John Dower, Vice-President:

Over thirty-five ago he started a small company in the heart of the North Carolina Piedmont, dedicated to the idea that every organist should be assisted by a beautiful and reliable instrument. He focused on providing superior service and value to these organists.  Today the firm is known as Lincoln Pipe Organs, Inc. and has grown to cover a six-state region.

His lifelong interest in church music and the pipe organ comes quite naturally; his mother's father was a very fine organist and his early musical experience included studying piano with Stephen Chalfa and serving as a boy soprano at Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida. He has been an active parish musician for most of his adult life. He holds a BA in music from Eckerd College and a Fellow's Certificate from the American Institute of Organbuilders.

He began studying the organ as a college freshman and his career as an organ builder with an independent study course in Western Europe, while he was an undergraduate. He apprenticed with Fritz Noack and did his journeyman work in maintenance with Richard Nickerson. He served Visser-Rowland Associates as pipe maker before moving to Lincolnton and establishing John Dower & Company.

Stephen Spake, President:

Stephen expressed interest in the pipe organ at an early age by crawling around in them to see how they worked. He started "a summer job" with John Dower and Co. at the age of 15. He continued working at the shop through high school and his matriculation at Gaston College, where he earned an associate degree in Mechanical Engineering Technologies. 

He then became a full-time tuning and maintenance technician, developing his skills as an organ builder by rebuilding and redesigning instruments of all types and makes. Since the “summer job,” he has gone on to become the majority owner of the company. He is passionate about the company and all of the clients we serve,