BHS Board of Directors
The Barbershop Harmony Society is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors.
Jump to:
- Meet the Society Board members
- Board meeting minutes
- Past Board meeting videos
- Board discussion topics
Meet the Barbershop Harmony Society Board of Directors
Please send general inquiries to societyboard@barbershop.org. We look forward to hearing from you!
Members and terms
Society Board Directors at Large are elected for three-year terms. Society officers are elected for one-year terms. Members for 2025 were seated January 1, 2025.
Society Board Members
Kevin Keller
President • 2025
46 years of service
St. Charles, MO
Favorite Barbershop Memory
Jack Martin took me to the 1980 CSD spring convention (my first) and we had a great time. At 3AM Sunday we were getting ready to call it a night. Down the hall walked Brian Beck and Al Baker. Jack called out to them and asked them to sing with us. I knew both of these guys were society big-wigs and I as an 18 yo kid was impressed that they said yes. We took a two minute song and woodshedded it for ten minutes. We’d find a chord, then each one of us would change the chord. Sometimes one word would take 30 seconds as we explored harmonies. At the end of that song, I was certain that they would find a convenient excuse to abandon two nobody’s. Instead, Al (a great bass) said, “Let me have tenor this time”. And we sang again. I will never, ever forget the feeling of being included with giants of our hobby when I was a nobody.
Barbershop Hero
I have to admit that there are two. Jack Martin was the guy who taught me to love everything about barbershop. Although there are many who influenced and mentored me all along the way, hands down it is Joe Liles. I met Joe in 1980 at Harmony College in my directing class. That fall in college I had to write a paper on 20th century culture and I chose SPEBSQSA. I wrote Joe at Harmony Hall and he flooded me with information I could use. While at Ohio State, our Glee Club was at OMEA to perform. Joe was there and remembered my name even though we had only met once over 8 years before. When I asked him if he could steal away to watch us, he sat on the front row. He told our director that I was Jim Clancy’s right hand man in the VM and that helped me influence the Glee Club! Throughout my barbershop career Joe was my biggest fan and cheerleader. I attempt to be the same for others as Joe was for me.
John Santora
Immediate Past President • 2025
44 years of service
Alexandria Harmonizers (MAD)
Patapsco Valley (MAD)
Favorite Barbershop Memory
"So many, many barbershop memories, but my favorite is performing in '1 Am Harvey Milk' with the Harmonizers and Kristin Chenoweth in 2016."
Barbershop Hero
"Dr. Ray Danley, an inspirational leader when I sang with the Scarborough Dukes of Harmony in the 1980s and '90s."
Zachary Materne
Executive Vice President • 2025
25 years of service
New Orleans, LA (SWD)
Favorite Barbershop Memory
"My favorite was the weekend that I spent in 1999 at the University of North Texas for SWD Harmony Explosion Camp. The weekend included working with The Vocal Majority and Gotcha!. It was the beginning of a relationship with barbershop that has sent me on an incredible journey." Barbershop Hero Fred Hodnett sponsored me to attend Harmony Explosion Zachary and his family Camp. Also, Alan Gauthreaux coached my college quartet to two bronze medals.”
Dwayne Cooper
Treasurer • 2025
46 years of service
McKinney, Texas
Favorite Barbershop Memory
"Singing in the Father-Son-Grandson Chorus in Kansas City with my father-in-law Robert Moore and son Daniel Cooper."
Barbershop Hero
Bob Cearnal, past International President, wonderful emcee, great quartet bass, and all-around nice guy.
Maria Christian
Secretary • 2025
13 Years of Service
Song of the Lakes Chorus (SAI)
First Class quartet
How I got into barbershop
"Invited by friend, I went to a Sweet Adelines Shoreline Sound Chorus rehearsal and never looked back. I've since been a part of chorus management, liaison work at the Regional level, became a certified director, competed on the International stage in both quartet and chorus, and a founding member of the Sweet Adelines DE&I Task Force. I've been a part of BHS for the past 11 years, an avid fan of Harmony University, and have engaged in the DE&I work sponsored by BHS."
Joe McDonald
Director At-Large • 2023-2025
18 years of service
Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
Favorite Barbershop Memory
Every time I get to sing with a new singer and they experience that first time thrill of ringing a chord.
Barbershop Hero
I have to say that my barbershop heroes include many young directors and quartets that give selflessly of their time and talent to our chapter Harmony Camp each summer.
