John Prendergast – Litchfield, NH
Chairman & Treasurer – Executive 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. – Nashua, NH
President
Paul LaFlamme has been involved with the drum corps activity for most of his life. Participating as a member of the Spartans from 1986-1994, Paul learned drum corps operations from the ground up working in several capacities. Paul has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2000.
In 2009 Paul was appointed to his current role as President. In that role, Paul has helped lead the organization from a $200,000 organization to the multi-ensemble million dollar organization it is today. Paul is currently serving his second term on the Drum Corps International Open Class Advisory Board, recently being elected by his peers as Chairman.
Ann Prendergast – Litchfield, NH
Board Secretary & Business Director
Ann has been a volunteer with the Spartans organization for over 25 years. An energetic mother of four and proud grandmother of seven, Ann now has over 35 years of volunteer experience with several youth organizations including those dedicated to music, sports, civic, and community activities. Ann is a college graduate with prior executive administrative assistance experience and as such brings strong planning and organizational skills to her volunteer activities.
Paul G. LaFlamme, Sr. – Hollis, NH
Vice Chairman & Executive Committee
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 – Windham, NH
Executive Committee
Andy joined the Spartan’s Board of Directors in 2015 and became the Communications Director in 2019. He grew up in NJ where he marched in two local Drum and Bugle Corps from 1969-1976. After his marching career, he was color guard and visual instructor for several high school bands, an all-girl Drum and Bugle Corps, and several winter color guards – medaling in several championships. Over the years he has continued to follow Drum Corps closely and has a particular interest in the Open Class because he believes that it is a very important part of the activity.
Rev. Mark Jackson – Lexington, MA
Board Member
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 – Nashua, NH
Board Member
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 – Nashua, NH
Board Member
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 – Fitchburg, MA
Board Member
Anthony is currently the Director of Ensembles for the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps and the Spartans Indoor Percussion. 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 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 – Methuen, MA
Board Member
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 – Londonderry, NH
Board Member
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.
Ernad Sisic – Atlanta, GA
Board Member
Mr. Sisic joins the Spartans Performance Ensembles board of directors to assist in the continued success of both Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps and Spartans Indoor Percussion. Ernad’s journey in drum corps started with Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps (Mobile, AL) in 2019 as a performer. As an alumnus of Southwind, he returned in 2021 as the tour manager and was later promoted to assistant corps director. In the fall of 2022, Ernad was appointed as the corps director and led Southwind to a historic finish with a bronze medal in DCI Open Class and a first-time appearance at the DCI World Class Semi-Finals during the 2023 season.
In his professional life outside of the pageantry arts, Ernad is a job recruiter who has made a successful career of placing talented individuals in fitting roles. And in his personal life, Ernad is a musician through and through. He enjoys dedicating his free time as a freelance marching band arranger, using his passion and talent to help programs unlock a new avenue to achieve their maximum potential.
Ernad calls the vibrant state of Georgia home, and when he is not working, he likes to cook, travel, and spend time with his family and friends.