when Falcone acquired Sohmer and Mason & Hamlin, Bruce moved with them to the current factory in Haverhill, MA. He has been instrumental in restoring Mason & Hamlin to a high level of quality and was lead design engineer on the new Mason & Hamlin AA-64, B-54 and CC-94, as well as the Wessell, Nickel & Gross Composite Action project.

Michael Collins
PianoDisc  -  Wessell, Nickel and Gross

Born and raised in Georgetown, MA, Michael graduated from North Bennet Street School in 1994. He worked at Hubbard Harpsichord for a short time and started at Sanderson Piano rebuilding pianos and doing PianoDisc installations. After 10 years working with the Sanderson Group, Michael started working for Mason & Hamlin in 2005. He worked in a number of different departments including PianoDisc installations and training technicians for installations. A few years ago, Mike began working with Wessell, Nickel and Gross in design quality control and installation. Mike is the chosen WNG representative for training and instruction of these new innovative composite parts.

Debbie Cyr, RPT
North Bennet Street School  -  Boston, MA

Debbie learned piano tuning and repairs in 1990 as an apprentice as well as through a correspondence course and then attended the rebuilding program at the North Bennet Street School in Boston. She has been employed as a rebuilder, is a part time instructor at the North Bennet Street School and has an extensive private tuning clientele. Debbie is a past president of the Boston Piano Technician Guild and teaches regularly at seminars and conventions on the local, regional and national levels.

Louis del Bene, RPT
North Bennet Street School  -  Boston, MA

Louis graduated from the two year piano technology program at North Bennet Street School. Following graduation, Louis went to work for Foy Piano Restorations (later becoming Mosaic Music) in Greensboro, NC as a piano rebuilder specializing in piano actions. His responsibilities evolved into rebuilding and redesigning actions, building soundboards, scaling string systems, designing jigs, and managing the shop. Returning to his home in San Francisco, he opened his own businesss servicing pianos for dealerships, homes, schools, churches, concert venues, and world class recording studios, along with setting up a rebuilding shop. As of September 2016, Louis is the newest member of the North Bennet Street School, Piano Technology Faculty.

David Durben, RPT
Yamaha Corporation of America  -  Pomona Valley, CA

Mr. Durben is a Piano Service Specialist for Yamaha in Buena Park, CA and is in his 14th year with the company. Originally from Fargo, North Dakota, he has served the PTG in many positions. Beginning as President of the MinnKota, ND chapter and during his four years saw the chapter's membership quadruple. David was the PTG International's Central West Regional Vice President (1994-1996), Vice President (1996-1998) and President (1998-2000).

Luke Ehresman
The Gazelle Network

Luke is a 15-year veteran of web-based software development. With both a Bachelor and Master of Computer Science, he has spent his career developing sustainable software solutions for both small and large organizations. He is our Co-Founder and CTO for The Gazelle Network.

Dale Erwin, RPT
Erwin's Piano Restoration   -  Sacramento Valley, CA

Dale is quite well known for his innovative Soundboard designs and tonal expertise. He and the family have displayed restored Steinway pianos at several of the invitation only, PTG piano rebuilders show case. These include Rochester N.Y. and in Anaheim, Ca. Having installed over 125 soundboards Dale & crew now custom manufacture soundboard panels and materials for the trade. By his own admission he is wood obsessive. Dale is a California born, 2nd generation piano technician with 43 years of experience. He established Erwins Piano Restoration in 1985 which is operated with his wife Trix & 2 sons, Dennis & Jacob. Together they produce custom artisanal piano restorations for private clients and technician’s alike. Erwins is now the distributor for the Spurlock Key Bushing Cauls. He is a frequent instructor at PTG events across the country. Dale, Trix and Jacob will be presenting classes at the MARC.

Kelly Hollifield
Dampp-Chaser Corp.  -  Western Carolinas, NC

Kelly Hollifield is General Manager for Dampp-Chaser Corp. Joining the company in 2004, she is a member of both the Management and Quality teams, providing technical support to Piano Life Saver System installers, worldwide. Kelly brings extensive knowledge of Dampp-Chaser products and broad experience in business and customer service.

