The Kentucky Arts Council, supports the Carnegie with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the arts.
Cliff Adams, Keyboards
Day Job: Cliff Adams is a career musical tradesman and a retired professor of popular music.
Musical Past: He has played over 6,000 gigs in the Cincinnati area, with extended engagements in the 80s and 90s at Flanagan’s Landing and the Waterfront Restaurant. Cliff has composed and produced records and music for film, TV, and radio. His “Maysville’s Friendly Dentist” radio spots have run during University of Louisville and University of Kentucky basketball games for over 10 years. His 1982 collaboration on “Endlessly” with former NFL star, Pat McInally, hit the #9 spot on Q-102 and earned Cliff his 15 minutes of fame. In 2017, Cliff and John Domaschko were inducted into the Northern Kentucky Music Legends Hall of Fame as members of the sixties rock band the Dingos.
Sheila Baker, Vocals
Day Job: Director of Business Development, First Title Agency, Inc. She has served on several boards, including the Greater Cincinnati Home Builders Association, Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity, Women’s Council of Realtors, and the Arthritis Foundation (Ohio River Valley Chapter). 2016 President of the SMC (Sales and Marketing Council) with the Cincinnati HBA.
Musical Past: Sheila enjoyed being the female vocalist with six other Suits in the classic rock band Glory Days, for 8 years. She is currently playing acoustically in smaller venues with 2 other Suits in a band called Chapter 3. She has had the privilege to sing the National Anthem for the Cincinnati Reds and Florence Freedom, and at many special events and ceremonies around town over the last several years. You can also find her singing with The King’s Church Praise Team in West Chester, Ohio every Sunday morning.
Ramona Blaine, Vocals
Day Job: Interim HealthCare, Regional Staffing Manager
Musical Past: Currently manages and performs with her band, The Company, at several local venues in Cincinnati. The Company also performs at private events and was voted “Best of Weddings” in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 by The Knot website, and most recently entered into The Knot’s “Best Of Weddings” Hall of Fame. Ramona has been singing since age 5, starting in her church choir in Wilmington, Ohio. She performed in several choirs, ensembles and musicals during high school and during her tenure at Wright State University.
Gary Bockelman, Vocals
Day Job: Chief Operating Officer at Wood & Lamping LLP. Gary was previously the President and CEO of Merand Corporation, a consulting and project management firm specializing in non-profits and higher education, and the CFO/COO at Hebrew Union College, The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and Thomas More College. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Commonwealth Bank & Trust, past Chairman of the Kenton County Airport Board and the Beechwood Independent School Board, and has served on numerous other civic and professional boards.
Musical Past: Played drums and sang with the bands Mercury and the Messengers of Sound and Knight Ryders.
Tom Bosse, Keyboards, Harmonica
Day Job: Graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Principal at Thomas Bosse Law, PLLC
Musical Past: Played keyboards and percussion in several rock bands in high school, including Etivrus. After high school, his musical focus remained on solo and jazz piano. Tom has recorded an album of solo works, “Diversions”, and he performs occasionally at various charity events in the region.
Paul Bromwell, Guitar, Vocals
Day Job: Retired Chief Information Officer at Frost Brown Todd LLC (1991-2017)
Musical Past: Paul is a guitar player, singer, songwriter, and amateur luthier who has been playing rock and original music since 1964. Paul played in several popular bands including the New Direction, Punk, the Chicago band, Specter, in the mid 70s, and in Cincinnati’s The Young Invaders, winners of the first MTV basement tapes show in the early 80s. He currently performs with the Bromwell Diehl Band with fellow Suits, Elaine Diehl, Jan Diehl, and Mark Tipton. Paul is a 2018 inductee in the Northern Kentucky Music Legends Hall of Fame. He also serves on the Suits That Rock Executive Committee.
Steve Brunner, Guitar
Day Job: CFO of Rizzo Brothers Painting Contractors, Inc. Steve is also the owner of VG Valuation Group.
