DECATUR – MAY 3, 2025
Martin Atkins
Music Industries Coordinator
Millikin University
Martin Atkins is the definition of entrepreneurial activity in cultural arts endeavors, his 35+ years in the music business spans across genres and borders and industries. He was a member of Public Image Ltd and Killing Joke. He founded industrial supergroup Pigface, The Damage Manual, and Murder Inc., and has contributed to Nine Inch Nails (for which he has a Grammy) and Ministry. He is the owner of Invisible Records and Mattress Factory Recording Studios (est. 1988). He is the author of “Tour:Smart, Welcome to the Music Business…You’re F*cked!”, “Band:Smart”, and is the Music Industries Coordinator at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. In 2021, he created and founded the Museum of Post Punk & Industrial Music (PPIM) in Chicago, IL. Martin is a producer, drummer, documentary filmmaker, DJ, and father of four. Whatever the future of entrepreneurial music business education is, you can pretty much bet that he’ll be in the middle of it.
Guido Esteves
Coordinator/Teacher
Danville Area Community College
Guido Esteves has been a working professional musician/producer for over 25 years. Along with producing music in the studio and for live productions, Guido has been involved in teaching both privately and at First Gig Rock Camp where he serves as a Director and co-creator. Recently he has taken a position at Danville Area Community College working in the music, production, recruitment, eSports and marketing departments. Besides performing, Guido has had a very active career on the business side of the music industry booking shows and producing events with Portal Entertainment and Red Hot Productions as well as serving on the board of the Danville Symphony. He can be seen playing bass with several bands including local favorites, 90’s Daughter.
Mollie Krueger
Singer/Songwriter
The Hangovers
Mollie Krueger is a singer and songwriter of the band The Hangovers, a yoga teacher, a vocal coach, and a health and wellness consultant. She is a Millikin University 2021 Alum, majoring in Commercial Music and Music Business. She has experience in touring and as a recording artist. Mollie considers herself a strong advocate for holistic health and helps to guide others on a path of finding more physical, spiritual, and energetic alignment!
Orville Kline
Ableton Certified Trainer
OrvilleKline.com
Chicago native Orville Kline, stands out as a unique artist with a diverse and impactful career spanning over a decade and 4 continents. He’s most well known for being the resident DJ/producer behind the legendary “Porn and Chicken” dance party in Chicago as well as being one of the midwest’s top Ableton Certified Trainers.
Odell Mitchell III
Attorney
Thirdinline Legal
Odell Mitchell III is a triple threat. Prior to founding Thirdinline Legal, he worked in the music industry as a musician, producer, and creative director. As a musician and visual artist, himself, he understands the needs of the creative entrepreneur firsthand. With over 10 years of experience in the arts and entertainment industries, Odell is pleased to unite his passions of creativity and the law to provide excellent legal services to other entertainment, business, and creative professionals.
Jason Pettigrew
Freelance Author/33.3 Books, Bloomsbury
PTGRW
Jason Pettigrew was an editorial staple at Alternative Press magazine for a few decades, witnessing the ground-floor ascension of such outfits as Nine Inch Nails, Filter, AFI, My Chemical Romance, twenty one pilots and a couple thousand more no one remembers. These days, Pettigrew has been cracking his freelance knuckles delivering stories and columns for SPIN, liner notes for Rhino Records reissues; and annotating photographer Erik Bauer’s Pittsburgh-punk book “Had to Be There.” He is celebrating his new book for Bloomsbury Publishing’s acclaimed 33.3 series, which details the history of “The Land Of Rape And Honey,” the godhead release by industrial-rock polymaths Ministry.
Dustin Bradshaw
General Manager
Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater
I have been a part of live music since I was 18. I have managed bands, played in bands, I was the stage manager for the largest country music festival in IL, IA, MI, & NC (Including for artist like Nickelback, Jelly Roll, and more), and now the General Manager at The Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater in Decatur, IL.
