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Contact: Erin Cooper
301-809-5458 (office)
301-832-8286 (cell)
ecooper@milcorp.com
The Cordovans of the MIL Corporation gain victory at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
BOWIE, Md.—Oct. 11, 2012—The Cordovans of the MIL Corporation (MIL) recently assembled at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum to compete in the 12th Annual FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands on Oct. 6, ultimately bringing home the third place title. The rock band, native to the Charleston, S.C. branch of MIL, played two sets against seven other bands in the final leg of the competition.
Attaining third place meant the award of a framed gold record as well as a coveted corporate placement in FORTUNE Magazine’s December issue. The Cordovans beat out over 30 other bands from across the U.S. to enter the competition. The group was then selected as one of 18 bands to play in the regional finals in New Orleans, La., where they won a spot to compete in last week’s finals.
It has been quite the ride for the group, who have enjoyed the journey and local following, due to their blend of high energy blues and rock performances, along with soulful Americana ballads. Members include Beau Johnson, Billy New, and Nick Zareski.
“The Corporate Battle of the Bands was an incredible experience,” said Johnson. “It was the coolest thing I have ever done. The whole process has been wonderful including the support from MIL and our friends and coworkers in Charleston. The Rock Hall put on a top notch event.”
Johnson, a previous systems accountant at MIL shares the role of singer/guitarist with New, a payroll help desk team lead at MIL. Zareski, a MIL compensation analyst, adds to the group on the drums and with his vocals.
“For me, it was the ultimate rock and roll experience,” added Zareski. “To play in the house that rock built among the memories of those that influenced us to pick up our instruments in the first place, was surreal. There are no words to truly express our gratitude towards The MIL Corporation for supporting us throughout this journey. To look out in the crowd and see the MIL family at the Hall of Fame cheering for us, you can’t help but feel proud to work for such a wonderful company. The whole experience was one that we will never forget.”
Fifteen family, friends and co-workers joined The Cordovans on their journey to the competition in Cleveland, Ohio. During the day, the band played a showcase (not judged) for a 30 minute set that consisted of all original music. That evening, each of the eight bands played a 15 minute, judged set of cover songs.
“The Corporate Battle of the Bands was an amazing and unique experience for MIL,” said MIL VP, John Degni , who attended the event. “I can’t describe the excitement of seeing your co-workers literally transformed into rock stars before your eyes. The company is so proud of the Cordovans. They helped remind us that dreams don’t die and showed us that a healthy work/ life balance can produce some pretty incredible results.”
At the end of the night, “The Grove Valve Orchestra” of Clif Bar from Emeryville, Calif., was awarded first place and “ROI” of Mainline Information Systems from Tallahassee, Fla., claimed the second place title. The panel of judges comprised of musicians from .38 Special, the Billy Joel Band, and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts.
The competition, which celebrates musicians with day jobs, was put in place to raise funds to benefit The Rock Hall Education Programs. It was presented through a partnership with FORTUNE Magazine, the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), and the Rock Hall, and was sponsored by Gibson, Chancellor University, and Panasonic Automotive.
Perhaps band member, New, summed up the experience best:
“A full weekend of rock and roll, private concerts, the coolest executives in the country, our closest friends and family members, two sets of music at the rock and roll hall of fame, and a gold record on the wall? Yeah – it was pretty cool.”
To learn more about The Cordovans, including a list of upcoming shows and free downloads, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TheCordovans .
About MIL
The MIL Corporation (MIL), a CMMI® Level 3 certified company established in 1980, provides agencies of the Federal government with outstanding professional services in the areas of financial management, information technology, and C4 engineering. With a staff of nearly 500 professionals, MIL provides innovative solutions to Federal government customers, including the U.S. Departments of the Navy, Commerce, State, and Transportation. MIL continuously seeks to provide solutions that fit the vision, requirements, and resources of our valued customers. For more information, please visit: https://www.milcorp.com.