Chops, Inc.

1991: Chops, Inc. was founded by Michael Mayer and Nell Doyle. The first membership board consisted of Mike, Nell, Ed Croce, and Kathleen Ryan. Their mission was to give back to communities through parades by providing quality, slapstick entertainment. Thus, Chopstix Percussion was born. Chopstix originally consisted of 22 members, most of which were alumni from Waseca High School where Mike was an instructor.

The uniforms, purchased from Kmart Department Store, consisted of straw hats and Hawaiian shirts. The members provided sunglasses, red shorts, and sweatbands. Yamaha Drums gave Chopstix half of their sponsorship on drum equipment. Halfway through the first summer, red Converse high tops were voted on by the membership board to add uniformity. They traveled in their own cars with equipment in the trunk. Campouts were common because they were fatigued and could not afford hotels.

1992: Chopstix experienced a surge in popularity and performance requests, leading to the need to decline some bookings. The organization purchased its first bus to address transportation and storage needs. Chopstix Percussion These Drummin' Dudes and Drummin' Dudettes entertained tens of thousands in parades in the early 1990's. They could WAIL!

1993: Chopstix updated its uniform, introducing new red shirts and black satin shorts while retaining previous elements like the hats, sunglasses, sweatbands, and shoes. Members collaborated to sew their own shorts. Chopstix expanded beyond parades, performing its first exhibition field show in Alexandria, Minnesota.

1994: Top Chops Brass Line was formed, founded by Michael Mayer and Doug Antoine. Top Chops innovates by performing as a marching brass ensemble without percussion accompaniment.

1995: Chopstix and Top Chops began performing concerts together. Top Chops grew to 65 marching members under the direction of Todd Dufault.

1996: The organization formally adopted the name "Chops, Inc." to encompass both Chopstix Percussion and Top ChopsBrass Line. Chops acquired two buses and frontline equipment. Greg Hiniker became the new director of Top Chops Brass Line. Top Chops transitioned from traditional instruments to G bugles.

1997: Chops expanded its resources, adding a third bus and a souvenir trailer. The organization relocated from Waseca, Minnesota to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

1998: Chops invested in an equipment trailer. A decision was made to compete as a unified senior drum and bugle corps the following year, while maintaining the separate parade units.

1999: Chops, Inc. made its competitive debut as a senior drum and bugle corps, participating in Drum Corps Midwest (DCM), Drum Corps International (DCI), and Drum Corps Associates (DCA) circuits. Chops was granted DCM membership, classified as Division II in size, and won the top drum major award. Augsburg College served as the rehearsal facility.

2000: Chops hosted its first drum corps show, "Chopping Above the Clouds," in St. Cloud, in collaboration with the St. Cloud All-City band program. The organization obtained a gambling license and established its first site in July. An equipment truck was purchased to accommodate the growing inventory.

2001: Hot Chops Color Guard, founded and directed by Robert Thomas, was introduced as the third ensemble within Chops, Inc. Chops, Inc. now performed parades with three independent groups: Chopstix, Top Chops, and Hot Chops. An old bread truck, affectionately nicknamed the "Hot Truck," was acquired to transport the color guard's sound system and equipment. Chops celebrated its 10th anniversary with a field show titled "Until the Next Time," incorporating elements of popular parade tunes and culminating in a collaborative performance of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird."

2002: Chops, Inc. expanded further with the introduction of the Chops Winter Program, a senior-division competitive unit combining color guard and percussion elements for the North Star Color Guard circuit. The winter program gained substantial popularity and a dedicated fan base. New field uniforms were unveiled for the summer season, featuring a black bottom, a maroon short-sleeved jacket with a black sash embroidered with "Chops," and a black hat. Wristbands and sunglasses are retained as a nod to the parade program's legacy. The traditional Hawaiian uniforms remained for parades.

