Staff

Drum Major Instructors

Glen Brough has served as the Visual Coordinator for the Spartan Marching Band since 1988. He was the Drum Major of the MSU Band for four years and has taught drum majors nationwide for over 30 years. He has also instructed marching with the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps and writes marching drill for numerous bands in the region. Glen is assistant director of admissions for Michigan State University.

Galen Karriker is a doctoral student in wind conducting at MSU. He served as the Assistant Director of Bands and Marching Band Director at the University of Akron for eight years. Prior to that, he was the Asistant Marching Band Director at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Galen has a Masters in conducting from MSU and a BA in Music from Louisiana State University. Galen has instructed the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, where he served as the Conductor in 1991.

Chris Owen Chris Owen served as the Drum Major for the Spartan Marching Band from 1998-2001, a position that only six others in the history of the ensemble have held as long. Chris assists with the instruction of several Michigan high school marching bands, and is an accomplished performer with the signal baton. He is a graduate of the College of Engineering at MSU and currently works as a civil engineer.

Marc Compton was the drum major of the Spartan Band from 2005-2006. A former trumpet player in the SMB, Marc is originally from South Haven. He is a 2007 graduate from MSU where he majored in Secondary Education. He is current a history teacher and swimming coach at Rochester High School in Rochester, Michigan.

Ian McNabb will serve in his third year as drum major for the Spartan Marching Band this fall. A Grand Rapids native, Ian is a former mellophone player with the SMB and is currently a packaging major at MSU.

Color Guard Instructors

Orlando Suttles has been the Color Guard Instructor with the Spartan Marching Band since 2002. He has extensive instructional experience in a variety of environments that includes the Michigan Competing Bands Association and Winter Guard International (WGI). He is a highly sought-after adjudicator and is the only WGI judge from the state of Michigan. Orlando is a marketing/customer relations specialist in the banking industry.

Peter Eichler has an extensive color guard resume which includes performing with Carolina Crown and the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps, as well as Third Edition and Pride of Cincinnati winter guards. His principal instructional experiences have been with the color guards from Carolina Crown, Plymouth Canton Marching Band, State of Art Winter Guard, and the MSU Performing Arts Camp. Peter is currently a touring member with the national cast of Blast! Peter was a Music Education major at MSU where he played French horn/mellophone in several ensembles.

Joshua Benningfield of Indianapolis, IN returns for a second summer with the PAC Color Guard staff. A member of the 2005 world champion Pride of Cincinnati Winter Guard, Joshua has served as the choreographer for the Spirit of JSU and Carolina Crown Dum and Bugle Corps. He also served as the designer for the 2007 world champion Carmel High School Winter Guard.