Rick Lubkeman

President

Mr. Lubkeman is a twenty year resident of Billings.  His eight-year-old daughter Tiann Lubkeman is a BYO member playing violin with the Preludios. Mr. Lubkeman joined the Board in December of 2010 and was elected as President in May of 2011. He has been a successful entreprenuer, establishing two businesses in the Billings area and is currently employed as a Regional Sales Manager for Medcor, Inc., a national health care company.  Mr. Lubkeman brings to the BYO business experience with both non-profit organizations as well as for-profit corporations on the local, regional and national levels.

He acquired his appreciation for the arts from his Grandfather, who prior to World War II was a first chair violinist in the Symphony in Riga, Lativa. When the Germans invaded he took his family and fled on foot leaving his Stradivarius behind. As a youngster, once a week, Mr. Lubkeman would play chess with his Grandfather and listen to the classics. “A gift from my grandfather that keeps on giving.”

Mr. Lubkeman is very confident that “the BYO will continue to grow and provide a tremendous playing opportunity for all young musicians in Billings that want to feed their passion for music and build on their existing talent.”

Karen Stears

Vice President

Dr. Maggie McBride

Secretary; Recruitment Committee Member

Dr. McBride has been a member of the BYO Board since Fall ‘10.  During Fall ’10 and Spring ’11, she played violin in the Preludio String Orchestra assisting Barbara Kirk, the Preludios’ conductor.  Dr. McBride hopes to continue serving as a mentor to the Preludios.  Presently, Dr. McBride takes violin lessons from Barbara Kirk and “fiddles around” with the Preludios during the summer.

Dr. McBride is also an associate professor at MSU-Billings where she teaches mathematics and serves as Department Chair.

Steve Weiss

Program Committee Chair

Steve Weiss joined the Board when BYO was founded in 2006, and served as Vice President for almost five years. His commitment is sustained by the inspiring musical achievement he’s seen in BYO members, including his own daughter. Steve’s professional background is in biological research and software development, but now he’s primarily a homeschool dad. His other interests include audio recording, photography, birds, and backcountry travel.

Gabe Holmes

Anna Holmes 

Dr. Lee Hancock

Melanie Nielsen

Kim Lubkeman

Public Relations and Fundraising Committee Member

Mrs. Lubkeman became a member of the Board of Directors in June of 2011. Her seven-year-old daughter joined the BYO in September of 2010 and has enjoyed every minute of it. She began helping with fundraising events and was then asked by her husband to consider joining the Board.

Mrs. Lubkeman graduated from Milwaukee Area Technical College with a degree in Commercial Art. She brings real world experience in marketing, graphics, and sales to the Board. She is currently the Director of Sales & Marketing at J&R Enterprises, Inc., a family-owned business, and hopes that some of her entrepreneurial experience can help the organization to grow.  Mrs. Lubkeman’s involvement stems from her love of youth: “To see firsthand as the children satisfy their passion for music has truly been a great experience.”

LaRaine Kay Weiss

Fund Raising Committee Member

LaRaine became involved with BYO when her daughter joined in 2006. In 2007, she joined the BYO Board and served as Secretary from the fall of 2007 to the spring of 2011. She also helps with many BYO events and fundraisers, and has been a tour chaperone. LaRaine is an intensive care nurse at St. Vincent Healthcare where she has worked since 1990. She also plays violin with the Billings Ceilidh Fiddlers along with her daughter Rosie. Besides music, she enjoys cooking, sewing, hiking in the mountains, camping and traveling.