Molly Compton
Founder & Head Mom
Ur Mom Records
Molly Compton is a solo artist and Head Mom of independent label Ur Mom Records (Voted Best Emerging Local Label of 2024 by the Chicago Reader) managing A Day Without Love (Boston), CalicoLoco (Chicago) and Disaster Kid (Chicago) with every spare second. They love experimenting with multimedia projects to make unique and compelling physical records, cutting short runs of 7″s for independent artists across the country and hosting small touring acts in their living room when possible.
They also are on the board of Chicago’s Clean Air Club, which manages a lending library of HEPA grade air filters for local artists and events and volunteers with the Chicago Mask Bloc that provides high quality respirator masks for low income individuals.
Bennie Smith, Jr.
Owner
Suite 704
Bennie Smith Jr. is the founder of Suite 704, a multimedia production studio and creative agency located in Decatur IL. Suite 704 is a physical space and community designed and dedicated to providing its members with the resources, education and opportunities to build sustainable and scalable businesses around their talent. Its facilities and team support many kinds of creative endeavors including podcasts, studio recording, photography, video production and brand development.
Bennie’s nearly 20 year career in the entertainment industry includes radio, DJing, concert promotion, live and televised production, and tour management. Locally, he has worked with NBC affiliate WAND News, WJMU 89.5, and Hot 105.5. His knowledge of strategic marketing and media production led to opportunities of working with artists spanning multiple genres from Young Money Cash Money’s Lil Wayne and Drake to Sesame Street Live. He has also assisted in production of Real Housewives of Atlanta, Love and Hip Hop Atlanta, and America’s Got Talent. Bennie is driven by his passion to amplify the talent and creativity of his hometown of Decatur, IL and the mid-west region.
Mark E. Blankenship
Jr. Associate
Ott Law Firm
Mark Edward Blankenship Jr. joined Ott Law Firm as an Associate in April 2021, and currently serves as the Media Law Committee Chair for The Missouri Bar. His specializations include: labor and employment law, commercial tort litigation, intellectual property law, sports and entertainment transactions and licensing, and data privacy law. In addition to handling employment and commercial disputes against tech companies and Fortune 500 businesses, Blankenship has represented musical artists and other entertainers in negotiations with various talents agencies, record labels, and producers both in and out of St. Louis.
Rebecca Short
Artist Manager / Booking / Artist Administrator
Loose Cobra INC | Rory Book & the Volumes | Undertow LLC | Museum of PPIM, Chicago
Rebecca Short, or Bec, is a 2020 Millikin Music Business graduate. While in college, she was a part of multiple student-run ventures, acquiring hands-on experience. Since graduating, Bec has had continual opportunities in the Central Illinois area, booking shows at local venue and dive bar, the Loose Cobra, working with national and international artists through Undertow (the #1 established house show booking agency in the US), and networking with folks in the scene, which has led to artist management opportunities. She also assists Martin Atkins and team in organization and event planning for the Museum of Post Punk and Industrial Music in Chicago. When Bec isn’t working, she loves to spend time with her family, partner CJ, and their two dogs Ace and Clyde.
Braun Sheets
Program Director/Guitarist/Music Instructor/Recording Engineer
Decatur Area Arts Council | Said Echo | Zo Audio
Braun’s been working a million arts-related jobs in Decatur for the past 20+ years. He’s currently working as the Program Director at the Decatur Area Arts Council, the guitarist in Said Echo, a guitar instructor, and as an audio engineer in his own studio Zo Audio. He also enjoys the books of Kurt Vonnegut and dogs.
Brian Abbott
Owner
Speakeasy Records & Oddities
Brian Abbott lives in Decatur, Illinois. He graduated from Millikin University in 1993 with a Masters in Pre Law. He is a former legal advisor for the State of Illinois. Now, He is the owner of Speakeasy Records & Oddities in Decatur and a self-proclaimed supporter of young people in music and the arts.