Mario Igrec, RPT, M. Mus
Author, Pianos Inside Out  -  New York City

Mario Igrec, M. Mus., bridges piano technology and pianism, and provides a unique perspective as a master craftsman and award-winning pianist. Mario is the author of Pianos Inside Out, “the most ambitious book on piano technology ever written” (Piano Technicians Journal), and has created Practical Touch™, a system for advanced action performance analysis and adjustment. He taught piano technology and served as piano technician during his eight-year tenure at Louisiana State University. As an independent concert technician and master rebuilder, he has serviced and rebuilt many pianos in southern Louisiana, and has worked for Richard Goode, Jon Kimura Parker, Garrick Ohlsson, and other renowned pianists. Mario works at Faust Harrison Pianos in NY.

Boaz Kirschenbaum, RPT
Vintage Tone Tool Co.  -  Boston, MA

Boaz has been a piano technician for 15 years. He was employed as a full-time piano technician for Steinway & Sons from 2003-2006. During this time, he received one-on-one training in voicing, and voiced over 300 Steinway pianos. He worked for the C&A division during this time as well.

Boaz is also a graduate of the CF Theodore Steinway Academy in Hamburg, Germany. His voicing mentors included renowned Steinway concert technicians Ron Coners, Jan Kittel, Aleks Markovich, and Eric Schandall. Boaz has taught classes in voicing, business & rebuilding at chapter events and regional PTG conferences since 2010. He has also taught individual voicing master classes overseas. Boaz works as a full time field service piano technician in the Greater Boston & New England region.

Kirsi Lassi
Road Warrior  -  Helsinki, Finland

Kirsi Lassi initially studied piano technology at Arlainstituutti, Finland, completing the three-year program in 1988. She passed the association's examination the same year to become a member of the Finnish Piano Technicians Association. After graduation, she studied with concert technician Matti Kyllönen in Finland, and Klavierbaumeister Bernhard Farenholtz in Berlin, Germany.

Kirsi also studied at the Bechstein Piano Factory in Berlin (1992), and at the Yamaha Piano Technical Academy in Hamamatsu, Japan (Grand Piano BasicCourse 1993 and Grand Piano Master Course 1999). She has participated in several of the Finnish association's seminars, as well as several Europiano congresses and Nordic Piano Conventions. She has been actively involved in the association, as a board member, the secretary, and the president of the association (2003-2011). Currently she is a member of the association examination jury.

Kirsi maintains a busy full time piano service practice including concert, recording and institutional work throughout the greater Helsinki, Finland area.

Don Mannino, RPT
Kawai America  -  South Bay, CA

Don began an apprenticeship with a piano rebuilder while completing his studies at San Diego State University as a piano performance major in 1979. After working for 11 years as an independent piano technician in the San Diego area, he held the position of National Service Manager for Young Chang Pianos, then Manager of Technical Support for Kawai Pianos for North America, and now serves as the Director of Field Services for Kawai America Corp. Don and his wife Patty are the editors of the Southern California Combined PTG newsletter. In 2010 he was certified in Japan as a Kawai "Master Piano Artisan" (or MPA), the highest level of technician for the Kawai company. In 2013 Mr. Mannino was inducted into the PTG Hall of Fame.

Joyce Meekins, RPT
Meekins Piano Service  -  Washington, D.C.

Joyce's interest in piano technology began while a student at the University of Maryland. After graduating with a B.A. in Music in 1975, she embarked on a four-year apprenticeship with Wendell Eaton. This extraordinary opportunity offered intensive individualized training in rebuilding. Today, her business focuses on piano service for private and professional venues, action rebuilding, and consulting. During her forty-two years as a piano technician, Joyce has given presentations to area teacher and student groups, taught at national and regional PTG conferences, and has served two terms as president of the D.C. Chapter. She is currently on the board of the PTG Foundation.

Ray Negron
Ronsen Piano Hammer Co.  -  Hudson-Adirondack, NY

Ray is a second generation piano hammer maker, following in the footsteps of his father, Marty Negron, who was co-founder of Ronsen Piano Hammer Co. as well as former manager at Pfriemer Piano Hammer Co. Ray started working summers at Ronsen in 1961, and has been working full time since 1971, becoming company president in 1983. Ray is always looking to learn more about piano hammers, and enjoys talking with piano technicians regarding hammers, but will always find time for a conversation about baseball.

