Dean Woodward Haist was born April 19, 1953, in Lincoln, Nebraska. Mr. Haist can best be described as a musical entrepreneur involved with a variety of musical organizations and activities. He received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is presently serving on the faculty of Union College and Nebraska Wesleyan University, both in Lincoln. Mr. Haist is President of Dean Haist Enterprises, Inc., a business that contracts musicians for a variety of musical events, including classical, jazz, rock, country, and commercial. It also includes the American Music Corporation, a recording and publishing company; and also the Nebraska Symphony Chamber Orchestra.

Mr. Haist is Executive Director, co-founder, and lead trumpet of the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra. He is also Executive Director, founder, and first trumpet of the Nebraska Brass. Additionally, he serves as the Executive Director of the Lincoln Municipal Band, the Lincoln Midwest Ballet Company, the Lincoln Civic Orchestra, the Lincoln Civic Choir, and is the Director of the Nebraska Jazz Camp, held annually at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln.

Mr. Haist is active in a number of professional organizations, with memberships in the International Trumpet Guild, National Association of Jazz Educators and the Music Educators National Conference. He was named 1997 Non Profit Executive of the Year by the Lincoln Association of Non Profit Executives. He is a member of the American Federation of Musicians, Local 463 of Lincoln and Local 70-558 of Omaha. He has also served on grant proposal review panels for the Nebraska Arts Council.

Mr. Haist is a busy freelance trumpet soloist and artist. He has performed with many musical organizations, including the following: Omaha Symphony Orchestra, Lincoln Orchestra Association, Opera-Omaha, Irie Caribbean Jazz, Nebraska Jazz Orchestra. Dean has worked in radio and television recording, such as the major motion picture The Cotton Club, and television production Amerika. Mr. Haist has appeared as guest soloist with a variety of groups throughout the U.S., Europe, the Far East, and the Caribbean. Dean has also performed with a great variety of artists, including: Bob Hope, Aaron Copland, Bill Cosby, Doc Severinsen, George Burns, Marvin Stamm, Clark Terry, Sammy Davis, Jr., Wayne Newton, Fresh Aire/Mannheim Steamroller, Laurie Frink, and Big Bird, among others. He performs regularly on cruise ships and can be heard on American Gramophone, Visual Music, American Music and other recording labels.

Mr. Haist's present teaching duties include studio trumpet instruction at Union College, studio trumpet, brass ensemble, jazz improvisation and jazz ensemble at Nebraska Wesleyan University, and a large studio of private trumpet students. Dean is listed in Who's Who of Emerging Leaders in America, 5000 Personalities of the World, Who's Who Among Yound American Professionals, International Who's Who of Professionals, Who's Who in Entertainment, Who's Who in America, and Who's Who in the World.