Musical Past: Steve began playing guitar at the age of 13. He currently plays with Roy Knipp & Southern Harmony and the Drysdales. He is also a member of the praise band at Next Chapter Church in Wilder, KY.
Sarah Cameron, Vocals
Day Job: Commercial Litigation Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP. Sarah is licensed in both Kentucky and Ohio and assists clients in resolving business disputes. She also has experience in resolving estate and trust disputes, and co-chairs the NKBA’s Probate Law Section.
Musical Past: Sarah’s musical journey began in 4th grade when she sang “Colors of the Wind” in her elementary school talent show, and she has loved the stage ever since! In high school, Sarah performed at Disney World, in Branson, Missouri, Hawaii, and Los Angeles. Sarah was recognized as Best Female Performer at the Showchoir America competition in Los Angeles, and was crowned Miss KY Teen performing “I’ve Got the Music in Me.” At Transylvania University, Sarah played the lead role of Julie Jordan in “Carousel”. These days, Sarah is a guest addition to the Praise Team at Cornerstone Christian Church in Dayton, Kentucky. Born and raised in Pike County, Kentucky, Sarah now resides in Fort Thomas with her husband David and children, Ada Kate (5) and Cash (3).
Kevin Canafax, Vocals
Day Job: Midwest Vice President Public Affairs, Fidelity Investments.
Musical Past: Kevin performed Lead Vocals for classic rock band “Shut Up & Drive.” Today, Kevin fronts “Soul Shadow”, a Led Zeppelin/Classic Rock Tribute Band. Fellow Suit Kathy LaVerde is the band’s Bass Player. Kevin is co-founder of Brandemonium, recognized by Forbes Magazine as a top Marketing Conference. Kevin serves on numerous regional boards including the Cincinnati Business Committee, CVG Airport Board, Greater Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber and One NKY Alliance. It was Kevin’s idea to field a small group of business people as musical entertainment for the benefit of a non-profit organization, the birth of what eventually became “Suits That Rock.” Kevin serves on the “Suits That Rock” Executive Committee.
John Caulfield, Trombone, Vocals
Day Job: Chief Financial Officer for Phillips Edison and Company
Musical Past: John’s musical fate was decided when his 4th grade band teacher needed a trombone player. He played the trombone all through school, received a grant to play Jazz at Xavier, and even proposed to his wife at his last gig there. John is proud to be a Horn for Suits that Rock and is particularly grateful to Jan and Ken for writing all the charts! Although an amateur compared to the music legends of Suits, keep an eye out for John as he plays his horn, sings back-up, or even raps in a song or two! Always a fan of music, he sings with his church every weekend and with his kids every day.
Katie Chadwell
Day Job: Katie Chadwell has spent her career working in the nonprofit sector in the field of education. Currently, she serves as the Senior Director of Operations at KnowledgeWorks, a national nonprofit organization based in Cincinnati committed to delivering innovative education approaches and advancing aligned policies to transform the future of learning.
Musical Past: When she was younger, Katie sang at church and in school and community choirs. Her parents bought Katie her first guitar at age 16, but she didn’t really learn to play until nearly 10 years later. Since then, music has remained a fun hobby for Katie – playing occasional volunteer events, friends’ weddings, at backyard bonfires, and rocking karaoke nights. After an amazing experience as a 2019 Guest Suit, she is grateful and excited for the invitation to return as 2021 Suit!
Rick Dews, Bass Guitar
Day Job: Senior Strategic Sourcing Specialist at Honeywell Intelligrated.
Musical Past: Rick began playing guitar at about age 5 and moved to bass guitar at age 8. With two older brothers as a guitar player and drummer, it was the natural progression of things and a ready-made band. In the early days, that was the Dews Brothers band playing soul, rock, and blues. Later came a larger band called the Diplomats playing primarily Motown music. A big event was when they opened for Roger Troutman Jr., well before Zapp Band. Playing with many bands and many genres including bands such as Higher, The Hit Men, Groove Yard and Leroy Ellington and the E-Funk band, Gospel also became a focus; including playing for Donald Lawrence and Charles Fold. Rick is currently playing with the Diamond Jim Band as well as The Perpetrators. Venues have included Bogarts, Flanagan’s, Main Street Brewery, WEBN Fireworks, Taste of Cincinnati, Sycamore Gardens, Jefferson Hall, The 1207, and many, many more.
