Chapter Member Bios

Members' Bios

Have you ever wondered about what some of our members did in their previous lives? Where have they lived? What did they do in their careers? What are they doing now? All those things that we don't always have a chance to learn about each other during our weekly meetings... Here's the place to find out everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask.....

BIFFLE, Bill

Bill joined the Barbershop Harmony Society in 1976 and has spent most of the last forty-eight years directing the Albuquerque Chapter chorus, judging contests, coaching and teaching barbershop schools, and singing in quartets. He directed the New Mexichords to four district championships, sang in two district championship quartets, and competed at International six times. He was a certified judge in Sound and Singing from 1981 to 2003 and has taught and coached at every level of BHS school, including numerous times at Harmony College/Directors College. He has also traveled to Europe on several occasions to teach, coach, and judge.

Bill has sung in two district championship quartets and in three senior district champs. He has brought 29 people into the BHS, has been Albuquerque Chapter and Rocky Mountain District Barbershopper of The Year, is a member of the Halls of Fame of both organizations, and was honored with the Darryl Stafford Hall of Fame Award for exceptional service to the RMD.

He is a Certified Master Director in the Barbershop Harmony Society, Past Chair of the Society Chorus Director Development Committee, and served the Society as a board member and officer from 2004 to 2008, and as Society President in 2009 and 2010. He co-authored a book on how to sing barbershop for the National Association of Teachers of Singing. He is a well-known arranger, coach, clinician and teacher of all things barbershop throughout the barbershop world.

GREEN, Fred

Date & Place of Birth
8 Nov 1951 in Exeter, California

The Early Years: (Where did you grow up? Include any details about your life thru high school)
Prior to moving to Avenal, CA, (west side of the San Joaquin Valley) when I was in the 4th grade, My parents, two younger sisters, and I lived on my grandparents' ranch near Paso Robles, CA. Avenal was a small town of under 5,000 people. My HS graduating class (1969) had only 70 kids in it. I spent my growing up years hunting, fishing, dirt bike riding, and going to church.

In high school, I played football, baseball, and ran track (When you live in a small town, you get to do ALL those things!). During the summers I worked in the fields with the Mexican farm workers. I picked cantaloupes, tomatoes, and moved irrigation lines. This type of work was all the encouragement I needed to go to college!

While in high school, the California Aqueduct and Interstate 5 was built. Prior to fences being put up, we would water ski down the canal being pulled by a car on the bank. The interstate was built in sections and for quite a while we had several miles of straight, very white, concrete on which to hold impromptu drag races. It was a good place to grow up and I'm still in touch with many of my high school classmates.

Family: (How many kids/grands/greatgrands. Where do they live?)
I married mid-way thru my college years and had two boys and a girl with my first wife. We didn't have any children until after I enlisted in the Air Force, after graduating from college. Eric (who also sings in the New MexiChords chorus), and my daughter, Tammy, who lives in Fresno, CA, were born at Hill AFB, Utah. My third child, Jason, was born at Keesler AFB, MS. He has Downs Syndrome and lives in a home for others with Downs Syndrome near Fresno. I was married the first time for 14 years.

I remarried in 1988. My current (and last) wife, Debbie, had a son, Nick, from her first marriage and I adopted him when we got married. He was 6 years old at the time. We have been married for over ___ years (you do the math). Debbie and I were both Captains in the Air Force at the time we married.

Eric has 4 children (all girls) from his two marriages. Tammy has a girl and a boy with her husband. Nick has a daughter from his first marriage. So, all totaled up, I have 4 children and 7 grandkidletts, whose ages span over 16 years.

Even with all the turmoil of family drama over the years, I feel very blessed.

Education: (Include any degrees or specialized training)
I graduated from Abilene Christian University (Abilene, TX) in 1973 with a BS in Psychology. In 1988, while on active duty, I received my masters degree in Human Behavior from National University in Los Angeles, CA. All other specialized training was related to my work in the USAF.

Career Path: (What career(s), jobs/companies/specialized fields were you a part of?)
After college, I decided to enter the military for the education benefits (GI Bill). At that time, we were still involved in Vietnam and the Air Force was only taking pilots and navigators as officers and since I am colorblind, I couldn't pass the flight physical. So, I enlisted in 1974 and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant before being accepted into OTS (Officer Training School) in 1978. While enlisted, I was in Personnel and was in charge of the Casualty Assistance Program. I dealt with the notification of next of kin of those who were killed on active duty and retirees. I also assisted our POW/MIA families of those lost in Vietnam. It was a difficult job that has come back to haunt me in later years.

After completing OTS, I was returned to the Personnel career field as a 2Lt and was sent to Keesler AFB, MS, to work in the CBPO (Consolidated Base Personnel Office). After only one year at Keesler, I was reassigned to the Headquarters, Military Personnel Center at Randolph AFB in San Antonio, TX.

