Instructors

Chris Blees, CPA/ABV, CM&AA

Chris Blees took the role of President of BiggsKofford in 2007 after beginning his career with the same firm 1994. In 2003, Chris expanded the firm and launched the firm’s M&A and Investment Banking practice, now operating as BiggsKofford Capital, which has been involved in over 200 merger, acquisition, or sale transactions throughout the United States. Chris contributes to the national M&A community through his service as the Chairman on the Board of Advisors for the Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (AMAA), and where he acts as the lead instructor for the Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor designation, taught through DePaul, Pepperdine and other universities’ executive MBA programs. He was also retained by Wiley Publishing to co-author a book entitled Middle Market M&A: Handbook for Investment Banking and Consulting. In addition to being a CPA and ABV, Chris holds the CM&AA designation, and multiple securities licenses. Chris remains active in many professional organizations, including having served for years on the Board of Directors for the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, the UCCS Chancellor’s Leadership Council, the Alliance of M&A Advisors (AMAA), and Chairman for Western Colorado University (WSU) Board of Trustees.

Maggie Jusiel, RPT, CTE

Maggie Jusiel, BS, MM, has over 30 years teaching experience ranging from private instrumental lessons to the college classroom, and has most recently joined The Butler School of Piano Technology. She started working in piano technology in 2002 and joined the Guild in 2004. Since then, she has served on a few PTG committees, received the Jack Greenfield and Crowl-Travis Member of Note awards, and attended Yamaha's Little Red Schoolhouse. She completed the aural portion of The Butler School of Piano Technology and became an RPT in 2020, became a CTE in 2022, and is currently training to become a TEC. Her current passions include creating videos about aural tuning for her YouTube channel and working on a project for ETD users to gain aural skills.

"Team teaching" with Maggie in her music theory classes will be her husband, Tim Mainland, BA, MA, DMA. Tim has over 45 years experience teaching music theory and composition at the collegiate level along with other subjects including strings, music history, and electronic music. Tim gave Maggie the foundation she needed to learn to tune aurally and she is excited to include his expertise and gift for teaching in her class.

Wim Blees, RPT

Wim started working on pianos in his dad’s shop when he was 12 years old. After he graduated from college and taught band and chorus for six years, he started his full time piano service business in 1977 in St. Louis, Missouri. Then from 2001 – 2007 he was the piano technician for the University of Alabama. In 2007 he and his wife moved to Hawaii, and in 2021 he retired from full time piano work and moved to Florida. Wim has given lectures at over 55 PTG seminars and convention on a wide variety of subjects including tuning, repairing, rebuilding and business. He has served on the PTG Board of Directors as the Central West Vice President and was a CTE for many years. In addition to writing numerous articles for the Piano Technicians Journal, he is the author of: the business of piano tuning: a guide to marketing, managing, promoting, buying and selling a piano service business. in 2021 he was awarded Member of Note at the convention in Orlando.

Starr Taylor, RPT

Starr Taylor started tuning & rebuilding pianos in 1985. A machinist out of high-school, he apprenticed with Andrew Snowden and joined the PTG in 1987.

Starr is a full service provider and offers tuning, voicing, action work & soundboard installation. He enjoys Art, Motorcycles, & Traveling.

Li Yeoh

Li Yeoh, Director of Piano Technology, joined the faculty at the Florida State University College of Music in academic year 2017/18. Dr. Yeoh directs the graduate degree program in Piano Technology, together with a series of piano technology courses for pianists, instrumentalists, and piano technicians. The Master of Arts in Piano Technology is a premier program worldwide and provides a real-world artistic collaboration between emerging students, world-class faculty, and guest artists.

Dr. Yeoh is a Master Piano Technician of America and a certified Damp Chaser installer. He has received the C. F. Theodore Steinway Technical Academy certificates at the New York Steinway & Son piano factory, the PianoDisc installer certificate at the Mason & Hamlin piano factory in Haverhill, MA and attended the Little Red Schoolhouse Academy at Yamaha Piano in Anaheim, CA.