Elaine Diehl, Vocals
Day Job: Announcer/Producer Cincinnati Public Radio, 90.9 WGUC/ 91.7 WVXU
Musical Past: Elaine is the founder/lead singer of the CAMMY award-winning rock group, Elaine & the Biscaynes. She has also been a vocalist with The Bromwell-Diehl Band and Lee’s Junction Big Band since the mid-90s, a vocalist with the jazz trio, Boutique, and a featured vocalist with Santana tribute band, Madrigal. Elaine released her first solo album, produced by Paul Bromwell and Jan Diehl, in November 2007. A graduate of Edgecliff College of Xavier University (Theatre Arts), Elaine has recently appeared as a featured soloist with the Blue Ash/Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, and in the production “Almost Heaven: The Songs of John Denver” at The Covedale Performing Arts Center.
Jan Diehl, Bass Guitar, Saxophones, Flute, Vocals
Day Job: In his 36 years as a music educator Jan Diehl had the opportunity to teach music and music pedagogy to students in kindergarten through grad school helping produce successful professional musicians, music educators and a plethora of music lovers. Although he spent most of his tenure at Guardian Angels School, he also taught at Bethel-Tate High School and was an adjunct faculty member at both the University of Mount Saint Joseph and the College-Conservatory of Music. Not fully retired, Jan continues his work as a substitute teacher and has recently been added to the faculty of the New Horizon Band, a Concert Band of retired professionals who have chosen to return to music in their Golden Years. Jan is also an active woodwind adjudicator for the Ohio Music Education Association.
Musical Past: Jan worked his way through the College-Conservatory of Music by playing with a popular cover band called Magik, but is better known for appearances with Elaine & the Biscaynes, the Bromwell-Diehl Band, and the Phil Blank Blues Band. Jan can currently be seen playing bass and woodwinds for Boutique, Triangle, Curly & the Q-Balls, the fabulous Lee’s Junction Big Band and he has recently been added to Madrigal, the Ultimate Santana Experience.
John Domaschko, Bass Guitar, Vocals
Day Job: John’s employment past includes a career as a CPA and interim President of Vision 2015. In his capacity as a board member, he has chaired the CVG Airport Board, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, St. Elizabeth Foundation, Metropolitan Club, and Kentucky Educational Television, and served as Vice-Chair of Public Broadcasting Services in Washington, D.C. He is currently a member of the PBS Foundation Board and is on the board of a number of local organizations, including Rumpke Consolidated Companies, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, and Holland Foundation for Sight Restoration.
Musical Past: John refined his musical chops playing at high school dances, at Granny’s teenage nightclub, and in college bars like the Roundtable at UC and the Purity at Miami University. He played in the Sonics, the Cobras, the Burgundy Boys, and the Dingos, who were scheduled to be the opening act for Sonny & Cher at Music Hall in 1967. He also played in Glory Days, who opened for Three Dog Night in 2007. In 2017, he was inducted into the Northern Kentucky Music Legends Hall of Fame with the rest of his Dingo bandmates. He is one of the co-founders of Suits That Rock and chairs its Executive Committee.
David Ellis, Guitar, Vocals
Day Job: Managing Director and Private Wealth Advisor with UBS Financial Services
Musical Past: David has enjoyed music his entire life. Encouraged by his mother, a flutist and classical music devotee, David tried the piano and cello before taking up guitar in 6th grade. Reconnecting with the guitar in his twenties, David now plays with friends and performs for his wife and daughters. One of David’s musical thrills is playing guitar with his daughter Maggie, who can easily outplay her Dad and just for kicks has recently taken up the ukulele. David is thrilled to be part of the Suits again this year, and extends a tip of the hat to his guitar teacher, Scott Covrett, who has patiently and tirelessly helped David prepare for the show.
