Meet The Band at Premier Guitar


Peter Sprague, Chief Executive Officer 319.895.0050, x302 • peters@premierguitar.com
Peter is a partner in the business, who has the good fortune to be married to Patti. Peter, a former Wall Street Journal reporter has spent years as a serial media entrepreneur. The “grey beard” of the group, he is a former drummer who had a band through high school and college. While playing as a front band for Brubeck, he heard Joe Morello; laid down his sticks and went into publishing. Peter is responsible for overall development of the business and is also taking guitar lessons, clearly demonstrating why he was a better drummer!

Patti Sprague, Chief Operating Officer 319.895.0050, x315 • pattis@premierguitar.com
Patti is a partner with the company and is a CPA. She has also served as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for several large media companies. As the COO, Patti is responsible for all operations…accounting, IT, production, and circulation. A former gymnast, she manages the stress by running road races and winning medals - she can outrun all other employees! Patti grew up playing piano and is now taking up guitar (the better instrument).

Gary Ciocci, Managing Director 603-924-0139 • gary@premierguitar.com
With more than 25 years in publishing, 12 of them in the music industry, Gary Ciocci’s experience includes art direction, design, production, ad creation, marketing, circulation, advertising sales, and sales management. Gary has worked with clients ranging from small guitar shops to IBM and Dell. As a guitarist, Gary considers himself more of a guitar owner than a guitar player. Because of his personal interest and profession, he has an appreciation for clients and the products used by readers.

Jon Levy, Managing Director 818-994-3800 • jon@premierguitar.com
With his broad background in writing, media and marketing, Jon remains at heart an unabashed music junkie. His 20-year career is an outgrowth of his interests as a guitarist and bassist. Through it all, he’s built strong relationships with musicians and has helped promote the instruments and music-making technology they use.

Trent Salter, Publisher 888.247.2009 • Trent@premierguitar.com
Trent is the founding member of what is now Premier Guitar, which was launched as Midwest Musicians Hotline in June 1995 and became Musicians Hotline in January 1997. In January of 2007, the magazine became Premier Guitar to more effectively capture the spirit of the publications multi media direction. Trent has been an accomplished guitar player/singer for more than 30 years. He has spent many years on the road professionally playing clubs in the Midwest and to this day performs 50+ shows per year. Extensive gear knowledge, Trent also has significant recording experience and is also an accomplished FOH Engineer.


Joe Coffey, Editorial Director 319.895.0050, x316 • joe@premierguitar.com
When Joe isn’t playing out with his band or sacked out in a hammock listening to ‘70s-era Buffett, he’s overseeing the editorial operations for Premier Guitar. Joe is a former TV news anchor and has also taught college journalism and video production. Joe holds degrees from Baylor Univeristy and the University of Iowa.

Rebecca Dirks, Web Content Editor 319.895.0050, x314 • Rebecca@premierguitar.com
Rebecca is a graduate of the University of Iowa, where she studied journalism and graphic design and was bass player in a band. When she’s not editing, writing, updating the website or doing various other editorial chores, Rebecca enjoys watching football (go Packers!) and playing Wii.

Ben Otis, Creative Director 319.895.0050, x306 • ben@premierguitar.com
Ben is a graduate of the University of Iowa and the San Francisco Academy of Art College. He has been a graphic designer and working artist for close to 20 years. His career has spanned the U.S., and his design experience includes everything from publication design to designing snowboard and ski graphics, as well as mastering both sports. Ben is one of two fiercely proud drummers working for Premier Guitar.

Chris Burgess, Editorial Assistant 319.895.0050, x310 • chrisb@premierguitar.com
Chris got his first electric guitar (a pawnshop Teisco) when he was 16 and has been playing and singing in bands ever since. A U.S. Navy vet, Chris has since taken on a wide variety of occupations, both in and out of the publishing industry, and teaches part time at the University of Iowa. When he’s not playing, napping, or testing out the latest gear for Premier Guitar, he’s working on his Ph.D. dissertation in medieval English poetry.

Adam Moore, Senior Contributing Editor 319.895.0050, x303 • adam@premierguitar.com
Adam is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa and has worked on variety of publications, including starting and running his own arts and media quarterly, Cesium Magazine, while still an undergraduate. He has been playing guitar for 15 years, and has played on and off in several bands throughout the years, although nothing that has taken him beyond frat parties and smoky bars. Adam listens to all kinds of music, but has a real affinity for pre-war gospel blues, post-rock and Scandinavian metal.

