LMBA Hall of fame

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The Lakeshore Marching Band’s Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made a significant impact on the LMBA through service and dedication to its members, accomplishments and success in LMBA Competitions and making an impact on the Pageantry Arts in NW Pennsylvania. Members represent impeccable character, ethics, and professionalism, and are role models for music education professionals. 

Shawn Halquist is a founding member of the Lakeshore Marching Band Association. He retired

in June of 2022 after 38 years as a music teacher. From spring 1985 until August of 1997, Shawn

was Band director at McDowell HS and considers himself fortunate to have taught some

wonderful students, worked with terrific parents, and been part of a great staff for the

McDowell Marching Band. Being involved in the formation of the LMBA and having worked

with the other founding members is also source of pride and he is deeply humbled to be

inducted into the initial LMBA Hall of Fame. He wishes to thank all the people involved in this

tribute.

Robert K. Reid is a Founding Member of the Lakeshore Marching Band Association.  In 2013, he

retired after spending 34 years as a Music Teacher in the Wattsburg Area School District. Under

his direction, the Seneca High School Marching Bands were 7 time undefeated LMBA Class AA

Champions. Immediately after retirement,  he assumed the position of Director of Athletic

Bands at Mercyhurst University and became the Founding Director of LAKER PRIDE,  The

Mercyhurst University Marching Band. From a group of 15 his first year, the band had grown to

over 70 students, representing a wide variety of University majors, when he fully retired from

teaching in 2021.

Currently, Bob is a judge with the Pennsylvania Federation of Contest Judges and the Allegheny

Juding Association and holds memberships in the College Band Directors National Association, 

Phi Beta Mu Bandmasters Fraternity and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia

Chuck Lute is a founding member of the Lakeshore Marching Band Association. He taught music

for 47 years including high school instrumental music in the Erie School District for 35 years. He

was a member of the music faculty at Edinboro University for 19 years where he directed the

Marching Band, Jazz Band, Symphonic Wind Ensemble and the University Community

Orchestra. He also taught Highland Percussion and Marching Band Techniques.

Chuck received his Bachelor of Music Education degree, his Masters in Music Education degree,

and his Secondary Principals Certification from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

He is a member of the Pennsylvania Federation of Contest Judges, the New York Federation of

Contest Judges and has judged with the Ontario Drum Corps Judges Association. He also has

adjudicated for Drum Corps Associates and Drum Corps International. Chuck was one of 300

band directors selected to march in the Tournament of Roses parade this past January 1st in

Pasadena California.

He Presently directs and arranges music for the North Coast Brass Company Drum Corps and

the Hamburg Kingsmen Drum and Bugle Corps and marches and performs snare drum with the

Casper Wyoming Troopers Legacy Drum Corps.

He directed the Academy High School Marching Band, winning the 1991 BOA Grand Nationals

Class A Championships in Indianapolis Indiana.

Currently he serves on the board of directors for Jazz Erie and is chairman of the education

committee. He served as co-director of the Jazz Erie All-star Band touring Europe and

performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in 2008.

Chuck was the first President of Lakeshore Marching Band Association for 15 years.

John Marszalek is a founding member of the Lakeshore Marching Band Association. He

received his B.S. (75), M.ED. (79), in music education, as well as, Secondary and Elementary

Principal Certificates from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.  He studied clarinet under Dr.

Paul Martin and saxophone under Dr. Donald L. Panhorst.  He is retired after 39 years as

Director of Bands at General McLane High School in Edinboro, Pennsylvania.

John has been on the staff of the Edinboro Music Camp and the Clarion Band Clinic.  He also

taught private lessons in the area for many years.

John was member of the Savelli Concert Band and had also conducted the band on several

occasions.  He was also a member of the Musicians Concert Band based in Slippery Rock,

Pennsylvania and is currently playing in the Naples Concert Band in Naples, Florida.  Other

professional organizations include Doug Dressler Big Band, Dave Stevens Big Band, Misery

Bay Big Band, and Parade Street Dixieland Band.  He is also a member of the American

Federation of Musicians and the bandmasters fraternity, Phi Beta Mu.

The PMEA District 2 Jazz Festival has asked John to be a guest conductor several times over

the years.  He also conducted The District 2 Elementary Band Fest.  Other awards and

accomplishments include:  Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, twice chosen Golden Apple

Award winner, and WQLN/PSEA Teachers Who Make a Difference award and documentary. 

