Meet the Staff

Eric Satterlee, Owner

Eric Satterlee is the founder (1983) and technical director of Meridian Winds in Okemos, MI. He began his instrument repair apprenticeship in 1972 and has been learning ever since. He’s presented numerous clinics at the regional and national level for NAPBIRT and is a two-time recipient of the Dick Rusch award. He has traveled throughout Europe representing Ferree’s Tools at The Music Messe, and to European technicians and music dealers. He is the co-inventor (along with Wayne Tanabe) of the Magnetic Dent Removal System, which is manufactured and distributed globally from Meridian Winds.

Brennan Lagan is Meridian Winds’s newest repair specialist. He began his apprenticeship shortly after finishing his Master of Music in Saxophone Performance at The University of Oklahoma with Jonathon Nichol. Having a longtime interest in the mechanical workings of his chosen instrument, he was a natural choice to fill the opening of Saxophone Repair Technician. A native of Hazelton, Pennsylvania, Brennan earned a Bachelor of Music Education and Saxophone Performance at Penn State, where studied with esteemed Professor of Saxophone David Stambler. Since beginning his apprenticeship, Brennan has already logged many hours on the bench devoted exclusively to the repair, maintenance and restoration of every make, model and type of saxophone. Aside from his longtime interest and talent in saxophone repair, Brennan is also an accomplished artist related to the refacing of saxophone mouthpieces. In addition, Brennan teaches saxophone lessons here at Meridian Winds to all levels of players.

Brennan Lagan, Saxophone Repair Technician

Bruce McCall, Woodwind Repair Technician

Bruce McCall took apart his first oboe while in the 6th grade, and has been repairing woodwinds since 1976. He joined the expert team of technicians at Meridian Winds in 2014, returning to his home town. While very familiar with all levels of woodwinds, much of Bruce’s repair experience has been in the service of professionals and college level students from across the country. Bruce studied oboe and bassoon while earning his Bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University. He performed on both instruments while a member of the US Military Academy Band at West Point and as a free-lance musician in New York City and Knoxville, TN. Bruce has presented oboe adjustment workshops at the annual conference of the IDRS, at universities in KY, MI, SC, TN, TX, VA and at the Brevard Music Center. Bruce holds certification for the installation of Straubinger pads and is the author of “The Essential Guide to Adjusting Your Oboe”, which is in use at universities across the country.

Originally hailing from Mechanicsburg, PA, Chaz McCown studied Euphonium at the University of North Texas from 2007-2009. While there, Chaz was introduced to instrument repair work through Ann MacMillan’s repair course, which lead him to train with John Butler for two summers at Brook Mays Music in Dallas. Chaz finished his undergraduate degree at Indiana University of PA, and graduated with a double major in Euphonium Performance and Philosophy. Upon earning his degree, Chaz returned to Dallas and continued working as a tech at Brook Mays for two years before further pursuing his education at Michigan State University. There he earned a Master of Music in performance as a Euphonium Specialist in 2018. Prior to joining the technical staff here at Meridian Winds, Chaz also worked as a repair technician at Meyer Music in Grand Rapids, MI. He is an active member of the Grand Rapids Symphonic Band, the Mountain Town Brass Band, & the Grand Rapids Vintage Parlor Orchestra. In his free time, Chaz enjoys hiking and riding his three unicycles. He currently resides in Lansing with his dog Maybelle

Chaz McCown, Repair Technician

Dave Christenson, Brass Repair Technician

Dave Christenson has been a brass specialist at Meridian Winds for many years. Along with making certain that all instrument sold at MW are in excellent condition and working with the many schools and band directors who trust Meridian Winds for repairs, during his tenure he has developed a considerable following of professional players who trust him with their instruments. Dave is a primarily a trumpeter, but is well versed in all brasswinds. He is originally from a small town in Minnesota, and graduated with a music degree from Union College. After being a band director for a few years, he decided to follow the call to become a repair technician. He later graduated from the Redwing Technical College, where he studied under Master Technicians Gene Beckwith and Jon Huth. Dave is married with 4 children and 2 grand children. Besides playing trumpet and guitar at his church, he regularly works with his church’s youth and youth leaders sharing his music and life skills.

