The Gentlemen

Benjamin Yates – One April day in 2005, Benjamin showed up at my dorm room at Luther College and asked if I still needed a roommate for the Concert Band tour of Japan. I knew him as the hairy guy who played second trombone; he knew me as the quiet one who played bass trombone. Nevertheless, over bowls of ramen, shochu, and naked traditional baths, we became best friends. Through many a college evening listening to records over beer and conversation, to surviving the infamous Jazz Orchestra party of 2008, and through various road trips and get-togethers throughout the Midwest after we left Decorah, Mr. Yates has been a significant person in my life. I credit him with helping me foster many of my better qualities, and I’m very, very happy to have him participating in our wedding. One of the“manboys,” Benjamin obtained a masters in trombone performance from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, and is currently an Adjunct Professor of Music at Luther College. I was the best man when he married his lovely wife Katie in October 2011.

Benjamin and I standing in Dunnings Spring, Decorah

Kris Klein – Aside from being one of my very best friends from Luther College and a fellow “manboy,” Kris was my senior year roommate in Farwell Hall. Commonly known as “Klein,” Kris is a physics Ph. D. candidate at the University of Iowa, and even though we spent nearly every waking moment together for a year, I don’t think the two of us have ever had an uninteresting conversation. Another trombonist, Kris never fails to bring his analytical mind to bear on any situation, be it the potential dairy content present on hamburger buns or the intricacies of Bob Dylan’s latest album. He is a voracious reader, a skilled racquetball player, and he makes fantastic bread. One thing I love about Kris is that he’s always ready to step out of his comfort zone – case in point, when he was 21, I taught him how to ride a bicycle in a Luther parking lot. I was also in Kris's wedding in September 2011 when he married his lovely wife Amy (who is a doctor). The two of them live in Iowa City.

Klein and I graduating from Luther - sorry it's the best one I have of both of us

Michael Marquardt – Oh Michael, where to begin? Michael is yet another dear friend from Luther College, a trombonist, and the third “manboy” of the group. He is, undoubtedly, the most fun out of all of us, and often, Benjamin, Kris, and I will lament “where’s Michael?!”when we need a spark of excitement. Mr. Marquardt (or should I say “Dr.” Marquardt) is a very studious fellow, be it biology, medicine, or the “Hard Body Plan” workout regime he picked up off the Barnes & Noble bargain rack. He is affable, well-liked, and extremely interested in acquiring as many “man skills”as possible, such as how to fix a car or how to knife fight. Michael never fails to see things from a different point of view, and I’m always impressed with his thoughtfulness and inquiring mind. In July 2012, I was happy to be a groomsman when Michael married his lovely bride Rachel. The two of them live in Iowa City, where among other things, they cheer very heartily for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Michael, some interloper (actually Benjamin's wife K1), and me enjoying some late night/early morning coffee

Scott Morgan – Scott is one of my oldest, closest friends, and one of the few remaining individuals who vividly recalls my high school habit of pairing aloha shirts with plaid shorts. We became good friends in middle school, and spent many hours at Farmington High School participating in mock trial and playing in marching band. While many friends from the past fade away, Scott has stayed close, and he can always, always be counted on. We have spent many afternoons and evenings watching the Twins, having a beer, and discussing life’s paths. I value his friendship immensely, and he has become family, and his family has become mine. Scott works as an investment/insurance advisor in Minneapolis, and he married his lovely wife Sarah in May 2008 (which I arrived for just in time from Brazil in order to participate). He loves to travel, and one memory I always remember is when him and Sarah visited me in England while I was studying in Nottingham.

Scott and I enjoying a pint at the Guinness Brewery in Dublin

Josh Moe – Josh is another great friend from Farmington High School, and like Scott, is privy to my more awkward younger years. Josh and I were in the same circle of friends, and he also played trumpet in band, but he and I got to know each other better, oddly enough, while we were both in college, over various breaks through the year and summers spent in Minnesota. Through many evenings and weekends spent at Scott’s condo in Minneapolis, to many Twins games (first at the Metrodome, then Target Field) we both shared an ease with silence and the value of fine beer. In fact, Josh’s house in Apple Valley has become the epicenter of our homebrewing operation, which has perfumed the air with the faint smell of barley and hops. He’s a laid back guy who doesn’t need to be the center of attention, but he’s always ready to go out and try new things. Josh graduated from MSU-Mankato, and does important IT things at General Mills.  Josh and his lovely wife Liz were married in April 2013, and it was a great honour for me to participate as a groomsman.

Josh at Target Field - when the Twins were winning...

At Surly Brewing Co.

At a (rare) classy party at Luther College