Mickey Foellger, Drums, Percussion
Day Job: Retired Family Court Circuit Judge, Commonwealth of Kentucky
Musical Past: Mickey started playing drums at 8 or 9, and joined his first band at age 13. He played in the New Lime, Columbia Records recording artists with a top ten hit in 1967, and The Apple Butter Band, who toured with the Beach Boys and John Denver in 1975. He backed Craig Fuller (of Amie fame) on tour with Little Feat in 1978, and released an album with Wheels in 1979, produced by Little Feat guitarist Paul Barrere. He has also played with the Goshorn Brothers, Pure Prairie League, the Lusters, Wild Blue Yonder, and bands in Nashville and Colorado. Mickey currently plays with the Webster-Devoto Band and the Betsy (Lippitt) & Jake (Walz) Band once a month at Sis’s in Newport, and for the Cincinnati Bar Association’s Rock The Foundation every November.
Gregg Fusaro, Drums, Percussion, Vocals
Day Job: Gregg is a Regional Development Partner for Capital Investment Group, a real estate development company whose latest projects are SouthShore Condominiums and Vue 180 Apartments in Newport, Kentucky. Prior to joining CIG, Gregg was Vice President of Development for Miller-Valentine for 13 years. He also spent 12 years as an Investment Specialist with Coldwell Banker Commercial and in a really former life was a research chemist at the UC Medical School.
Musical Past: He started playing percussion in 6th grade. In high school, he played in the Wes Neal Orchestra, a jazz band, and in college played with the Del Crustaceans. Seventeen years ago, Gregg started the Glory Days band with Dick Felger and all members of the band, including our organizer, John Domaschko, were Suits.
Matt Godsted, Guitar, Vocals
Day Job: Matt Godsted is Director of Enterprise Security at 84.51, where he manages Information Security Governance and data security compliance. Prior to 84.51, Matt held IT Leadership roles at Western & Southern Financial Group, KnowledgeWorks Foundation and The Kroger Co. Matt is Co-Chair of the INTERalliance Board of Directors, a member of the Carnegie Board of Directors and is a member of the University of Cincinnati, School of IT Advisory Board. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Western Kentucky University.
Musical Past: Matt has been a member of Suits that Rock since 2017. Matt began playing guitar at the age of 14 and his early influences were AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Metallica and Styx. At 17, he formed his first band as lead/rhythm guitarist as well as lead singer. He took a musical hiatus for several years before picking it back up again in 2013 to form Code10. Matt is a member of Rock IT and also plays lead guitar with the Vineyard Christian Church worship band in Florence, KY.
Ed Hughes, Trumpet
Day Job: Ed was a college professor and administrator for 42 years, of which, 30 were as President of two Kentucky community colleges. He retired in September 2015 as the founding President/CEO of Gateway Community and Technical College in Northern Kentucky serving in that role since 2001. He now is the President of The Hughes Group and partner in Star Educational Programming, LLC., both consultant firms specializing in resource, workforce, and institutional development in the educational and non-profit sectors.
Musical Past: Ed learned to play the trumpet in the 4th grade, played in the school band and orchestra continuing into college where he also played French horn. Along with his best friend (on sax), they formed their version of the Memphis Horns. Ed played trumpet and trombone in several successful Soul/R&B and rock groups in the Gettysburg, PA area in the 1960’s and 70’s including the Stingrays, the Playmates, and the Rumors, a soul band. Ed once played before 10,000 people in a winning group in a battle of the bands at Hershey Park. Locally, he can be heard in the trumpet section of Lees Junction Big Band, the Westside Community Band, and has played in the pit orchestras for regional theatres including Cincinnati Musical Theatre.
Kathy Laverde, Bass Guitar
Day Job: Kathy’s career as a financial advisor started in the banking industry in 1991 and has included planning for businesses and high-net-worth individuals and families. She currently is an advisor for Fidant Wealth Partners, helping people and businesses develop, plan, track, and achieve various financial goals.