Gary Beem began his instrument repair apprenticeship in 1975 while still a high school student. He’s been a technician at Meridian Winds for more than twenty years and specializes in brass repair including saxophones. His lathe skills include: rebuilding tone holes, tenons and sockets for a network of dealers who utilize Meridian Winds services throughout the USA. Gary was instrumental in the research and development of the MDRS and is perhaps the foremost expert on this technique and application having logged more hours using MDRS tooling than any other technician. He’s never taken a vacation during the summer months but don’t look for him in the shop between the 15th and 30th of November during deer season.

Gary Beem, Repair Technician

Genevieve Brown, Sales Associate

Genevieve Brown graduated from Homeschool in May 2018 and is currently studying at Lansing Community College in the Sign Language Interpreter Training Program (ITP). She has had a passion for playing the flute since age 9, and began performing with the Home School Music Association (HSMA) in the fall of 2010. She has performed with the Spartan Youth Wind Symphony, where she served as principal flute for two years. She has also participated in the Spartan Youth Wind Symphony Honors Flute Choir & Honors Woodwind Quintet, MSBOA All-State Band & Orchestra, and the Mid-Michigan Youth Symphony. Her awards include the HSMA Artist Circle Award, the Lansing Concert Band Kenneth Bloomquist Award, and 2nd Place in the Bob Jones University Woodwind Concerto Competition. In addition to studying at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Genevieve has studied with Amy Oeseberg, Tess Miller, and Bryan Guarnuccio. In her free time, Genevieve enjoys contra-dancing, singing, acting, ringing handbells, and crafting. She is an active member of Ingham County 4H, specializing in Rabbit Husbandry. Genevieve enjoys working at Meridian Winds interacting and assisting all levels of musicians with their accessory, music and instrument selections. She is also available for private flute lessons.

Jennifer is a freelance clarinetist based in the Lansing, MI, and is also currently working as Internet Sales Manager at Meridian Winds. Since July 2015, she has been in charge of managing the website, editing newsletters, and overseeing online sales. Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where she studied with Chad Burrow and earned a Specialist in Clarinet Performance degree in 2014. She was a student of Dr. Jane Carl at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she was also a member of the UMKC Graduate Fellowship Woodwind Quintet and earned a Master of Music in Clarinet Performance in 2012. She has a Bachelor of Music from Central Michigan University, where she was a student of Dr. Kennen White. Her other influential teachers include Dr. Lisa Raschiatore and Mike Petkus. Jen can be heard throughout Michigan and actively performs chamber music with her partner, violinist Kyle Venlet.

Jennifer Fischer, Web Sales

Ko Kaiden, Woodwind Repair Technician

Ko Kaiden, a native of Kamakura, Japan, is the grandson of a Zen high priest, and majored in psychology in school. His love of music guided him on to a full-time orchestra position in Japan as principal oboist. After he moved to New York City in 1990, he became a woodwind doubler for Broadway and started his woodwind repair business. He became a woodwind instrument curator at the La Guardia High School, NYC. As a teacher, he has held an oboe and chamber music instructor position at CPSM at Queens College, NYC, for 13 years. He ventured into vocal music and soon became much sought-after on the New York vocal scene. He sang more than 40 opera roles including two Polish operas by Moniuszko, first the role of “Marszałek” in “Halka” sang in Polish at the Royal Theatre of Warsaw (1999), at the Kaye Playhouse [NYC] (American Premiere, 2000), and at the Kennedy Center (2001), then the role of “Pan Marcin” in “Verbum Nobile” returned to the Royal Theatre of Warsaw in 2003. He is also an avid ballroom dancer competing and performing at the showcases. Ko relocated to Michigan in 2008, and has been working at Meridian Winds since then. He also operates his own shop in Ann Arbor, MI where he specializes in the repair and restoration of oboes and clarinets.

