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About Us 
History at a Glance
Truly a "Mom and Pop" operation in the beginning, Miller Pipe Organ Company was founded by James E. Miller in 1975, with the able assistance of his wife, Ruby. Following graduation from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he earned a Master of Church Music degree, Jim began working as an organbuilder on a full-time basis from his home. Jim's longtime friend and mentor, Sylvester E. Kohler, who had begun his organbuilding career with the Pilcher Organ Company in 1923, provided steady guidance and advice. Approaching retirement, Syl eventually turned over his remaining clients to Jim and enjoyed a close friendship and association with the firm until his death in 1991. It was also in 1975 that Jim accepted an offer from the Schantz Organ Company of Orrville, Ohio to become their regional sales representative in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Indiana counties adjoining Louisville.
As the company expanded, it became apparent that a larger and permanent facility was needed. Ground was broken in the spring of 1978 for an 1800 square foot building at 1291 Bardstown Road. Several new employees were added at this time. By 1981 the company had outgrown its quarters and plans were drawn for a two story addition to trip the facilities to 7000 square feet, which included new office space. This project came to fruition in 1982.
Miller Pipe Organ Company is the largest organbuilding and service firm in the region. Some 350 clients throughout nine states entrust the regular tuning and maintenance of their instruments to our staff. Our firm specializes in service and repair work and is noted for a number of fine renovations of historic instruments, many of which were showcased during the 1993 national convention of The Organ Historical Society. The rebuilding of consoles, additions and tonal modifications occupy much of the firm's time between the busy quarterly tuning seasons. Miller Pipe Organ Company's woodshop facilities and staff also enable us to build console shells for other firms, as well as providing church furnishings and custom cabinetry services.
Under the guidance of James E. Miller, the staff currently comprises 12 staff members. Recognized as a leader in the field and noteworthy for exemplary customer service, Jim Miller and Keith Norrington have presented seminars and lectures for national conventions of the American Institute of Organbuilders. Miller Pipe Organ Company is a unique organization of dedicated craftsmen and women striving to provide excellence in the art of organbuilding to the glory of God.
Miller Pipe Organ Company is a member of the International Society of Organbuilders (ISO). The Miller Family of Employees JOHN C. BALL, Technician
Experience
Miller Pipe Organ Company
Professional:
Organ Historical Society
Organist/Pianist for various churches in Kentucky and
Southern Indiana
Total years of experience: 12 PAUL T. BOWEN, Technician Education
Furman University, Greenville, SC
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY
MCM, M. Div.
Experience
Steiner-Reck Organ Co., Louisville, KY
Widener & Co., Organbuilders, Atlanta, GA
R.A. Daffer Organ Company, Columbia, MD.
Miller Pipe Organ Co., Louisville, KY
Professional
American Guild of Organists
Total years of experience: 46 BETSY D. CHERRY, Bookkeeper, Purchasing & Human Resources Director
Education
BSW, Mars Hill College
MRE, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Experience
Miller Pipe Organ Co., Louisville, KY
Metro Human Needs Alliance, Louisville, KY
Dehoney Travel Inc., Louisville, KY
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY
Security Bank & Trust Co.
Total years of experience: 29
JULIETTE ESTEVEZ, Administrative Assistant
Education
Waggener Traditional High School
Jefferson Community College
Home Services Real Estate Academy
Experience
Miller Pipe Organ Company
Medical Office Receptionist
Total years of experience: 4
RYAN GOFF, Production Manager; Master Cabinetmaker
Education
B.F.A., Herron School of Art, Indianapolis, IN
M.F.A. University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Experience
Apprenticed under Master Woodworker Henry Vaughn, Boone, NC.
Exhibitor in numerous exhibitions.
Recipient of International Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture, 2000.
Ruth Lilly Award for Excellence in Sculpture and Ceramics, 1997.
Specialist in cabinets, furniture, doors, architectural millwork, wooden sinks and other wood items.
Total years of experience: 10
RON HEATH, Technician
Education
Bullitt Central High School Graduate
Experience
Miller Pipe Organ Company
Total years of experience: 4 DAN MARTIN, Apprentice Organbuilder Education B.M., Organ Performance Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, Florida Experience J. Edward Garvin & Associates Organ Company, Jacksonville, Florida Miller Pipe Organ Company Professional American Guild of Organists Organist/Choirmaster, St. James Episcopal Church, Pewee Valley, Kentucky Total Years experience: 2
JAMES E. MILLER, President/CEO, Miller Pipe Organ Co.
Education
BA with double major: Church Music & Music Education
Olivet Nazarene University
MCM degree: Applied Organ, Conducting
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Post-Graduate: 14 hours
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Yearly continuing education through the AIO Convention
with classes and seminars in organbuilding
Peterson solid-state servicing seminar
Peterson voicing and scaling seminar
Experience
Hillgreen-Lane & Company, Alliance, OH
Miller-Skinner Organ Co., Manteno, IL
Miller Pipe Organ Co., Louisville, KY
Tuning while in graduate school for Eugene Ward and Steiner Organs, Inc.
Schantz Organ Co., Orrville, OH - installer, service representative, and sales representative since 1975
Professional
American Guild of Organists
Organ Historical Society
American Institute of Organbuilders
- Vice-President 1988-1991
- Treasurer 1991 - 2003
- Convention Treasurer 1994, 1998 - 2003
- Lecturer & Seminar Conductor: Service Management (3)
American Theatre Organ Society
Total years of experience: 40
KEITH E. NORRINGTON, Executive Assistant
Service Department Director, Editor, The Principal Chorus, Stockholder, Member Board of Directors
Education
B.S., Indiana University
Experience
Miller Pipe Organ Co., Louisville, KY Professional Organ Historical Society
President, Kentuckiana Chapter 1990-2000
Chairman, National Convention (Louisville) 1993 American Guild of Organists Publicity Chairman, Southern Indiana Chapter, Bauer Foundation for the Preservation of the Memorial Auditorium Organ - Board Member 1994-2000
Assistant Organist: St. Mary's RC Church, New Albany, IN 1985-2004
Lecturer - American Institute of Organbuilders
Client Communication and Public Relations
1992 Mid-Winter Seminar
1998 National Convention
Total years of experience: 23 RANDALL L. RUPPERT, Technician Experience Steiner-Reck Organbuilders Miller Pipe Organ Company Professional American Guild of Organists Total years of experience: 6 EVAN L. RENCH, Project Manager, Technican, Voicer Experience T.R. Rench & Company, Racine, Wisconsin Jerome B. Meyer, Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin Webber Pipe Organs, Louisville, KY Buzard Organ Company, Champaign, Illinois Miller Pipe Organ Company Professional American Institute of Organbuilders Total years of experience: 27
GARY E. WALLER, Electrical, Console, & Leathering Departments Manager, Chief Technician, Stockholder, Member Board of Directors
Education
Attended University of Mississippi - Electrical Engineering
Peterson Solid-State Servicing Seminars
Restoring the Electro-Pneumatic Pipe Organ Seminar
American Institute of Organbuilders Mid-Year Wiring Seminar
Experience
Miller Pipe Organ Co., Louisville, KY
Professional
American Institute of Organbuilders
Organ Historical Society: E. Power Biggs Fellow, 1993
Total years of experience: 27
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