Musical Past: Kathy’s always been a big music fan, but only started playing bass for something to do with her (at the time) nine-year-old son, who now drums professionally and tours with national and international artists. He didn’t think it was all that cool to play with his mom, but she ended up loving it and kept playing. Kathy played with fellow Suits Paul Bromwell, Kevin Canafax, and Mark Tipton in Shut Up & Drive and played in DV8.
Melissa Lutz, Vocals
Day Job: Principal at Champlin Architecture and a member of the firm’s Board of Directors. Melissa is a Past-President of the SMPS (Society of Marketing Professional Services) Headquarters Board of Trustees and a Past-President of the SMPS Foundation. She is also a board member of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and serves as the Vice-Chair, Membership and Events. She has been involved with the NKY Chamber’s Women’s Initiative since its inception. She is a Past President of Greater Cincinnati CREW, a member of the Advancement Committee for The Children’s Home of Cincinnati, and a volunteer with Allied Construction Industries and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. Melissa is also a graduate of Leadership Northern Kentucky – Class of 2000 and a Fellow of the Society for Marketing Professional Services.
Musical Past: Melissa learned to sing and play the piano at an early age and performed in school choir. After retiring from school choir, she continued singing in the car and participating in occasional rounds of karaoke, which she still does today. Most recently, Melissa has performed with the local band, The Perpetrators.
Dave Miller, Guitar
Day Job: Retired President of Buddy Roger’s Music
Musical Past: Dave played with Ooh La La and the Greasers for over 20 years. He also plays in the group Most Wanted which is a group that does concerts and is part of the Hamilton County DARE project, educating and encouraging students not to get involved with drugs and alcohol.
Bob Mitchell, Drums, Percussion
Day Job: Bob Mitchell’s business career with Cintas has spanned 30-plus years including leadership positions in Operations, Sales, and Marketing. He is currently their Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Bethesda Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Bethesda Hospitals, Hospice of Cincinnati and Fernside.
Musical Past: Bob Mitchell has been playing the drums in the local music scene since his early-1980s college years at Miami University. Most notably, from 1998-2012, he was a member of the 5FU’s, a local blues band named after the chemotherapy drug 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU). His fellow members of the 5-FU’s are prominent oncologists in Greater Cincinnati, whose talents include making some of the best blues music in town. The proceeds from every live performance and from their self-produced 2001 CD (Beepers Keep Beepin’) went to cancer-related charities, over $200,000! Since then, Bob has been spotted as a volunteer drummer in the orchestra pit for local music theatre productions. His influences? Fleetwood Mac, Todd Rundgren, the Clash, the Police, and Steely Dan.
Susan Morgan, Keyboards, Vocals
Day Job: Susan is a Vice President at American Mortgage Service Co, and a 28-year veteran of the mortgage industry. She was previously President of Morgan Home Loans for 15 years. Susan has been involved in various fundraisers through schools and professional organizations.
Musical Past: Her love for playing music started at age 10 when she saved her babysitting money for piano lessons. She went on to become a church organist and played clarinet and French horn in the school band. Her French horn earned her 1st chair in Select and Allstate Bands, and a full-tuition scholarship to UK where she played in marching, symphonic, and pep bands. Susan played piano, organ, and sang in a UK tour of GODSPELL, and also played and sang at numerous weddings and events during high school and college including Governor Patton’s daughter’s wedding. After a musical sabbatical lasting almost two decades while raising children and running a business, Susan ventured into rock’n’roll, playing keys and singing vocals for The Essentials and the High Five Wise Guys. Her fellow band members referred to her as “The Church Lady” due to her background as a church organist.
Graeme Murray, Guitar
Day Job: Worked as an Executive at P&G for 43 years. Now a globetrotting independent consultant, family man, sailor, travel junky and African mission worker.
Musical Past: Was raised in the UK and learned to play guitar in the early days of Cliff Richard and the Shadows. Graeme cut his teeth in London with the Beatles, Stones and Pink Floyd British Invasion getting started — played acoustic 12-string at many a party sing-along. He joined the Suits as his first band experience in 2009 as the “Token Brit” and found the electric guitar!! Graeme finally became an American Citizen in 2019 — The Suits can now be officially called an “All American Band” !!
