UMMB: Adstaff

This article is copied from the UMMB's BandoWiki by its creator

The UMass Amherst Minuteman Marching Band (UMMB) holds many unique opportunities for its members, including running the band itself. Starting in the spring before many members are even thinking about band the staff works diligently. They also arrive to band camp nearly a week before their band veteran peers. The UMMB Administrative Staff (Ad-Staff)is an extraordinary group of student leaders who cover nearly every function a collegiate marching band might require.

[edit] Staff Positions

The actual staff positions and titles vary as often as from year to year but in the end all the same jobs are accomplished and with a little bit of work the band moves forward.

Most of the Staff works out of the band administrative offices in the University Apartments off of North Pleasant St.

Staff Manager- This student works closely with the directors to help determine what tasks need to be done and which staff member/department is best suited for the job.

Travel Manager- The travel manager works very closely with both the manager and the directors to take care of the multitude of considerations when ever the band travels. This includes finding vehicles, places to stay, meals, and even things as seemingly small as directions.

Personnel Manager- This student has to be good with names and faces. Often the first to memorize all 300+ names the personnel manager is responsible for maintaining attendance records as well as assigning band members to their bus for trips.

Library Department- The library staff is generally comprised of a manager and 2 to 3 staff assistants. The library is in charge of all the paper. They copy, collate, organize and distribute everything from the august mailings of music and the band camp drill sheets to the Merry Maple music. The staff as is in charge of the band's copy machine and the band music library - stacks of band music dating back decades into the band's history.

Equipment Staff - The equipment staff is one of the two staff departments housed not in the Apartments but in Grinnell. The staff generally comprises of a manager and 2 to 4 staffers. The equipment staff room (commonly refered to as '14') is the home to not only all of the band-owned instruments (with the exception of the sousaphones) but also the extensive sound equipment utilized by the front ensemble, instrument repair kits, bull horns, spray paint, rain coats, tool boxes and 18th century style muskets and wigs. The staff is responsible for all of this equipment's use, distribution and storage.

Uniform Staff- The uniform staff is responsible for the storage, distribution, care and collection of the band's 400 uniforms. The uniform staff operates out of the apartments but the uniforms themselves are stored in an off campus storage facility. The staff generally comprises of a manager and 2 staff assistants though during distribution and collection times the entire staff is involved.

Recruitment Staff- The recruiters are responsible for the membership of the band. They set up booths at events, send out mailings, follow up on info requests and run informational sessions during freshman orientations. The staff is generally comprised of a manager and assistant as well as the summer recruiter.

Summer Recruiter/Manager- The summer recruiter is an individual (sometimes a student, sometimes not) who comes in on a full time basis to prepare for band camp. This person finalizes the band roster, makes the arrangements for band camp and hosts the summer info sessions. This person may or may not remain connected witht he Ad-Staff and the band at the conclusion of the summer.

Web Staff- This staff is fairly new, in charge of the upkeep and maintance of the band's webspace. The staff also serves as tech service to the rest of the staff when band computer equipment runs into issues. The staff has been 2 to 3 people.

Publicity Staff- This staff is responsible for spreading the word of the band. Making phone calls and sending out press releases is the primary function of this position. The staff varies from 1 to 2 people.

Merchandise staff- The band's merchandising attempts gave rise to an official staff department in 2006. Responsible for the design, advertisement, ordering and selling of apparael as well as the sale of other band related merchandise (multimedia, books, edtc). The staff is a manager with 1 to 2 assistants.

Colorguard Staff- This staff is another fairly recent development. Acting as a liason for the colorguard this is the second staff to be based out of Grinnell. The CG staff is responsible for the guard uniforms and often plays a large role in organizing the spring 'color in the cage'. This department is comprised of a manager and occasionally an assistant.

A/V Staff- Also known as 'historian' this staff is responsible for the band's camera equipment and making sure every performance is recorded. A/V is also responsible for recording the fun behind the scenes 'character' of the band which ends up as part of our video yearbook. A/V can be a single manager or multiple staffers working with a camera crew of non-marchers.

[edit] Staff History

Student involvement in the band's logistics has been one of the longest running traditions of the band. John Jenkins is credited with the current configuration though he admits he is not the one who brought student staff to the UMMB, "What I did do was fire everyone who was on staff when I arrived and rebuilt it."

As far as history of the staff goes I don't have too much of it.

When the band was in Chapel the staff occupied the southern room on the ground floor facing memorial hall. Some managers would maintain a desk upstairs by the director's offices.

There was a long while during the Chapel days when the equipment staff seemed to be run by tuba players.

[edit] Old Staff Members

Former drum major Linda Hannum originally had much involvement not only in the creation of band merchandise but also in the development of video yearbooks in the late 1980s.

Former drum major Kerstin Becker was drum major and band manager at the same time.

Former Publicity Manager Rob Graff was the only staff member to also be a member of the drumline in the last 15-years.

[edit] Current Staff

2007-2008 UMMB Administrative Staff

Staff Manager

Courtney J. Beard

Audio / Video Manager

Dejah Pires

Audio / Video Staff

Caitlin Bogdan

Colorguard Management Staff

Maggie Reitzel

Linda Kizelewicz

Danni Marone

Equipment Manager

Jimmy Verdone

Equipment Staff

Dev Lutchmen

Eric Paradis

Peter Salemi

Library Manager

Andrew Gaylord

Library Staff

Nicole Zarba

Christopher Sullivan

Merchandising Manager

Nicholas J. McKenzie

Merchandising Staff

Sarah Binette

Kendall Peabody

Personnel Manager

Shari Warden

Publicity Manager

Michael Messina

Recruiting Manager

Emily Mattison-Earls

Recruiting Staff

Matthew Mare

Travel Manager

Viginia Neilsen

Uniform Manager

Melissa Allen

Uniform Staff

Caitlin Baker

Steph Cheung

Web Manager

Jackie Hai

Web Staff

Christopher Pereira