A regular guest speaker and national clinician of the Piano Technician Guild and the American Guild of Organists, Dr. Yeoh appeared internationally as one of the premiere guest speakers at the 1st Mid Pacific Piano Technicians Conference in Honolulu, HI and the 18th Australasian Piano Tuners and Technicians Association Bi-Annual Convention and Piano Expo in Melbourne, Australia.

Ricki Klōs, RPT, CTE

Ricki Klōs has been servicing pianos for more than 40 years. She has been a Guild member since 1995, an RPT since 1998, and a CTE since 2011. She has served on numerous committees and in leadership positions at the chapter level, regional, and national levels. She currently serves on the Board of Directors Executive Committee as Secretary/Treasurer. She enjoys providing leadership opportunities and encouraging minorities in this profession.

Mike Carraher, RPT

Since 1979 Mike has worked full time in piano service and rebuilding. 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 North East for mentoring those aspiring to RPT certification, and continues to provide training and mentorship as a regional and National PTG instructor. He has also served as Chapter President in two different PTG chapters. 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.

Luke Ehresman

Software Engineer & co-founder of Gazelle

Luke is a 20-year veteran of web-based software development. With a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Computer Science, he has spent his career developing software solutions for both small and large organizations with a focus on sustainable product development, artistic design, and user experience. His guidance has provided piano technicians around the globe with a long-term, sustainable product specifically designed for this industry.

Josi Davis

Josi is a second generation piano technician now residing in New England. She specializes in upright hammers and action parts as a member of the Brooks LTD team, where she first worked from 2009 – 2011 and returned in 2018 after many years touring, recording and teaching. First mentored by her father, longtime RPT and educator Bill Davis, Josi was introduced to the PTG at the 2009 Annual Conference in Grand Rapids, MI. She found her love for shop work under the wings of RPTs Amy and Jim Tiernan at Doghouse Pianos, and the Connecticut PTG chapter, and her first upright hammer hanging was on the bench beside the legendary Wally Brooks. Now, hundreds of upright hammer sets later and under the valued mentorship of Melanie Brooks and John Gallen, she has developed a custom method for upright hammer and butt pre-hanging and continues to master many other skills in grand and upright parts replacement and customization. As a performer and songwriter, the piano holds a special place around which her favorite family memories are built. It remains her primary writing instrument and her favorite curiosity.

Nate Reyburn, RPT

Nate trained in piano technology both with Dean (his dad) and at North Bennet Street School in Boston. 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 has produced the PTG's Golden Tuning Hammer award since 2013, the highest PTG award given. Nate, his wife Bethann and three daughters live in Kent City, Michigan where he tunes pianos and pursues the ever elusive perfect tuning lever.

Melanie Brooks

Melanie is a third generation PTG Member; after obtaining a BA degree in Economics and Business she worked in the corporate arena for nearly a decade.

She returned to Brooks LTD joining her family business and in 2009 she bought the business from technicians Wally and Vivian Brooks, carrying it into a second generation. Continuing to collaborate with technicians and rebuilders to create, service, and restore instruments with innovative and specialized products and services.

Dave Conte, RPT, CTE, TEC

Dave is the piano technician at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Before coming to UT in 2020, Dave spent 28 years in Ft. Worth Texas, where he had a rebuilding shop and piano store. He attended the Little Red School House as well as the Steinway Technical school. He has also trained with Bosendorfer, Bechstein, Seiler and Kawaii. While in Ft. Worth, he was one of the technicians for the Cliburn Competition, Ft. Worth Opera and the Dallas Symphony.

Dave joined the PTG in 1995 and became an RPT in 2001. He is an CTE and TEC. He has taught at various seminars and PTG Conventions. Dave became an Instructor in Piano Technology at Tarrant County College which required developing the curriculum for the class he taught there. He also founded the North Texas School of Piano Technology which was operating as one of the last “brick-and-mortar” hands-on academies left in the USA until his departure to serve at UT.

