Hometown:

        Monticello, Iowa

Current Residence:

        San Jose, California  

Occupation:

        Human Resources Professional and Consultant

        Singer and Performer

Birth date:

        January 16th

Astrological Sign:

        Capricorn

Height:

        5’11”

Family:

        Ron was born the second to the youngest of a family of five – one sister and three         brothers. All of his family lives in Iowa.

Heritage:

        Ron's parents on both sides were German and French.

Musical Influences:

        Josh Groban, Frank Sinatra, Lawrence Welk, Fred Waring

Hobbies:

Ron is an avid bike rider. He rides about 60 miles each weekend.  Ron also likes to exercise by walking five miles each day.  He loves to travel.  See his photo gallery to see some of the photos from his travels.

As a Master Gardener, Ron spends many hours each week working in his gardens.  In Iowa, his beautiful cape cod-style home was surrounded with a colorful cottage gardens and bordered with a white-sculptured lattice fence.  An arched white lattice arbor with a sculptured gate invited visitors into the gardens and framed the colorful view on the other side.  Old Chicago brick walkways, lined with marigolds and white alyssum, offered a soothing stroll through the formal gardens, to the gazebo, water gardens and waterfalls.

Photography is another one of Ron’s hobbies.  See his many colorful galleries of flowers, butterflies and gardens.

In his spare time, Ron also does interior design.  Click here to see samples of some of his work.

Musical Beginnings:

Ron sang his first solo at a second-grade school Christmas concert.  He began singing solos at school and church music festivals at a very early age.  In high school, Ron was very active in theater and participated in several show choirs.  At the age of 16, Ron became the founder of a community theater in Jones County called Starlighters II Community Theater. He directed and performed in many of the shows at the theater over the years.  In constant demand as a singer for weddings and funerals, Ron often sang for three weddings during a weekend.  He has actually sung for 423 funerals and 402 weddings.

In 1976, Ron won a scholarship to perform with Fred Waring and the Young Pennsylvanians and for the next three years, he attended Fred Waring’s musical education program at East Stroudsburg State College in Pennsylvania.  One of Ron’s lifetime dreams came true when he auditioned for Lawrence Welk and was asked to perform on some of the Welk tours in 1980 and 1981.

Some additional highlights of Ron’s music career include performances at two International conventions in Calgary, Canada and San Diego, CA; performance at Disneyland; Opryland; Elitch Gardens; Six Flags Great Adventure; Kings Dominion; Colonial Williamsburg; US Capital Building; and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Music and Theater Background:

·    Sang with Lawrence Welk in 1980 and 1981

·    Sang with Fred Waring and the Young Pennsylvanians - 1977, 1978, 1979

·    Founder of Starlighters II Community Theater (Jones County Community Theater) 1974

·    Member of Starlighters II Board of Directors for 11 years (President for 2 years)

·    Officer of the Iowa Community Theater Association Board of Directors

·    Iowa High School Speech Association Certified Judge

·    4 Year Iowa All-State Vocal Member

·    Founder and Director of the FMC Singers

·    Founder and Director of Movin Up! Kids

·    Director of The Cocktails

·    Music Director at First Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  Director of Adult Choir, Children’s Choir, Youth Choir, Handbell Choir, Men’s Choir, Children’s Worship Music Coordinator and Special Music programs at Lovely Lane Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and at Gilroy Presbyterian Church in Gilroy, California.

Theater Directing Experience

 Directed the following theater productions:  Show Boat; Oklahoma!; The Nerd; Ordinary People; The Foreigner; An Old-Fashioned Christmas; A Christmas Wish; The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe; Be Deckin’ The Halls; From Our House To Yours; Home Is The Hunter; I Hear A Melody; 1940’s Radio Hour; A Christmas To Remember;  and To The Cross.

Theater Performance Experience

·   Sky Masterson in Guys ‘n Dolls - Marion Fine Arts Council

·   Gaylord in Show Boat - FMC Players, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

·   Pete and Chorus in Show Boat - Barn Players - Longbranch, Marion, Iowa

·   Johnny in 1940’s Radio Hour - Starlighters II Community Theater

·   Curly in Oklahoma - Starlighters II Community Theater

·   Joe Cable in South Pacific - Starlighters II Community Theater

·   Mason and various roles in Working - Theater Cedar Rapids

·   Soloist in  The Moods of Christmas - Theater Cedar Rapids

·   Soloist in An Old-Fashioned Christmas - Starlighter II Community Theater

·   Soloist in The Follies - Cedar Rapids Symphony (7 years)

·   Soloist in A Christmas Wish - Starlighters II Community Theater

·   Soloist in  From Our House To Yours - Movin’ Up! Kids

·   Soloist in To The Cross and A Christmas To Remember – Gilroy   Presbyterian Church, Gilroy, CA

·    Roles in Fiddler On The Roof, State Fair, Ask Any Girl, Jane Eyre, Plaza Suite, The Odd Couple, Mame, The Sound of Music, Hello Dolly and Finian’s Rainbow.

Singing performance at Disneyland, Opryland, Elitch Gardens, Six Flags Great Adventure, Kings Dominion, Colonial Williamsburg, US Capital Building, and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas

Philosophy:

Your life can be what you want it to be.  It is never too late to do those things that are important to you.  So, don’t put limits on yourself.  Reach for the stars.  However, before we can achieve the kind of life we want, we must think, act, walk, talk, and conduct ourselves in ways characteristic of who we ultimately wish to become.  True success is loving what we do so much that we are willing to do it for free, but doing it so well that others are willing to pay us for it. When we do this, we put ourselves on the kind of track we are meant to be on all along, attaining a type of peace of mind achieved only as a result of enjoying who we are and what happens as a consequence of it.