Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity is pleased to present the professional biographies of the four Brothers whose names have been placed in nomination for National Office by the members of the National Nominating Committee, chaired by Past National President John Alan Mongiovi. The slate was previously announced on February 26, 2018.

At the upcoming 56th National Convention, the National Assembly will meet and elect a National President, National Vice President, Committeeman-at-Large, and National Collegiate Representative. The National Assembly is made up of the members of the National Executive Committee, the members of the Fraternity’s Council of Province Governors and the members of the Fraternity’s Council of Collegiate Province Representatives, who serve as voting delegates to the National Convention. The chairmen of national standing committees who are not voting delegates to the National Convention serve, ex officio, as members of the National Assembly, without voting privileges.

Powers and Duties of the
National Executive Committee

National Constitution & Bylaws (2015 revision)
Title I. Article IV. Section 1.

The NEC oversees the affairs of the national Fraternity. It appoints a National Secretary-Treasurer and Assistant National Secretary-Treasurer and ratifies appointments of the National President. It may appoint other officers as necessary. It may appoint a staff member to supervise the National Staff. It may, after 30 days notice and due hearing, remove from office any member of the NEC. It may appoint a substitute to fill an NEC vacancy, however created. It may create and dissolve standing committees and special committees. It adopts an annual budget which includes National Staff compensation and may authorize expenditures in excess of the budget. It may inspect financial records of the Fraternity, and it provides a competent auditor to examine the accounts of the National Secretary-Treasurer at least once every three years. It selects a company and amount to insure or bond the individual or individuals who carry out the duties of National Secretary-Treasurer, the expenses of the insurance or bond to be paid from the national treasury. It determines insurance fees and alumni association charter fees. It determines what business appears on the official docket for consideration by the National Assembly or National Council. It is the appellate body and notifies all parties involved in writing of its decision within twenty days of hearing any appeal. It may confer collegiate membership and holds the exclusive power to confer national honorary membership. It determines the benefits of honorary members.

The Nominees

National President

Mark R. Lichtenberg

Mark R. Lichtenberg was initiated in 1993 by the Delta Nu Chapter and currently serves as Sinfonia’s National President. He served Province 5 as a two-term Collegiate Province Representative (1996-1998) and as Province Governor from 1998-2009. Before his election as National President, Brother Lichtenberg served two consecutive terms as National Vice President, which were preceded by two consecutive terms as Chairman of the Province Governors Council and National Secretary-Treasurer. As a delegate at the past seven National Conventions, he has taken the initiative on numerous pieces of legislation to improve many aspects of our Fraternity, including the appointment and duties of Province Governors, the display and regulation of Fraternity symbols, and the restoration of the Object.

Beyond his official duties, Mark helped to develop the Mills Music Mission and is one of the primary authors of the Guide to Color Nights. His Comparative Study of the Initiation Rituals of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity and work on the 2009 revision of the Initiation Ritual is an enormous contribution to the Fraternity’s body of knowledge. Brother Lichtenberg’s influence and teaching over the last decade has resulted in accuracy and consistency in the staging of the Ritual throughout the country and has improved fraternity education overall.

Brother Lichtenberg received Bachelor of Music degrees in Applied Music and Music Education from Bradley University and a Master of Music Education from Kent State University. He is currently employed as UniServ Director for Area 20 of the Indiana State Teachers Association, serving school districts in Southwestern Indiana. Mark currently resides in Evansville, Indiana and enjoys spending time with his family.

National Vice President

Dr. John M. Israel

John Israel is a graduate of Lindenwood University (2004- B.A. Music Education/Trombone Performance, 2008- M.A. Education Administration, 2010- Ed.S. Education Administration, 2013- Ed.D. Education Administration) and currently teaches elementary vocal music in the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District in St. Louis, Missouri.

Initiated in 2001, he is a founding father of the Pi Zeta chapter at Lindenwood University and has served as chapter president (2000-2003) and chapter treasurer (2003-2004). He has also served as CPR of Province 19 (2003-2004), Governor of Province 19 (2005-Present) and Secretary of the PG’s Council (2008-2009). In 2009, John was presented with the “Province Governor of the Year” award. He has served as Chair of the Province Governor Council since July of 2009. In addition to serving as Chair of the Province Governor Council, he has also served as National Secretary/Treasurer since July of 2015 and has served on several national committees.

John has also chaired the Awards Committee from 2009 to 2015 as well. During his tenure in Fraternity leadership, John has worked to revise several manuals of the Fraternity, while also visiting several chapters and provinces to help with operations and officer transitions as well. John is also very involved in other organizations in the St. Louis area; served as President of the Saint Louis Brass Band (2005- 2013) and was involved with grant writing, creating concert seasons and managing the overall administrative areas of the band.

In serving the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, he moved through the chairs and was Exalted Ruler in 2012-2013, leading his lodge to gain national recognition through the All American Lodge Contest in which the St. Charles Missouri Lodge won third place out of 2,000 lodges across the nation. He also has served in local and state positions over the past several years, currently serving as District Scholarship Chair and Lodge Treasurer. He also continues to be active in the St. Louis music scene, working as a freelance trombonist in the area. John resides in St. Charles with his son Luke.

Committeeman-at-Large

Dr. Richard A. Crosby

Brother Crosby was born in Ashland, OH, and raised in Largo, FL. He holds the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education, the Master of Music degree in Piano Performance and Wind Conducting, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance, all from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

He has been at Eastern Kentucky University since 1986 where he teaches piano and music history and serves as an EKU Foundation Professor. He has released a CD through Capstone Records entitled An American Portrait, containing works by Charles Griffes, Amy Beach, William Grant Still, Lee Hoiby, Louis Moreau Gottschalk, David Guion, and George Gershwin. Richard has also distinguished himself as a successful composer with works including a Sonata for Trombone and Piano, a Sonata for Cello and Piano, a Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra, a Sonata for Viola and Piano , Variations Op. 13 for piano solo, a Ricercare and a Canzona for trombone ensemble, and the music for the documentary ’The Essential Eastern’ on KET.

Brother Crosby, as the Province Governor for Province 25, is currently the longest-tenured Governor in Sinfonia’s service. He is also Sinfonia’s second-longest-tenured National President, having served three triennial terms for a total of nine years.

National Collegiate Representative

Jyron A. Joseph

Jyron A. Joseph was initiated on March 23, 2013, into the Nu Eta Chapter at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he is currently working on his degree in Music Education. Prior to serving as President of the Nu Eta Chapter, he served as Warden, Music Director, and as a two-term Vice President. Jyron’s passion for the Fraternity led to an involvement on the Province level where after serving two terms as an Assistant Collegiate Province Representative he was elected to Collegiate Province Representative for the 2017-2018 term.

Jyron is also an active member of the Texas Choral Director Association, Texas Music Educators Association, and Opera San Antonio Chorus. He also serves as the President of the Music Educators of San Antonio, a group dedicated to providing networking opportunities to music education students.

A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Jyron found his love of music at a young age in church. He currently directs the Children’s Choir and serves as the Bass Section Leader at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in San Antonio. After being displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, he found music to be his refuge and is a firm believer in the power it holds.