Randi Potter, RPT
Randy Potter School of Piano Technology   -  Portland, OR

Randi is the founder and director of the Randy Potter School of Piano Technology which has become the largest producer of training materials for piano technicians in the world. Randi has written three books, and he is the editor of The Piano Action Handbook, third edition, published by the Piano Technicians Guild. He has produced numerous technical articles and over a dozen technical training video tapes. Randi is a frequent instructor at local, state, regional and national PTG conventions, and has taught at seminars in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia and Cuba. Randi is the 2009 recipient of the Piano Technicians Guild Hall of Fame award in recognition of service to PTG and the industry.

Dean Reyburn, RPT
Reyburn Piano  -  Western Michigan

Dean Reyburn passed his RPT exams in 1978 and has 35+ years tuning experience. He has served on the PTG Examinations and Test Standards Committee since 1996 and acts as Advisor and CTE skill reviewer. Dean has 12 years experience as concert tuner for the Grand Rapids Symphony and DeVos Hall in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was the technician for the local Steinway and Yamaha dealers for many years and tuned for numerous concert and popular music artists. Dean attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago from 1976 to 1978 where he majored in electronics and learned piano technology from Virgil Smith, RPT and Robert Carbaugh (and met his wife Marty). Dean is a self-taught Software Engineer with 30 years experience programming in more languages and computer platforms than he'll admit. He enjoys rollerblading, tennis and biking in his spare time.

Nate Reyburn, RPT
Reyburn Piano  -  Western Michigan

Nate trained in piano technology both with Dean (his dad) and is a graduate of the prestigious North Bennet Street School two year Piano Technology course in Boston Massachusetts, and passed his RPT exams in 2008. Nate's passions are not only for piano tech but for making tools for the trade, including the Reyburn Rigid tuning hammer and the Reyburn CyberHammer, the industry's finest impact tuning hammer. Nate constructs the PTG's Golden Tuning Hammer award starting in 2013, the highest PTG award given. Nate and his wife Bethann live in Kent City, Michigan where he tunes, repairs and rebuilds pianos. Nate and Bethann enjoy paintball, hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor sports.

Paul Sanderson
Inventronics, Inc.  -  Boston, MA

Paul is the President of Inventronics. He has been involved with development and production of the Sanderson Accu-Tuner since its inception in 1982. He is responsible for the Accu-Tuner from development, to production, to distribution. He oversees all phases with a goal that the Accu-Tuner be the most accurate and reliable tuning aid in the industry.

Eric Schandall, RPT
Piano Service Oslo, Norway  -  New York City

Eric Schandall has worked in the piano industry since 1967 when he graduated from the North Bennet Street School. Most recently he was the Administrator/Teacher of Technical Training and Education at the C F Theodor Steinway Technical Academy at Steinway & Sons in New York City. This position also incorporated work in the roster of concert technicians in the Concert and Artists Department at Steinway Hall in Manhattan, across North America, and in China and Russia.

He also worked as a College and University technician in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada for over 25 years. Since 2008 he has made his home in Oslo, Norway where he is responsible for the concert pianos at the New Norske Opera and Ballet, also traveling throughout the country working freelance for Thron Irby Piano Service AS, who is the franchised Dealer for Steinway & Sons in Norway. He has provided services for a variety of music festivals in Norway including the Festspillene i Bergen, and regularly provides services for the Norsk Musikkhøgskole in Oslo and for recordings for several record labels.

Eric has also continued to teach, most recently in England, Sweden, Denmark, and the United States. His lectures have been well received by the technical community and provide an excellent opportunity for other technicians to benefit from his wide range of experience both as a concert technician and a teacher.

Greg Sikora
Jacobs Music  -  Vice President and Chief Steinway Concert Technician

Greg Sikora is currently the VP and chief Steinway concert technician for Jacobs Music in the tri-state Philadelphia region. He has prepared concert pianos for numerous music organizations, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, and all visiting concert music organizations to the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, as well as for universities, schools, and theaters in the region.

Greg interfaces with concert pianists from around the world, working alongside these artists to prepare each piano to their individual specifications for every performance. In his more than 49 years in the profession, Greg has worked with hundreds of artists, including many of the top names in music, from pop to classical genres.

In addition to his work with music organizations and artists, Greg teaches piano technicians their trade and has written a book titled A Guide for Piano Musicians, Technicians, and Enthusiasts, which is not only a technical guide but also a compilation of his experiences with the realities of working in the concert piano business. Greg is a veteran of the Vietnam War and a Purple Heart recipient.