This was due to my previous work in Casualty Assistance while enlisted. I worked in the Casualty Operations Center, which entailed 12 hour shifts, 5 days on and 5 days off. We were the ones who sent Notification Teams to notify the next of kin of a death on a world-wide basis. Again, it was a job that was not easy and became emotionally difficult at times.

I spent the rest of my time in the USAF in the Personnel career field. My only overseas tour was to Spain where I spent three years at Torrejon Air Base, near Madrid..... ahhhh, what a "hardship tour" that was.....ha! I returned from Spain in 1987 and became the CBPO Chief (responsible for all military personnel actions) at Los Angeles AFB in El Segundo, CA. I had 45 military and civilian members working under me and it was, without doubt, the best job I had on active duty.

After leaving the Air Force in 1990, we moved to Las Vegas and I started a swimming pool/spa maintenance and repair business, which I owned for 15 years. During those same years, I also owned a magnetic signs and banners business. I was also the Chief Administrative Officer for three years for a church with a daycare and private elementary school. In 2001, knowing that I didn't want to work on swimming pools for the rest of my life, I bought an existing small music school. I started with 4 teachers and 35 students and for the next three years, I worked the pool business in the morning and the front desk of the Brill Music Academy in the afternoon/evenings. After building the music school to 20 teachers and 300 students, I sold my pool business in 2005. As a part of building up the music school, I hosted a radio show for a short time. It was a lot of fun. Bringing music into the lives of children and adults is a wonderful thing and I was grateful to have been able to own this business and I felt like it wasn't really a J.O.B.

Over the previous 18 years, I increased the music academy to 45 teachers with 477 students, in two locations. In June, 2019, I decided to retire and sold the Brill Music Academy. In December, 2021, I decided that I wasn't quite ready to "not work" anymore. I began working for a short time as a Consultant for the Nevada Music Academy. I really enjoyed working with the owner and sharing experiences in the music school business.

Hobbies: (What do you enjoy doing in your free time?)
As others have said, "What free time?!" I enjoy learning new things to keep my mind active. Being the webmaster for the chorus, publishing a monthly newsletter, and holding the position of Marketing VP are things that I enjoy doing. I read a lot, mostly historical fiction. I enjoy a few computer games, probably too much TV, and I also sing in a church choir. If I had more time, I think I'd like to get more involved with photography and videography..... maybe I can do those things when I grow up.....

More Info: (Include anything else you would like to share with your fellow barbershoppers)
I have found in barbershop an outlet for what musical talents I have. I played percussion in concert and marching bands in elementary, high school, and college. However, I would not presume to teach anyone. I leave that to the truly talented.... Las Vegas (NV) was my first experience with barbershop, joining the City of Lights chorus in 1998. I had to stop singing in 2003 to concentrate on building my music school, but returned to the chorus in 2011. It seems I find myself with plenty of jobs wherever I go....it must be a character flaw! We all have certain talents and I believe that we should use them to help others to the best of our ability and for as long as we can. I appreciate being a part of the New MexiChords and singing with all of you is a high point of each week.

RING, Dave

Date & Place of Birth
1 Apr 1947 in Reno, Nevada

The Early Years: (Where did you grow up? Include any details about your life thru high school)
My parents moved from Nevada when I was just 19 months of age. I spent my childhood and teen years alternating between Mississippi and Maryland, ultimately graduating from Lansdowne High School in suburban Baltimore in 1965.

Family: (How many kids/grands/greatgrands? Where do they live?)
My wife Fran and I have three adult children and two small grandsons. Son, Dave, and his longtime partner Jill Collins, both attorneys, live near us in Albuquerque. Son, Jonathan, also an attorney, and his wife Briana reside in San Diego, CA, with our older grandson, River, who in 2024 is seven years of age. Daughter, Joanna, a teacher, and her spouse Misty live in Midland, TX, with our younger grandson, Warren, who in 2024 is two years old.

Education: (Include any degrees or specialized training)
I earned four college degrees: both B. S. and M. S. in electrical engineering from Michigan State University, Master of Divinity from Emory University in Atlanta, and Doctor of Ministry from Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

Career Path: (What career(s), jobs, companies, specialized fields were you a part of?)
I have enjoyed two distinctly different careers. My early adult years were spent as a scientist/engineer at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque. After sensing a strong call by God, I re-educated and transitioned to a life of service in ordained Christian ministry. I have been officially "retired" since 2010, although I still frequently assume interim church assignments involving preaching and/or pastoral duties.

Hobbies: (What do you enjoy doing in your free time?)
Fishing -- primarily for the wily trout -- is my first hobby. Singing -- in both barbershop and church choirs -- is number two.

More Info: (Include anything else you would like to share with your fellow barbershoppers)
I am quite active in human service endeavors through Rotary International, having been a member/leader of nine clubs over a 44-year period thus far. The worldwide eradication of the crippling disease called "polio" is both a personal, as well as a Rotary, goal and priority.