"The How To of Planned Giving for Community Bands"

On June 1, 2025, ACB Connects! will present "The How To of Planned Giving for Community Bands," with moderator Larry Lang and guest panelists Kenneth Siebenmorgen and Heidi Sytsema.  Kenneth is a CFP, CRPC, and Private Wealth Investor while Heidi is Vice President of Development and Donor Services at the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, MI.  This ACB Connects! session will provide members with information to begin the process of designing Planned Giving strategies for your Band.

Kenneth Siebenmorgen, CFP, CRPC, Private Wealth Advisor, holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Arkansas, which provides him with a distinctive perspective on financial planning. Since 1990, he has been a part of the financial sector at Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, in Fort Smith, Arkansas, initially serving as a Financial Advisor and transitioning to the role of Private Wealth Advisor in 2012. Kenneth enjoys using his knowledge to help members of his community reach their financial goals. His accomplishments include receiving recognitions such as the Ameriprise Mercury Award, Ameriprise Circle of Success, Ameriprise Diamond Ring Club, and Ameriprise Hall of Fame. Outside of his professional endeavors, Kenneth enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Sharon, attending charitable events. As native Arkansans,  they also take pleasure in raising Black Angus cattle and tending to their garden.

Heidi Sytsema is the Vice President of Development and Donor Services at the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, where she works with donors and nonprofits to build a culture of philanthropy and a vibrant community for all in Muskegon County. She’s been there since 2006 and is often heard to say she has the best job ever.

A “recovering CPA,” Heidi spent 13 years helping businesses and individuals navigate the world of taxation before moving to the nonprofit sector. Her B.S. in Accountancy from Calvin College has served her well in both fields.

Heidi is lucky to live in downtown Muskegon in a big old house with her husband and dogs and none of their three mostly-grown kids. She serves on the City of Muskegon Downtown Development Authority and has previously held board and leadership roles in her neighborhood, church, school, and other organizations.

Larry H. Lang is the new Executive Director of the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra. He has a distinguished career as a music executive, military commander, conductor, producer, and educator. During his 29-year military career, Colonel Lang led five Air Force bands, culminating as Commander and Conductor of the United States Air Force's
premier musical organization in Washington, DC, from 2012 to 2019. He has led events for five U.S. Presidents, numerous foreign dignitaries, Congressional leaders, senior Department of Defense officials, and served as a key advisor to Air Force senior leaders on the use of music to demonstrate excellence and build positive community and diplomatic relations around the globe.

Originally from El Paso, Texas, Lang is a graduate of New Mexico State University, where he received degrees in Music Performance (Trombone) and Music Education in 1980. He received his Master's degree in Music Education from the University of New Hampshire in 1982 and joined the faculty there the same year. He went on to serve as the Assistant Director of Bands at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, LA from 1983 to 1989. Lang was commissioned as an officer and bandleader in the U.S. Air Force in 1990 and served across the globe, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan to support U.S. and allied troops and develop positive  international relationships.

Lang has produced and performed in multiple Emmy and Telly Award-winning productions for NBC, PBS, and many other broadcast organizations. Known for his innovation, he created numerous online music videos, including the Air Force Band's popular holiday "flashmobs" that became viral sensations and reached over 75 million viewers worldwide. He has also been the Executive Producer for over 50 recordings in almost every music genre, released on several major labels and widely distributed on commercial streaming services.

In 2005, he was honored with membership in the prestigious American Bandmasters Association, the professional association of master conductors and composers; considered the highest honor achievable by an American bandsman. His musical leadership has been recognized three times by The John Philip Sousa Foundation with a Colonel George S. Howard Citation Award for Musical Excellence, the highest international award for military concert bands and conductors. He is in high demand as a conductor-clinician, conducting music ensembles around the globe, and has been a
clinician for the New England Conservatory of Music Conductor's Forum, Shenandoah Conservatory Instrumental Conducting Symposium, and the National Band Association Young Conductors and Composers Mentor Project.

In 2007, Lang was presented the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, given to a select group of individuals whose accomplishments in their field and inspired service to our nation are cause for celebration. The Medal has been officially recognized by both Houses of Congress as one of our nation’s most prestigious awards and is annually memorialized in the Congressional Record. In 2008, he was presented the Distinguished Alumni Award by New Mexico State University and inducted into the Faculty Hall of Fame at McNeese State University.

Lang joins the ASO after a highly successful tenure as Executive Director of the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra in Flagstaff, AZ.