Peter Stumpf, RPT
Pittsburgh Steinway and Carnegie Mellon University  -  Pittsburgh, PA

A graduate of the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music, Yamaha's 'Little Red Schoolhouse' and Steinway factory training, Peter and his wife Julie have built a highly respected and diverse piano service business. Peter is the staff technician for the Carnegie Mellon University School of Music, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at Heinz Hall and owner of Pittsburgh Steinway, a technician driven Steinway Concert and Artist piano and technical service provider. Peter's classes are very well received and backed by real-life, successful, experience.

Starr Taylor, RPT
St. Piano Rebuilders  -  Southwest Florida

Starr Taylor has been in the piano tuning & rebuilding business since 1985. An amateur musician and journeyman machinist, he studied with Andrew Snowden in Indiana and started his own business in Tampa, Florida in 1987. A Registered Piano Technician with the Piano Technician's Guild, he attends regional and national conferences on a yearly basis to update his training. At the local level, he lectures on piano maintenance and rebuilding and has served as president for the Tampa Bay PTG chapter. When not tuning pianos and installing soundboards in vintage instruments, he collects art, makes sculpture from found objects and builds trebuchets for fun.

Emily Townsend, RPT
North Bennet Street School  -  Boston, MA

Emily is a 2008 graduate of the NBSS piano technology program and a Registered Piano Technician. Before enrolling at NBSS, she earned a degree in piano performance from Trinity University. In addition to establishing a successful tuning and rebuilding business, Emily has served as the head technician at a Trinity University in San Antonio, TX and a concert technician at Aspen Music Festival and School and Tanglewood. Emily is on the faculty for the Piano Technology program at North Bennet Street School.

Atsushi 'Ace' Ugai
Yamaha Corporation of America -  Piano Services Director

Kent Webb
Steinway & Sons  -  New York City

Kent is the Manager of Technical Service and Support for Steinway & Sons. In this position, Kent oversees and conducts the Steinway Training Academy. He also works closely with All-Steinway Schools and Institutions to develop and maintain service strategies and resources. In addition, Kent coordinates service literature and publications, works closely with Festival Events, and participates extensively in educational events.

Kent Webb has been involved in the piano industry for over 30 years as a concert technician and rebuilder. In addition to his position at Steinway & Sons, Kent served as a contributing writer and consultant for both editions of The Encyclopedia of Keyboard Instruments (Garland Press, NY, NY) supplying articles on rebuilding, regulation, tuning, and piano design. He also served as technical columnist for the Soundboard, a publication for music educators in the United States with a circulation of over 50,000. Prior to his position with Steinway, Kent was the National Service Manager for Baldwin Piano Company for 10 years. Kent also was on the Board of Advisors for the School of Piano Technology at Western Iowa Tech and the Board of Industry Advisors for the University of Western Ontario for their School of Piano Technology. Kent has taught at over 400 local, regional, national, and international events.

John J. Zeiner Sr., RPT
John J. Zeiner and Sons   -  Lehigh Valley, PA

John started in the piano business by helping in his grandfather’s shop when he was 12, and then in 1957 started working full time. Today he runs John J. Zeiner & Sons Piano Sales and Service with his sons John Jr., Tom, and grandson John III. Together they run a complete piano service business including tuning, new soundboards, refinishing, and piano moving.

Ruth B. Zeiner, RPT
Allied Piano and Finish LLC  -  Southeastern Pennsylvania

Ruth Zeiner, RPT is the President of Allied Piano and Finish LLC. She joined the PTG in 1981, becoming an RPT in 1982. But her first tunings were done during her high school years, when she purchased a hammer, mutes, and guide to tuning, and also assisted with pipe organ tuning at her church. Primarily a field technician servicing 30-35 pianos a week for many years, Ruth became an expert in understanding the effects of humidity on pianos. She branched out into finish repair in the mid 1990s. Ruth has served the PTG as the first president of the Southeastern PA chapter, and was Regional Vice-President for the Northeast Region for three years. She received the Member of Note, Hall of Fame and the prestigious Golden Hammer awards from PTG, and has been a sought-after instructor for humidity control and finish repair throughout North America.