The History of American Way Marketing
Incorporated in May 1986 in Elkhart, Indiana, American Way Marketing (AWM) was the brainchild of Chuck Slinkard, a seasoned industry professional with experience at Selmer as Accessories Manager and as a rep for E.K. Blessing and Hamilton Stands. Chuck’s vision was to provide economical small goods and accessories to school music dealers. The initial product line was modest, featuring Hamilton stands, ligatures, and cleaning supplies for wind instruments.
In 1988, AWM acquired the Superslick brand from Jim Biddlecome, marking a significant expansion in the company’s maintenance offerings. That same year, Chuck helped found the Elkhart Jazz Festival—further proof of his passion for music and his local community.
By 1997, AWM had outgrown its original facility, prompting an expansion that doubled its space to 4,000 square feet on Pine Creek Road.
When Chuck passed in early 2003, business ownership transitioned to Margriet Slinkard. Margriet immediately sought to sell the business and approached John, a longtime industry colleague of Chuck’s. John then reached out to Gerhard Meinl, and together they purchased AWM in February 2004. The company helped solve distribution challenges Gerhard was facing in the U.S., and John was excited to continue his long-standing career in the music industry.
In his NAMM Oral History interviews, John shared, “I can’t imagine being in any other industry but this one. It’s a pleasure to be dealing with products that end up in the band rooms of America and do something as pleasant as make music. How do you not like that?”
Under John’s leadership, AWM faced several challenges, but his strategic focus on expanding the Superslick brand and enhancing custom-branded care kits revitalized the business. His expertise in pricing strategy, margin optimization, and industry relationships helped introduce new product lines and grow key partnerships. During this time, AWM also briefly expanded into musical instrument distribution, which required the opening of a second location.
In March 2005, Kathy Donahoe joined the AWM team. Though her entrance into the music industry was serendipitous, her background in accounting, insurance, real estate, construction, and logistics made her a natural fit for operations and leadership. Her steady hand and dedication to treating all team members equally laid the groundwork for AWM’s collaborative culture. In her words, “I didn’t stop to consider what it may cost me. I simply committed myself each day to doing the best I could for everyone around me.”
In 2007, John and Kathy led the consolidation of both operations into a new 11,500 sq. ft. facility on Pine Creek Court.
In 2013, AWM exited the instrument distribution business to focus solely on musical accessories. This refocus brought new momentum and the need for more space.
In 2014, AWM completed its first building expansion, adding 4,800 sq. ft. for bottling and raw goods storage. That same year, ownership officially returned to being privately held in the U.S., with John Musselman, Kathy Donahoe, and Jakob von Wolff as partners.
In 2018, Tim Ricci joined AWM as Vice President after a long and varied career at Music & Arts. From his start in retail management to overseeing merchandising and proprietary product development at a national level, Tim brought both operational insight and firsthand customer empathy. He had worked with AWM as a supplier during his time at M&A and developed a strong relationship with John and Kathy through collaborative projects. When the opportunity to help guide the next generation of AWM arose, Tim and his family relocated to Elkhart.
In March 2022, John Musselman retired and transitioned his ownership shares to Tim Ricci.
In 2023, AWM completed a second major building expansion. The 7,200 sq. ft. addition brought the facility to 23,500 sq. ft. and dramatically improved production, shipping, and storage capabilities. The expansion was dedicated to John Musselman, with a commemorative plaque and a Royal Star Magnolia tree planted in his honor.
In January 2024, AWM announced key leadership changes. Tim Ricci was named President & CEO, and Susan Laffoon was promoted to Vice President. Kathy Donahoe remains a cornerstone of the leadership team as CFO and Managing Partner.
In 2024, AWM acquired the Herco line of traditional maintenance products from Dunlop Manufacturing, further expanding the AWM brand portfolio alongside Superslick, Faxx, Luthiers Choice, and Spacefiller.
In 2025, as we celebrate our 39th year, AWM continues to evolve with a clear mission: to be the expert authority on musical instrument accessory distribution. With a growing list of over 100 distributed brands, an in-house manufacturing program, and top-tier custom packaging capabilities, AWM proudly serves music dealers across the globe—carrying forward the legacy of its founders while continuing to grow under a new generation of leadership.
We invite you to visit our facility, meet our wonderful team, and experience firsthand the care, efficiency, and dedication that go into every product we offer.