Walt spent a majority of his youth moving all over the US, though he tends to consider Seattle, Washington to be home (and therefore might be swayed with a good cup of coffee). Taking an early interest in music, he performed in school ensembles and rock bands, touring the West Coast during and after high school. Early in his career, he ventured into the world of Industrial Technology, working on a variety of projects from architectural fabrication to electro-mechanical systems, ultimately bringing him to a factory in Minnesota. He always wanted to become a music teacher and began to pursue his degree, but later found that a blending of his technical experience and artistic calling would lead to a profound interest in music technology.
With this passion in mind, Walt went on to earn a BA in Music Composition & New Media from St. Cloud State University, where he was awarded a performance scholarship to continue industry studies at Berklee College of Music. While studying there, he quickly found himself on both sides of the glass during studio sessions, earning him a spot as lead recording engineer for the music department at SCSU. He then went on to earn an MFA in Music Technology from the University of Rome (Tor Vergata, Italy) and was hired at MakeMusic Inc, working with the Garritan and Finale product teams. After the company announced a departure from the region, Walt applied for a position at Intuitive Recording Studio in Minneapolis. This is where he met future business partner Nick Benson, working on projects together for clients such as MTV, McGraw Hill, THQ Games, Yamaha, and more. Walt began his tenure at Westmark in 2013, later seeing an opportunity to set up a partner venture, inConcert, LLC. This has led to a prosperous collaboration that he is excited to develop further.
Walt recently earned his MBA from the University of Illinois and continues his passion for teaching as an adjunct professor in Media Production and Music Business for the Minnesota State College & University system. When not immersed in projects, Walt indulges his curious nature by traveling to new places around the globe, including adding hours to his pilot logbook. He’s very excited to carry on the Westmark legacy and hopes to be half as good at telling “dad-jokes” as Doug Geston one day.