Ken Poleyeff, Saxophones
Day Job: Application Architect for Cornerstone Brands, developing e-commerce websites
Musical Past: Ken plays clarinet in the Cincinnati Community Orchestra, saxophone and other woodwinds in the Swingtime and Lee’s Junction Big Bands, and he’s in the Cellar Sax Band, a saxophone quartet, and Vista Winds, a woodwind quintet. He’s been in the pit orchestra in over 30 musical theater productions, most recently in the Cincinnati Music Theater productions of YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN and CRAZY FOR YOU. In college, he played in the progressive rock band Mara while in the CCM Jazz Studies Program.
Mills Rouse, Keyboards, Vocals
Day Job: Attorney in Walton, Kentucky since 1980 with Rouse & Rouse, P.S.C. Previous two-term member of Board of Directors of the Northern Kentucky Bar Association. Chairman, Walton-Verona Educational Foundation.
Musical Past: Mills started piano lessons in elementary school. Recitals were kept interesting by playing The Beatles. Co-founded The Quack, with other UK law students in 1980, to perform parody songs for the law school’s Libel Show. This evolved into a 10 piece party band that played in Central KY throughout the 80s, 90s, and into the 2000s. Next was HiGain and a CD of all originals. Many copies are still for sale. Member, with some other Suits, of Rock The Foundation, a musical fundraiser for the Cincy Bar Foundation. Biggest musical highs are The Quack’s originals on the radio prior to finishing 2nd in WKQQ’s Battle of the Bands, back to back 4th of July Fireworks headliners for over 12,000, playing for 2500 on New Year’s Eve prior to the 1999 Outback Bowl in Tampa, and reuniting The Quack in 2011, with three other members of over 20 years, to play his daughter’s high school graduation party, which led directly to playing out regularly again and being asked to join Suits.
Tim Schigel, Guitar, Vocals
Day Job: Tim Schigel is the founding Partner of Refinery Ventures, an early stage venture fund. He previously co-founded and managed the Cintrifuse $57 million Fund of Funds from 2013 to 2016, which invests in early stage venture funds around the country to help startups in the Cincinnati region. Tim is also the founder of ShareThis, a web sharing platform in Silicon Valley that reaches over 500 million people per month globally. Tim was named a regional EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013. Tim received his Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Case Western Reserve University. In addition to his work at Refinery, Tim currently serves as the chair for the NKU Foundation Investment Committee.
Musical Past: Tim grew up surrounded by a large, musical family. His aunts and uncles have been named in the Serbian Music Hall of Fame and provided a rich culture of music of many genres. Brother Ben is a record producer in Cleveland and cousin Mike is a top drummer in Nashville.
Brent Seelmeyer, Drums, Percussion, Vocals
Day Job: Director, Organizational Development at Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Musical Past: Brent started out on piano and quickly switched to drums and percussion as a young lad. He spent five years of his youth living in Guadalajara, Mexico, which fostered a deep appreciation for Latin percussion. He has played in numerous bands over the years including Commander Salamander and Perfect Blue.
Greg Shumate, Guitar, Vocals
Day Job: Member-in-Charge and corporate and commercial lawyer at Frost, Brown, Todd, LLC, and, among many other honors, was named by the Business Courier as one of their 40 under 40 Business Leaders, and by the Sunday Challenger as one of the most influential Northern Kentuckians. Chairman of the Republican Party of Kenton County since 1997, Greg was named a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 2004. He has served as a Special Justice to the Supreme Court of Kentucky and was appointed by the Governor to The Kentucky State Board of Elections, the Kentucky Arts Council and the Board of Regents of Northern Kentucky University. Greg has served on many local and regional boards, chaired the Kentucky Division of the Fine Arts Fund (now Artswave), and currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and People Working Cooperatively.