Debi Gould

Debi Gould, with over a decade at Dampp-Chaser Corporation, is a seasoned expert on the Piano Life Saver System.

Throughout her career, Debi has been a dedicated provider of technical support to piano technicians and piano owners.

Debi's class on the Piano Life Saver System promises to be an enlightening session that draws upon her extensive knowledge and dedication to the industry.

Dean Reyburn, RPT

Dean served on the ETSC since 1996 and acts as Advisor and CTE skill reviewer, and has received Member of Note and Hall of Fame awards. Dean has many years experience as concert tuner and Steinway and Yamaha technician. He attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago in the 1970s where he studied piano technology with Virgil Smith, RPT. Dean is a self-taught Software Engineer and lead engineer on the CyberTuner project. Dean also runs Reyburn Pianoworks, which manufactures piano keysets, keyframes, and actions for rebuilt and new pianos.

Bill Davis, RPT, TEC

Bill is a longtime and active member of the PTG. His personal objective is to be the preferred choice of discerning individuals, musicians, teachers and institutions in and around Cobb County seeking professional quality piano service and repair in the immediate vicinity of Cobb County and North Metro Atlanta, Georgia.

Some notable aspects of his career include:

• Extensive experience since 1977 in Piano Tuning, Service, and Repair
• Curator of the Technician's Playground (here at the convention)
• Certified Technical Examiner (TEC)
• Frequent instructor for Local, Regional, and National PTG Conventions and Institute classes.

• South Central Region Vice President (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX, Mexico - east of Sonora) and National Board of Directors member- The Piano Technicians Guild (2003-2005)
• Provides Historically Correct tuning temperaments to individuals wishing to match the color and sound of their music to their instruments capabilities.
• Over 15 years experience as a piano technician with The United States Air Force Band in Washington DC. -- Serviced rehearsal and concert instruments including performance by Victor Borge at DAR Constitution Hall

Keith Bowman, RPT

Keith has almost 40 years experience in woodworking and has worked full time in piano technology for over 30 years, including player pianos, harpsichords and historic instruments. He served as a PTG tuning and technical examiner for 20 years, and has received several PTG and industry awards including Member of Note, Trade Relations and a Presidential Citation. In addition, Keith has served as chapter president and has chaired or served on numerous PTG committees at the regional and national level. In the last 18 years, he has developed a product line of tuning levers, voicing tools and shop fixtures which are distributed world-wide through Renner USA. Keith teaches regionally and nationally on many subjects and has authored several articles in the Piano Technicians Journal.

Timothy Barnes, RPT

Co-founder of Gazelle

Timothy’s vision and leadership within the piano service industry is what paved the way for Gazelle to become the only all-in-one business management software for piano technicians. With a degree in Economics and Business Administration and his experience as a Registered Piano Technician, Timothy laid out the vision for Gazelle and worked to refine the product into what it is today: the most recommended business management software in the industry.

Nathan Mills, RPT, CTE

"Nathan Mills, RPT, completed the Randy Potter course in 2002. He joined the Piano Technicians Guild in 2014, became a Registered Piano Technician in 2016 and a Certified Tuning Examiner in 2020. He has been tuning, repairing, and rebuilding pianos in Augusta, GA since 2006. He has taught technicals at several national institutes and chapter meetings in the South East and via zoom. He is currently serving as the SE Regional Tuning Examiner and the Secretary Treasurer of the Piano Technicians Guild Foundation."

Emily Townsend, RPT

Emily is a 2007 graduate of the Basic Piano Technology program, a 2008 graduate of the Advanced program, and a Registered Piano Technician. She also holds a degree in piano performance from Trinity University. Emily was previously self-employed as a field service technician and piano rebuilder in San Antonio, Texas, where she served a robust private clientele including schools and universities. She is a sought-after instructor at nationwide Piano Technicians Guild seminars. Emily has served the PTG on several committees and as an active tuning and technical examiner. She is a 2021 recipient of the PTG’s Crowl-Travis Member of Note award.