MISSION
Pennsylvania Music Preservation Society (PAMPS) is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization whose mission is to support traditional and emerging Pennsylvania musicians, promote and preserve Pennsylvania’s musical heritage and ongoing musical contributions, and support youth music activity and education.
CURRENT BOARD
President: Walter Keiper
Vice President: James Spang
Secretary: David Follweiler
Treasurer: Gary Frey
Honorary Co-Chairs:
Hon. Phillips Armstrong, Lehigh County Executive
Hon. Matt Tuerk, Mayor of Allentown
Members at Large: Mike Mittman, Jeremy Joseph, Arthur Benson, Melissa Sterner, Richard C. Lobach Jr., Michael Pagan, Chris Hendricks, Andrew Mai Osborne
Board Members Emeritus:
Alex Meixner, “Uncle Jeffrey” Tapler, Mark Merkel, Marc Kress, Carole Gorney, Siobhan “Sam” Bennett
FOUNDERS
Alex Meixner, nationally renowned and Grammy-nominated polka virtuoso, co-founded Pennsylvania Music Preservation Society in 2015 to ensure that traditional and emerging Pennsylvania musicians, music, artisans, and art forms find new audiences, and that Pennsylvania’s historic and ongoing musical and artistic contributions be recognized.
Meixner and PAMPS co-founders chose Allentown, PA to be the Society’s headquarters because of its remarkable arts infrastructure and rich ongoing immigrant history where rich historic connections to diverse music and art forms abound. Today, Allentown is home to one of the fastest growing Hispanic communities in the nation. Reflecting his work with Smithsonian Folkways, Meixner looks forward to The Society ensuring that new generations are introduced to Pennsylvania’s music and art forms – both traditional and emerging – across generations and nationalities.
In addition to Meixner, PAMPS co-founders include “Chief” James Spang, the late former Board President “Uncle Jeffrey” Tapler, and Emeritus Co-Founders Mark Merkel and Marc Kress.
TRANSPARENCY
We’re excited to share that our organization has earned a Silver Seal of Transparency with Candid (aka Guidestar). Now, you can support our work with trust and confidence by viewing our Nonprofit Profile.