Musical Past: His musical pedigree includes the bands Alesia, The Cherry Sisters, Hot Rod and the Blowouts, The Drysdales – who opened for Eddie Money twice – and Grateful Red, a band of Leadership Kentucky participants. Greg also runs the musical portion of “Rock The Foundation”, an annual fundraising event for the Cincinnati Bar Association Foundation featuring musical performances by lawyers, judges, and other legal personnel from the Greater Cincinnati area. He also serves on the Suits That Rock Executive Committee.
Gary Wright, Drums, Percussion, Vocals
Day Job: Senior Managing Director of Integra Realty Resources – Cincinnati/Dayton. Integra, with 58 offices nationwide and internationally, offers real property valuation and consulting services. Integra provides services to corporations, private clients, developers, lenders, investors, governmental agencies and real estate owners in the areas of institutional, pension fund, REIT, & bank financing, real estate tax appeal, litigation, plus numerous other services.
Musical Past: Gary started playing drums at an early age, his first drum set was mom’s pots and pans. He joined his first band in high school and did vocals and played drums in various groups, primarily Lock Stock and Barrel and Rise ‘N Shine.
2021 Guest Suits
Dan Cahill
Day Job: Daniel J. Cahill, Ph.D. is a managing principal and CEO at HSD Metrics, a human resources analytics firm serving Fortune 500 companies. Dan is active in the community and is currently Immediate Past Chair of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.
Musical Past: Dan has been an accidental entertainer for the last 35 years. He was accepted into the University of Cincinnati CCM in 1985 in the Musical Theatre program and was a featured performer in two main stage shows as a first year student. After leaving the program, he leveraged his musical experience to fund his higher education. He was a mainstay in the Kings Island shows from 1986-1990 and also subbed as a lead singer in two bands on the weekends. As a graduate student, he played guitar and sang country music in small bars and ranches in Colorado and Washington state. Dan is honored and humbled to be among the amazing talent in the Suits That Rock family and is hoping for a forgiving and over-served audience.
Chrissy Dunn-Dutton
Day Job: Chrissy is a Litigation Partner with the law firm of Buechner Haffer Meyers & Koenig Co., LPA. Chrissy represents individuals and businesses in state, federal, and appellate courts throughout Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana and handles a range of pre-suit and general civil litigation matters, including family law matters.
Musical Past: Chrissy has always enjoyed music and has been singing and performing since childhood. Her first performances were on her grandpa’s picnic table stage, grade school talent shows, Christmas pageants, and while serving as the cantor at weekly school mass in the 7th and 8th grade, as well as in high school. During her junior year of high school, Chrissy won a regional competition to qualify to compete at the Kentucky State Fair in the Coca-Cola Talent Classic. While performing at the fair, she was discovered and chosen to perform regularly at the West Point Kentucky Opry house. She did so throughout the remainder of high school and college, performing her favorite classic and modern country hits with the house band. During and after college and law school, Chrissy has performed at various talent contests, friends’ weddings, and local festivals and events, including the CBA’s annual Bench Bar Social and annually at the CBF Rock the Foundation Charitable fundraiser. She also co-wrote and performed a song with rock and roll hall of famer, Bootsy Collins in 2012.
Freidoon Ghazi
Day Job: He is a cardiologist with Trihealth Heart Institute practicing at Good Samaritan and Bethesda North Hospitals.
Musical Past: Freidoon started playing the violin at age 9. His first teacher was his mother who was an accomplished violinist. After graduating from the music conservatory in Tehran, he went to medical school and continued to play with the university orchestra and other small bands. He is currently the director of the Cincinnati Persian Music Ensemble. He has played with the community symphony orchestras as well as rock bands playing the fiddle.