He has served as a PMEA District 2 President, Curriculum Instruction representative, and a

District 2 High School Curriculum Instruction Representative.  He has received the

Distinguished Alumni Award in Education from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania,

Outstanding Band Master from Phi Beta Mu, and Citation of Excellence from PMEA District 2.

John lives in Edinboro with his wife Marilyn, a retired fourth grade teacher.  She was also an

assistant band director and drum instructor for the General McLane band for 26 years. 

Together, they were founding members of the Lakeshore Marching Band Association.  In

retirement, they both continue to enjoy playing in bands in Pennsylvania and Florida, but their

main passion these days is spending time with their three daughters and sons-in-law, and

enjoying their eleven grandchildren with that even dozen one on the way in December.

Mr. Berry earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Indiana University of

Pennsylvania in 1980. He began his teaching career at Cochranton High School in the fall of

that year. At Cochranton, he was tasked with creating a new field marching band to perform

halftime shows and support the newly created high school football program. The fledgling

marching band program grew quickly and soon became a source of pride for the Cochranton

community and a highly respected member of the Lakeshore Marching Band Association. In

the 13 years under Mr. Berry’s leadership, the Cochranton High School Marching Band captured

three LMBA class AA championships and three championship titles in the AAA class.

In 1991, Mr. Berry earned Master of Music degrees in trombone performance and Instrumental

conducting from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. He left Cochranton High School In the fall

of 1994 and turned the Cochranton Band program over to the capable hands of current Band

Director, Carl Miller. Mr. Berry accepted a position as Director of Bands at Slippery Rock

University. At SRU he directed the University Marching Pride, the University Concert Band and

became an integral member of the Music Education program where he taught Instrument

conducting, Secondary Music methods and many music skills classes. He also helped create

the SRU Winter Color Guard. The SRU Winter Guard Competed in the Three Rivers Winter

Ensemble association competitions and Winter Guard International competitions.

In May of 2015 Mr. Berry retired from SRU. He has become an advocate, supporter and

volunteer for the Marching pageantry arts including Bands of America, Winter Guard

International, and Drum Corps International. Mr Berry enjoys his retirement by traveling and

spending time with his family and friends, exercising, cooking and golfing. He resides in

Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Ron Fagley was a music educator at Girard High School for 36 years.  A 1969 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, he was immediately hired by his own hometown Alma Mater, Girard High School, to teach general music and direct the choirs.  He earned his masters degree from Edinboro university and soon the band director position was assigned to Ron along with the choirs.  His duties then included concert band, jazz band, concert choir, a 30 voice select choir and Marching Band. He was a founding member of LMBA, and the band competed successfully in Class A and AA through his 25 years of leadership, including first place honors at many competitions and LMBA championships.

Mr. Fagley was especially proud of starting the high school bell choir which performed at local functions, including a Christmas concert with the Erie Philharmonic, a concert at the PMEA state convention and for his daughter’s wedding!

After retiring from Girard in 2005, Mr. Fagley taught music theory to the music majors at Mercyhurst University for several years.

He and his wife, Becky, have kept busy with their children and grandchildren, and have enjoyed winters in their home in Florida.

Ron would like to thank LMBA for promoting marching bands and for providing an outlet for young musicians to share their musical talents.  He is honored to be included in this year’s Hall of Fame, and especially thanks his wife, Becky, for her many years of encouragement, suggestions, and

patience.

 Mr. Walter Baran was an Erie native, having graduated from Erie’s East High  School before graduating from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1959.  Following his graduation, he served in the Army Reserves, something that he was  very proud of. He began his teaching career as a music teacher in the Tidioute  School District in 1959. The following year he became a music teacher at the Northwestern School District. From there he went on to the City of Erie where he  taught music in several Erie elementary schools. He became the Band Director at his alma mater, East High School, in 1963. In 1970, he was appointed to be the  Band Director at Harbor Creek Jr/Sr High School. He retired from the Harbor Creek  School District in 1993 after leading the Marching Huskies program to countless  awards and recognitions. Mr. Baran believed that a local competition circuit was  needed for area marching bands and was one of the founding member directors  of the Lakeshore Marching Band Association. He worked to establish the annual Harbor Creek Horns-A-Plenty Band Competition as one of the first area band competitions and it is still going strong more than 38 years later.