2003: Jeremy Kunkel assumed the role of Director of Chops, Inc. The Chops Winter Program completed its second successful season on the North Star Circuit. The summer drum corps show, titled "4 Fried Chickens and Some Dry White Toast," featured the music of The Blues Brothers. Jeremy Kunkel served as both director and drum major. Chops' home field show relocated to Champlin Park High School and is renamed "Choppin' in the Park." The "Hot Truck" suffered engine failure after the last parade of the season.

2004: Jeremy Kunkel continued as director and drum major, adopting the persona of "Ronald McWhopper." The summer show, "Would You Like Some Fries With That Shake?" incorporated a playful theme and selections containing the word "shake," including works by Aaron Copland, Manhattan Transfer, Harry Belafonte, the Beatles, and the Blues Brothers. Chops expanded its performance territory, venturing to LaCrosse, South Milwaukee, and Port Washington in Wisconsin.

2005: Chops embarked on a significant journey to compete at the Drum Corps Associates (DCA) Championships in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Their show, "Yes, We're Serious... And Don't Call Us Shirley!" featured selections from The Who's "Tommy," Harry Connick Jr.'s "Heavenly," and Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird." Chops entered the finals in first place in “Class A” competition and clinched the DCA “Class A” championship title.

2006: Robert Bohanek becomes the new CEO of Chops, Inc., succeeding co-founder Michael Mayer. Jason Wiley took on the role of Director of Operations. Mark Schilling assumed the position of Program Coordinator. The summer show, "I Never Kissed Winnie Cooper," featured music by Joe Cocker, the Rolling Stones, Michael Bublé, and Stevie Wonder. Chops participated in the DCI Central Division championships in Indianapolis, as the sole all-age corps. The corps made its second trip to DCA championships, now held in Rochester, facing challenges due to Tropical Storm Ernesto. Chops finished fourth in “Class A” competition and wins the High Percussion award.

2007: The summer show, "Drums & Horns & Guard, Oh My!! The Music of Wicked," featured costumed drum majors and incorporates music from the Broadway musical "Wicked." Brian Melland served as Program Coordinator. Chops traveled to Traverse City, Michigan and performed in the Cherryland DCI Classic and the Cherry Royale Parade. The corps participated in its third DCA World championships in Rochester, achieving notable success in the Individual & Ensemble Competition. Robert Bohanek placed second in the mellophone solo competition. Kyle Hoffman and Nick Edwards tied for second with an original snare drum duet. Chopstix earned recognition as a percussion ensemble.

2008: Kevin Kimes became the new CEO, following Robert Bohanek's relocation to San Antonio. Brian Melland continued as Program Coordinator. The show, "It's 7 o’clock and I'm Ready to Rock," explored classic rock, featuring music by Head East, Edgar Winter Group, Melanie, Harry Nilsson and Elton John. Chops participated in the DCA World championships, achieving success in the Individual & Ensemble Competition. The corps advanced to the finals and secured third place in “Class A” competition.

2009: Chops, Inc. focused solely on parade performances, enabling the organization to return to its roots and emphasized street entertainment. Jeremy Kunkel designed new street shows. The parade season commenced with the traditional performance at the Dam Days Celebration in Morristown, Minnesota. Chopstix, Top Chops, and Hot Chops marched in several new parades, including St. Paul's Grand Ole Days, Funfest in Durand, Wisconsin, and the Twin Cities Pride Parade. The season concluded with a performance in Le Sueur, Minnesota, preceded by a gathering at "The House" for a concert and the Giant Celebration parade and park performance.

2010: Chops, Inc. continued as a parade-only organization. The season opened in Morristown, Minnesota, featuring music by Styx arranged for parades and concerts. Weather challenges disrupt planned performances in Medford, Granite Falls, and St. James, Minnesota. Chops once again participated in the Twin Cities Pride Parade. The season ended in Le Sueur, Minnesota, with a Chops Open golf tournament and a campout.