Tim Myers
Director At-Large • 2023-2025
16 years of service
O'Fallon, Missouri
Favorite Barbershop Memory
The crowd reaction of the St. Louis audience the very first time The Ambassadors of Harmony did the tear away in 76 Trombones.
Barbershop Hero
Not a traditional answer here, but I’m always most in awe of Joe Barbershopper who does this for the love of music. These folks are truly inspiring.
Larry Bomback
Director At-Large • 2024-2026
19 years of service
Philadelphia, PA (MAD)
Hell's Kitchen, NY (MAD)
Favorite Barbershop Memory
Singing and dancing with GOTHAM at the first-ever EiH International Convention
Barbershop Hero
Marty Monson
Gene "Doc" Spilker
Director At-Large • 2024-2026
39 years of service
Central States District
Ambassadors of Harmony (CSD)
Favorite Barbershop Memory
"2004, the Ambassadors of Harmony won its first international chorus championship. It was a very special moment for us all. The chorus had around 160 members on stage. The amount of gold medals available was short for each member. They didn't anticipate a chorus of that size. The front row decided to go without medals for the Saturday evening performance (during the quartet finals the day after the win) since there was a costume change. This would have been our first showing as champions. When the Vocal Majority found out that there was a shortage, members of the VM, including Greg Clancy, gave each of the front row members one of their medals to wear during that performance because they felt it was important that we experience the full celebration of the experience. Truly a selfless and generous act by a class organization."
Barbershop Hero
I am blessed to have been surrounded by barbershop heroes every week. My chorus, the members and leadership have taught me so much and helped me grow. Rich Knight pushed me into my first quartet at 16 and has been a supporter of me in every aspect of my barbershop endeavors. Most notable are my parents, Sandi and David Wright. They inspire me daily.
Michele Niec
Director At-Large • 2025-2027
10 years of service
Upper Cumberland, TN Chapter (SHD)
Northern Kentucky, KY Chapter (CAR)
Favorite Barbershop Memory
It was Midwinter 2017 (San Antonio) when I had the pleasure of singing my first TAG with none other than Forefront. Having grown up a singer who no longer had the voice I remember, I kept passing on every request to sing a tag up to that point. But having gotten to know Drew, Brian, Aaron, and Kevin, they made the experience pure joy for me. I remember the encouraging words from Danny Becker and Robert Rund, both telling me I could do it, and then the joy I felt afterwards, the sound of the clapping, the laughter, the pats on the back and the hugs, the excitement to do it again, and the realization that I found my people. My second tag is also a favorite memory as Erik Dove taught me Falling Leaves. The irony that in 2025 we are returning to San Antonio for my first official meeting as a new member of the BHS Society Board is not lost on me. It was in San Antonio that I discovered I would be a barbershopper for the rest of my life.
Jeff Wolff
Director-At-Large • 2025-2027
13 years of service
Metro Kansas City, MO (CSD)
Favorite Barbershop Memory: *Cue Kevin Keller’s Emcee voice* “With a score! …of 2,784 points…a 92.8 average…your 2015 third-place bronze medalist chorus: CENTRAL STANDARD!” We were gobsmacked. There were 45 of us on stage that day, and for almost all of us it was our first medal—of any type—at a BHS International event. We’ve won medals almost every year since—including a 2nd-place silver—but for the majority of my Central Standard brothers nothing will ever top that hot July afternoon in Pittsburgh.
Barbershop Hero: The Gas House Gang did a show in Kansas City with Heart of America Chorus in the mid-90s that I was able to attend. It planted the seed that would continue to germinate until 2010, when I decided I needed more music in my life and I found barbershop harmony again. I also have a lot of pride in what Tim Waurick and the Newfangled Four are doing in the digital/social space to help evangelize our music to millions who may not encounter it otherwise. But I hold my highest respect to the men and women in our midst who are *not* professionally-trained singers, but rather, just our friends and neighbors who spend hours of their own time learning, practicing, and pushing themselves beyond what they thought they were capable of doing in pursuit of harmony and finding a place in our community where they feel welcome and empowered. My chorus is made up almost exclusively of this type of singer—myself included—which is why our successes as an ensemble are so important and such a deep sense of pride of accomplishment for us.
Steve Denino
Interim CEO (non-voting)
37 years of service
The Alliance Chorus (JAD), The Core (JAD)
Favorite Barbershop Memory
"My first contest with my Dad and two brothers - Denino's Home Grown Harmony. And then participating in the first co-ed Buckeye Invitational."
Perry D. White
Ex-Officio Board Member (non-voting) • 2023-2024
President and CEO, Harmony Foundation International