Brian Kaeppner
Day Job: Brian is a manager with GE’s cyber security team for Microsoft Identity Services and has over 20 years of IT experience, supporting businesses all over the world. Brian earned his bachelor’s degree from Miami University and MBA from Xavier University. He is also an active member of XU’s Professional Mentor Program. Musical Past: The musical bug bit Brian early in life, singing and plunking the piano keys in the living room as a toddler. At age 14, he learned to play guitar while becoming a notable singer in school – but never joined a band in high school or college. In early thirties, he was offered an opportunity to join an acoustic cover band, which rekindled his knack for performing. Ever since then, he’s been active in a variety of musical outfits, playing both covers and original material in Cincinnati. 2020 marks his 2nd appearance as a Guest Suit.
Louis Kelly
Day Job: Louis D. Kelly is the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Kentucky’s 54th Judicial Circuit consisting of Boone and Gallatin Counties. In this role, he is the Chief felony prosecutor in Kentucky’s 4th largest judicial circuit containing more than 140,000 people and handling approximately 1,100 cases each year.
Musical past: Louis has played percussion for over 20 years and has performed with ensembles including the University of Kentucky Indoor Percussion Ensemble, the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, and several bands including the Apparitions, the Whiskey City Ramblers, and the Wade and Murphy Band.
Shari Lauter
Day Job: Qualitative Research Consultant, Maestra Services…A History grad from UC, Shari holds an MEd from XU. She’s fortunate to have had two professions: market researcher and certified Music & Spanish teacher. Currently a practicing researcher, she owns Qualitative Research consultancy, Maestra Services, where she develops research protocols and moderates depth interviews & focus groups on interesting topics from medical devices to avocadoes to motorboat engines to pharmaceuticals to Boeing 747 avionics to just about every product ever made by P & G. She’s especially proud of her role in developing the award-winning Spiriva Elephant campaign. (Did we mention focussing on one thing at a time has never been easy for her?!)
Musical Past: Shari Lauter tinkled her first piano keys at age 6, adding violin at age 11 – it was an instant love affair! Concertmaster of Middletown High School Orchestra, at 17 she was playing bars before she could drink in them with her first punk rock band, Get Christy Love, on Farfisa organ and amplified violin, then went on to found Cincinnati’s lushpoptronica 80s duo, Perfect Jewish Couple (perfectjewishcouple.com), composing and recording backing tracks for performance. Her love of audio engineering developed into part-time gigs running sound for venues and rock bands. She added electric bass & world percussion in the late 80s, co-founding Drums for Peace, Cincinnati’s first world music group with whom she traveled to Cuba to study with masters of the tradition. She’s played bass with Cincinnati area pop, Americana & pock cover bands (Bingo Smith, The Deciders) and currently plays Brazilian surdo with Cincinnati Samba School. She loves sitting in with rock & blues bands on electric fiddle. As a composer, she’s twice received grants from City of Cincinnati Arts Allocation Committee, served as Composer-in-Residence for Congregation Beth Adam, created & directed music for community dance event Global Water Dances-Cincinnati and is scoring Sci-Fi animation series, Ravens of Mars (youtube.com/skyvengerscartoon). Recently she’s added functional art to her creative output (hand painted silks, architectural mosaic; sharisilks.com) and is currently working on two books, a memoir on her family’s exit from 1939 Germany and Septad Theory: A System of Atonal Composition. (She turned down a full violin scholarship to Miami U: “If I’m stuck in a practice room for 8 hours a day how am I gonna do anything else?”) She’s honored & thrilled to be part of Suits 2021!
John Vitucci
Day Job: John was a Sourcing Specialist and Senior Contract Administrator with General Electric Aircraft Engine Group in Evendale for 37 years, of which 25, were spent coordinating and guiding one of GE’s largest supplier of aircraft engine parts, for the timely delivery of those parts to facilities all over the United States, to the tune of 200-250 million dollars, on average, each of those years. He retired in April 2017.
Musical Past: John started playing trumpet when he was 11 years old, all through schooling, and played for hundreds of wedding receptions during the 1970’s and 1980’s with the Market Square band. Since then, he has continued performing with multiple community bands, including Westside Community Band, currently for 20 years, in addition to playing with the Lee’s Junction Big Band since 1996. He also played in pit orchestras for many theatre plays, particularly with Oak Hills productions between 2000 and 2010.