2011: Chops, Inc. celebrated its 20th anniversary. Alumni from various years participated in the festivities. Chopstix boasted one of its largest and most talented drumlines to date. Co-founder Mike Mayer rejoined the ranks. The season kicked off in Morristown, Minnesota, upholding a 20-year tradition. Performances were impacted by weather in St. Louis Park and Farmington, Minnesota. Brian Melland delivered a patriotic speech accompanied by Top Chops' rendition of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" during a Fourth of July performance. The Le Sueur performance features a joint drumline warm-up with Su Fu Du from South Dakota. Nate Gamb, an alumnus, assumed the role of CEO. Jeremy Kunkel stepped away from Chops to focus on family commitments.

2012: Chops, Inc. maintained its focus on parade performances with Chopstix Percussion and Top Chops Brass. A new staff took over: Kyle Hoffman leads Chopstix, Andy Yaroch headed Top Chops, and Jared Norberg spearheaded efforts to revive Hot Chops Color Guard. The season was marked by unusual incidents, including a bus hitting a deer en route to Willmar, Minnesota, and a Fourth of July performance on a sweltering day. The horn line performed as a mini-corps at two Minnesota DCA shows in South St. Paul and St. Peter. The season concluded with the annual awards banquet at The Mermaid, featuring a roast of longtime member and board member Greg Hiniker in honor of his retirement.

2013: Chops faced challenges and changed due to a smaller corps size. Chopstix and Top Chops, with only eight performers each, marched as a unified unit instead of separate sections. The traditional Morristown parade performance is missed to prioritize rehearsing the new parade format. The corps achieved success despite its reduced size, including a well-received standstill performance at the Racine, Wisconsin DCA show and two on-field exhibitions in South St. Paul and St. Peter, marking the most field performances since 2008. All three horn line rookies received awards at the banquet.

2014: April 26: The founding members of Pan-handlers Steel Drum Band held their first rehearsal.

2015: The corps reorganized as a field competitive unit, competing in the DCA championships “Class A” prelims, placing 5^th.

2016: The corps returned the to the DCA “Class A”, this time ranking as a finalist where they finished in 3^rd position.

2017: Tin Cups steel drum band was founded, specializing in parades and providing an accessible entry point for those new to the instrument or with limited time commitments. They went on to compete in the DCA “Class A” prelims, finishing in 5^th place.

2018: Chops launched the Pan Outreach Program, a "traveling school of pan" offering steel drum instruction to wider communities. In their last season of field competition, the corps participated in the DCA “Open Class” division, placing 11^th in the finals.

2019: The Pan-handlers program continued to develop as the competitive drum corps portion of the program went inactive.

2020: Inactive due to Covid pandemic.

2021: Jeremy Kunkel stepped down as director of Pan-handlers. Chops, Inc. celebrated its 30th anniversary.

2022: September 27: Chops, Inc. announced a new mission statement: "Improving Lives through Music Education and Performing Arts." The organization's first Core Values were also announced: Integrity, Excellence, Personal Development, Community and Entertainment.

2023: January 9: The National Endowment for the Arts awarded a $15,000 grant to Chops' Pan Outreach Program. This funding supported steel-drum residencies at K-12 public schools throughout the year.

2024: Pan-handlers Steel Drum Band unveiled a new logo, website, and updated social media channels in celebration of its 10th anniversary. Chris Belich served as the current director. August 10: Chops hosted its annual Day of Pan event at the Cedar Cultural Center, featuring performances by Pan Camp students, Tin Cups, Pan-handlers, and guest artists Liam Teague and Faye Seeman. 

2025: The National Endowment for the Arts announced that Chops' Pan Outreach program would receive a $25,000 grant. This funding from the prestigious NEA program supported steel-drum residencies at K-12 public schools in 2025. Led by their executive director Megan O'Leary, Pan Outreach, an artist-in-residence program founded by Chops in 2018, partnered with host schools to bring steel-pan instruction for 6 to 8 week residencies throughout the academic year. The program was free for low-income public schools.  

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