Chris Kies, Editorial Assistant 319.895.0050, x305 • chris@premierguitar
Chris attended the University of Iowa where he studied journalism and history. He’s spent the past few years writing music and concert reviews for the webzine, Decoy Music. He’s assisted PG with both editorial and website duties. He spends his free time getting tattoos, rooting on the Cubs and Cowboys, working out, trying to play guitar and listening to anything from Hank Williams Sr. to Pantera and the Wu Tang Clan to Social Distortion.

Theresa Sherwood, Editorial Assistant 319.895.0050, x304 • Theresa@premierguitar.com
Theresa is a senior at the University of Iowa majoring in journalism, mass communication and Spanish. At Premier Guitar, she assists with editing, updating the Web site and writing. Outside of PG, Theresa enjoys playwriting and spending time with family.


Shelby Kraus, Director of Marketing 319.895.0050, x311 • Shelby@premierguitar.com
Dubbed “the herder of cats,” Shelby attempts to keep the crew together (with minimal success). But, as Director of Marketing evangelizing all things Premier Guitar keeps her pretty busy. Shelby has had similar responsibilities in the non-profit world and was an account supervisor for Eastern Iowa’s largest advertising agency. She’s never been in a band, (unless you count playing clarinet in concert band) but sang for many years. If you get a chance to chat with her, she doesn’t have laryngitis, she always sounds like Kim Carnes.

Lee Ann Leytem, Project Manager 319.895.0050, x307 • LeeAnn@premierguitar.com
Just give her that old time rock ‘n roll, and she’s happy! Big Band, some country, jazz and blues are good with her too; but, no thanks to boy bands, pop tarts, rap or opera! Lee Ann takes care of dotting all “I’s” when it comes to our advertiser programs as well as managing the production of print materials. Other interests include drawing, cartooning, photography, calligraphy, engraving, etching, computer graphics, reading, assorted crafts, scrapbooking, writing and learning…leaving her little time for work!

Shannon Britcher, Accountant 319.895.0050, x301 • Shannon@premierguitar.com
Shannon is Lois’ daughter and is a graduate of Iowa State University majoring in Accounting. She enjoys quilting and has recently started guitar lessons. She is an avid fan of The Office and The Biggest Loser and once turned her dog, Emma, blue (accidentally!). She lives by the motto, “I’m not bossy, I just have better ideas.” Shannon does all invoicing and makes those annoying, but necessary, calls to delinquent advertisers.

Lois Stodola, Circulation Manager 319.895.0050, x309 • Lois@premierguitar.com
Lois is “mom” to four adult children and two dogs, and “grandma” to her 3-year-old grandson. Despite her kids being grown, she still has to deal with her oldest daughter (Shannon) on a daily basis, but she claims to love it. Lois has made a career of administration and database assignments and is responsible for all our daily circulation activities. If you have a subscription issue/question, Lois is the person to call! While she’s not musically inclined, she does enjoy making a sewing machine sing while making quilts.


Matt Charles, Director of Business Development 718.634.1977 • Matt@premierguitar.com
Music has always been Matt’s “thing.” He was lucky enough to see Zeppelin when he was 13 and that was pretty much it. He didn’t know how he was going to do it, but he knew that music was always going to be a big part of his life. Matt has done just about everything: playing guitar and bass, engineering and producing recorded music, doing live sound engineering for many bands, designing and installing sound systems for music venues, and developing new business opportunities for a guitar-oriented magazine/website. Matt brings that expertise to Premier Guitar and our clients. Working with Premier Guitar affords him the opportunity to share his passion for music and gear, with his equally passionate colleagues and with all the Gear Hounds out there.

Brett Petrusek, Director of Artist Relations 612.869.3967 • brett@premierguitar.com
A graduate of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Brett has had a guitar in his hands since early childhood, accompanied with many fond memories of his mother yelling, “Turn it down!” Throughout the years Brett has recorded and toured professionally with a variety guitar driven rock bands. From headlining clubs and touring (both regionally and nationally) he has enjoyed warming up stages for bands like; Cheap Trick, Tesla, Nickelback, 3 Doors Down, and Puddle of Mudd (to name a few). Brett continues to chase the sound in his head both live and in the studio with his latest group, Downtread. Most guys join rock bands to get the chicks, Brett’s in it to justify a high-end gear addiction. Like staying current on the latest software trends…if you’re out there doing it the tone chasing possibilities are endless.

Dave Westin, Retail Sales Manager 800.574.7333 • dave@premierguitar.com
Hey Y’all – this is Dave Westin. A graduate of San Diego State University with majors in Business Administration and Philosophy, he’s travelled the world seeking thrills in things like extreme skiing, skydiving, base jumping and race car driving. Dave also loves music, and finds working with the guitar industry folks to be extremely fulfilling – it’s great to be a part of something that helps people to live their dreams! Rock on.