Administration

Paul G. LaFlamme, Jr.

Committees:

• Business Development Committee
• Strategic Planning Committee

Paul LaFlamme, better known as PG, has been involved with the drum corps for most of his life. Participating as a member from 1986-1994, Paul learned drum corps operations from the ground up. A member of the Board of Directors from 2000 on, he became President of the Spartans in 2009.

In private industry, Paul has owned and operated a number of businesses including real estate, title insurance, and property management. Paul also served for two terms in the NH House of Reps from 2000-2004. He lives in Nashua with his wife, Kathryn and two children Julia and Andrew.

Paul G. LaFlamme, Sr.

Paul grew up in Nashua, NH and is the son of the founder of the organization. He is a graduate of Nashua High School. After receiving an honorable discharge from the Air Force in 1972, he went to work for the Tulley Buick Dealership in Nashua, where he still works as a member of their management team. Paul attended Daniel Webster College and NH Vocational Technical College and is a graduate of General Motors University of Automotive Management. He is a former member of the Spartans and has spent most of his life working with and traveling with the Corps as a member, a parent, a bus driver, and as a board member.

Andy Smolko

Committees:

• Business Development Committee
• Compensation Committee
• Strategic Planning Committee

Andy joined the Spartans Board of Directors in 2015 and became the Marketing and Communications Director in 2019. He grew up in NJ where he marched in the Morristown Defenders and the Imperial Guardsmen Drum and Bugle Corps from 1969-1976. After his marching career was over, he was color guard and visual instructor for several high school bands, an all-girl Drum and Bugle Corps, and several winter color guards (Challengers and Islanders). Over the years he has continued to follow Drum Corps closely and is happy to be giving back to this wonderful activity.

For 35 years Andy worked in various high-tech industries including several semi-conductor companies. Andy has a BS Degree from the University of South Carolina in Industrial Engineering and Business Administration.

Anthony Montesion

Committees:

• Strategic Planning Committee

Anthony marched in the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps from 2002-2006 and was on the visual staff 2007, and 2010-2018. He has held a variety of roles within the Spartans organization over the past two decades, most recently, as Operations Director for the drum corps and as the Administrative Director for Spartans Indoor Percussion.

Anthony has taught numerous high school marching band programs in Massachusetts, including Shepherd Hill Regional High School, helping the group earn 4 USBANDS National Championships and 3 NESBA Championships during his tenure. Anthony has also previously taught at Fitchburg High School and Mansfield High School.

Anthony graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from Fitchburg State University then earned his Master of Education in Education Administration from UMASS-Lowell. Anthony currently works as a public school administrator in Massachusetts.

Leah Dunbar

Leah Dunbar is an arts administrator, educator, arranger, and five-season alumna of the Spartans. She is currently the Assistant Director for the Salem Blue Devils Percussion Ensemble and has taught and arranged for numerous programs in New England and Ohio. In addition, Leah was part of the inaugural Bluecoats Fellowship Program for front ensemble arranging and performs with the marimba ensemble Apricus Duo.

Jared Logan

Jared is an alumnus of the Spartans and taught on the percussion staff from the fall of 2019 through the summer of 2022. He has a bachelor’s degree in Music Studies and a master’s degree in Public Administration: Public Humanities and the Arts from UMass, Lowell.

He has been teaching in the New England area since 2014 for many local programs while maintaining his role as assistant percussion director at Everett High School. Jared is currently the band director at Lowell (MA) High School.

Isaac Schneider

Isaac Schneider is a music educator and proud Spartans alumnus. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Ithaca College. Isaac is currently the Instrumental Music Teacher at the Barack Obama School for Social Justice in Yonkers, NY and serves as a Co-Director for the Yonkers Public Schools Marching Band. In addition, he served as Music Caption Head for the 2023 Port Chester High School Marching Band season.

Eric Brust-Akdemir

Eric marched WGI indoors in the northeast for 10 seasons and in DCA for 6 seasons. He has done graphic design work for Dartmouth Percussion, Blessed Sacrament, St. Ann’s, Cadets, Caballeros, and others. Eric lives with his husband on Cape Cod and owns a small regional publication.

Charlie Quirk

Charlie has been a member of the Spartans Indoor Percussion for the last 2 years as a synth player. His time in the group has created a strong bond between the staff, fellow performers, and himself. Charlie has also performed as a trumpet player throughout his high school career. Currently, he pursues photography with a background in astrophotography, he hopes to broaden his skillset by working in photography in the marching arts. Look for Charlie on tour with the Spartans this summer!

Cameron Swart

Cameron Swart is a junior studying Environmental Science and Earth Systems at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where they have also been a part of the UMass Marching Band’s Audio/Visual staff for the past 3 years. Cameron has been passionate about photography since they were a freshman in high school, forming their own photography club to learn more and teach others. They are endlessly thankful for the opportunity to travel and photograph the Spartans’ performances!