Larry Van Ameyde has a number of years experience in brass instrument repair from before and after enjoying two other successful careers. He formerly taught instrumental music in grades 5-12, and has been an adjunct instructor at several colleges and universities. He also has 20+ years experience in automotive engineering. Larry is a member of NAPBIRT (The National Association of Professional Band Instrument Repair Technician), AFM (The American Federation of Musicians), and ITEA (The International Tuba Euphonium Association). He can frequently be found freelancing on tuba, cimbasso, bass trombone, euphonium, ophicleide, and serpent. He also especially enjoys spending time with his family and tuba collection, in that order.

Larry Van Ameyde, Low Brass Repair Technician

Ross Brower, MDRS Specialist

Prior to joining the Meridian Winds team, Ross Brower was one of the band directors at Haslett High School for many years. He also taught at the middle and elementary schools before retiring in 2016. Ross is a Michigan State University graduate and taught at Frasier Schools prior to his tenure at Haslett. Ross is in charge to the Magnetic Dent Removal System department here at Meridian Winds. He works with clients in repair shops all around the world, building and shipping all MDRS tooling. Ross works with the Global Outreach Program at Trinity Church in Lansing and also performs on trombone regularly with ensembles at his church. He is available to perform clinician work through Meridian Winds

Sarah recently graduated from Michigan State University with a Master of Music in Clarinet Performance, where she studied with Dr. Elsa Verdehr and Dr. Tasha Warren-Yehuda. Sarah also studied with Dr. Kimberly Cole and Dr. Sandra Jackson at Eastern Michigan University, where she obtained her Bachelor of Music in Clarinet Performance. During high school, she was a student of Dr. Kathy Wood and Dr. Meghan Merciers, who is currently Professor of Clarinet at the University of Northern Alabama. Sarah began her instrument repair apprenticeship in May 2015, and specializes in all aspects of repair, maintenance and restoration of the clarinet family of instruments. She has quickly become a valuable member of the Meridian Winds repair team!

Sarah Ellul, Clarinet Repair Technician

Terri Palazzolo, Store & Print Music Manager

Terri Palazzolo, a native of Howell Michigan, graduated from Northern Michigan University and was Director of Bands at Fowlerville Schools in Fowlerville, MI, for 35 years before retiring in 2012. During her tenure at Fowlerville, her bands consistently received 1st Division ratings, and for 18 years, Terri toured Europe with the American Musical Ambassadors. She is a member of the National Band Association (NBA), the American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA) and the Women Band Directors International (WBDI), of which she has been a member since 1982. Meridian Winds provided school service to Terri for many of the years she was Director of Bands, and during the last several years of her teaching, we always discussed her coming to work with Meridian Winds upon her retirement. During the past few years, we have been very fortunate to have her join the Meridian Winds Team because she brought along a wealth of knowledge related to the band world. Terri is our Assistant Store Manager and Print Music Manager. If you want to know anything about print music from any publisher, just ask Terri! She still lives in Fowlerville with her 2 Siberian Huskies. Terri continues to enjoy working with many of her former colleagues, musicians of all ages, and on occasion seeing her former students in the shop who seem to appear on a regular basis.

Devon Gross has been involved with music all her life! She grew up with a band director as a mother, and although she decided not to follow her mother into music education, she did pursue music. Devon started playing the oboe at age ten. Originally from Marshall, she has played many shows in the pit orchestra (on oboe and English horn) for several theatre companies there and has continued to find theatre since moving to this area. Devon studied oboe with Dr. Lindabeth Binkley at Central Michigan University, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Music and English: Creative Writing. She had several students of her own during her time at CMU and loves teaching private lessons, especially because the oboe can be such a difficult but rewarding instrument. She is excited to be at Meridian Winds as the new Accounts Manager. She also gives private oboe lessons.