Spartans Board of Directors

John Prendergast

Committees:

• Business Development Committee
• Compensation Committee
• Strategic Planning Committee

For the past twelve years, John has owned and operated an FAA-certified aircraft component overhaul business in Londonderry, NH. Previous to that, John held various management positions including President of two regional airlines. John is a graduate of Boston College’s School of Management. Before entering the airline industry, he worked as a CPA for the accounting firm that is now Deloitte and Touche.

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.

Rev. Mark Jackson

Mark is the senior minister of the First Baptist Church in Lexington, MA. Prior to moving to Lexington, Mark served as the minister of the First Baptist Church of Nashua, NH for seven years. From March of 2003 until November of 2008, Mark was a part-time motor-coach driver for Spartans Coach Lines. He drove one of the buses for the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps on many trips including parades, regional competitions, a presidential inauguration, and several national competitions.

Barbara Griffey

Barbara is a retired Medical Laboratory Scientist. Although she never marched in any drum corps, she has been a Spartan supporter since 1999 when both of her sons joined the Spartans Cadets. Her older son, Anthony, continued marching with the Spartans for several years. Her husband, Guy, has marched in both Junior and Senior corps.

Barbara has been a prolific volunteer for many years and can usually be found at the Spartan’s bingo on Monday and Tuesday evenings. She has also fitted/altered uniforms, she was part of the team that started the spirit wear/souvenirs, and has also worked on the souvenir trailer. Barbara single-handedly designed and created the banner that was carried in the 2005 inaugural parade in Washington, D.C. (The banner has every member embroidered around the edge.) This banner continues to be used today.

Guy Griffey

Guy is a retired engineer assistant. Guy started marching Drum Corps in the late 1960’s in local eastern Massachusetts and Mayflower circuit corps. Starting in 1972, he marched the first 3 years of DCI in a top 12 corps. Both of Guy’s sons have marched with the Spartans organization starting in 1999. He and his wife, Barbara, have been active members of the Spartan’s organization ever since.

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.

Julie Jenkins

Committees:

• Strategic Planning Committee

Julie was a performing member of the Spartans from 2000-2004, and joined the board of directors in 2021. She graduated from UMAss Amherst where she was a member of several performing ensembles including the Marching Band.

Julie is currently working in the cybersecurity industry with Rapid7, and specializes in sales training and development.

Hugh Howard

Committees:

• Business Development Committee

Hugh is a husband and father of three who lives in Londonderry NH. He has over thirty years of experience in large box retail. Five years ago he joined the TD Bank team and has currently been directing the TD Bank Nashua Mall for the last three years. Hugh has a love of music and anything related to the outdoors.

Dan Kocher

Dan grew up in Northern NJ and marched in the Garfield Cadets organization from 1969-1977. After his marching career, he was a percussion arranger/instructor for several local high school bands and drum corps for over a decade. More recently, he has been a dedicated volunteer and supporter of charitable activities and non-profit organizations in Northern New Jersey which included serving on the board of directors of Cadets Arts & Entertainment for the past three years.

Dan is a graduate of the New Jersey Institute of Technology and a professional software/systems engineer. He has over 40 years of experience working in the aerospace/defense industry.