JAY DELLA VALLE
CHAIRMAN EMERITUS

Jay Della Valle, chairman emeritus of the American Mustache Institute and one of the grandfathers of the modern-day mustache movement, is a filmmaker and singer/songwriter from the toxic waste-enriched state of New Jersey. Known principally for his acclaimed feature-length documentary, "The Glorius (sic) Mustache Challenge," Jay is truly one of today's great proprietors of the modern mustache, whatever it is that means.

His film, financed by a well-known New Jersey family (ahem), has influenced countless upper lips, is largely responsible for the growing mustache movement that has been garnering attention around the world, and been cited by former Vice President Al Gore as a possible solution to global warming. As his film continues to reach the mustache-curious masses, largely through mistaken pay-for-view orders, his reputation as a mustache enthusiast has grown and has enabled him to travel around the U.S., planning and hosting mustache events at mustache universities, bars, backyards, and hotel rooms with “friends” named Dixie and Roxanne.

In 2007 - 2008, he will continue to awaken the youth of America to the marvels of the mustache as he and his 'stache prepare for their "Rock the Stache College Tour," taking place at various East Coast universities and prep schools for girls under 14.

You can learn more about Jay and his film, as well as purchase his overpriced DVD and many other pieces of strange and wonderful mustache merchandise, by visiting: www.gloriusmustache.com or www.myspace.com/gloriusmustache. Or, you can grown your own mustache and make your Uncle Jay proud of you. You make the call.

DR. AARON PERLUT, CM
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

A founding member of the American Mustache Institute (AMI), Aaron Perlut has had mustaches on-and-off since age seven. It was at that ripe age, as a youth in Virginia, where’s Perlut’s world view would be shaped. First-hand, he experienced the harsh world of discrimination against mustached Americans when he was not allowed to participate in youth football due to concerns by league organizers who believed his mustache would provide him with an unfair advantage against the other seven-year-olds.

And while most seven-year-olds would lash out at the world that would ostracize him for his rich, luxuriously hair covered upper lip, even at such a young age Perlut was steadfast in building a life foundation focused on fighting for those like him – mustached Americans who’s only care was to be treated and accepted as other non-mustached Americans.

Throughout Perlut's teens he continued pursuing his interests and passion for the mustache, along with strong interests in international sponge design, pastry repair, and researching whether the character Abe Froman, known as the “Sausage King of Chicago” in the film Ferris Beuller’s Day Off, was in fact a real, pork-consuming man.

He attended Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia where he was a member of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, involved in student government, and double-majored in journalism and advanced catalytic mustacheology, earning a B.S. in journalism and PhD. in nuclear mustacheology.

Finally, in 2005, after selling mustaches door-to-door in Virginia, Florida, Louisiana and North Carolina, Perlut’s life came full circle when he moved his family to St. Louis, Missouri to be in close proximity to the world’s largest mustache – the St. Louis Arch. Less than one year later, Perlut would team with Dan Callahan, Vijoy Rao, and Ryan McClure to found the American Mustache Institute to begin what he refers to as “my life’s purpose, my being, my mustache Zen.”

When not advancing the power and culture of the mustache, Perlut enjoys reading books containing photos of the late Pat Morita, listening to records on which Mr. T performed back-up vocals, and visiting global locales where the late Herve Villechaize either previously lived or visited.

DR. DANIEL T. CALLAHAN
DIRECTOR, RESEARCH

In the growing field of mustache research, there is no greater authority than Dr. Daniel T. Callahan, the American Mustache Institute’s (AMI) research director. His doctoral thesis, "Facial Hair's Socio-Ethical Impact on 20th Century Man," has been cited as the founding document in the mustache movement, the predecessor to the AMI.

Callahan first became interested in this field of mustache research while attending a Frank Zappa concert in San Francisco.

"I was amazed at the power this simple facial hair had on the concert-goers," he remembered. "I lingered after the show and listened as they talked about what they had seen. My research began that night, as did my mustache which, as I toiled alone for many years on a subject most scorned, was my only friend."

After receiving his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin's Tonsorial Studies Department, he worked in academia, but only as janitorial staff and a figure model at several colleges.

"These were the dark days to be a mustached American," he said. "It was not unusual to see 'mustaches need not apply' signs at many employers."

As the only applicant for the research director's job at the AMI, he used its prestige to elevate awareness of discrimination while building a world-class research facility.

"My research continues through the AMI," he said. "We are on the verge of breakthroughs in many areas, from mustache cloning to a cure for follicle-phobia, the irrational fear of Geraldo Rivera. The world will hear more about our research in the coming years."

RONALD W. HEINZ, CM
DIRECTOR, DIGITAL & INTERACTIVE SERVICES

As a young man growing up in the shadow of the world’s largest mustache – the St. Louis Arch - Ron Heinz always felt a sense of inadequacy. But it was not in the terms most men consider, and as such, Ron never felt the need to purchase a full-size truck or double-barrel shot gun. No, it was something far more severe, as when he was 12 – when most pubescent boys begin to see paltry fur on the upper corners of their lips – Ron was diagnosed with Bare Upper Lip Disorder (BULD), a male defect of which little is known other than it is derived from the maternal genome.

Following his diagnosis, Ron vowed to fight BULD in any manner he could. But it was not until he met the founders of the American Mustache Institute in 2007 that he truly found the forum in which he could fight this crippling disease. Upon joining AMI, Ron quickly assumed the mantle of the lead digital and interactive strategist and is now the only member of the administration with BULD, and therefore the only employee with a surgically implanted prosthetic mustache.

Involved in "switching on" some of the most high profile web sites in the world such as AT&T Bellsouth Corporate Merger Site, Boy Scouts of America 100th Anniversary site, Conoco Phillips, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Emerson Electric – Ron's strengths are building and maintaining custom Web applications, Web portals, content management systems, blogs, forums, online marketing, and assisting Web site designers in developing clear and concise functional Web site designs.

Ron earned his B.S. in Computer Science from Southeast Missouri State University, along with a Masters degree in Mustachology from Cornell University.

VIJOY RAO, CM
DIRECTOR, ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE & LEGAL AFFAIRS

A founding member of the American Mustache Institute (AMI), Rao has been growing mustaches on and off since 1996 and aims to bring the same level of mustache acceptance found in India to the streets of the United States.

In addition to his management of institute administrative operations, Rao is a published author. His thesis exploring mustache acceptance and its proportional relation to hemisphere, monsoons, population, and number of computer tech support centers in the area is cited as the primary work explaining the Indian mustache phenomenon.

Rao graduated from Boston University with a degree in psychology and from Webster University with an MBA, focusing on LSM (Lip Sweater Management). He currently lives in St. Louis, Missouri where he enjoys a good game of ping-pong and often wonders what it would be like to swim in a pool of cheddar cheese. The assumption being – probably pretty delicious.

BOBBY JONES
DIRECTOR, FACILITIES

As director of facilities for the American Mustache Institute, Jones is trusted with the crucial task of maintaining and improving AMI's offices and properties. Jones grew his first mustache as a high school senior in the Midwest, a mustache stronghold, and is looking to further mustache acceptance to both coasts through the work of AMI.

Jones became connected with AMI after playing a minor role in the production of the charitable 1999 album "Mustache Magic," which brought together a group of performance artists dedicated to championing the acceptance of the mustache as a tribute to the late musician Frank Zappa. In addition to his role in the general upkeep of the vast AMI complex in St. Louis, Mo., Jones focuses his efforts on grassroots campaigning in small mid-American towns where mustaches are abundant but an organized approach to garnering acceptance is lacking.

Jones graduated from Indiana University with a dual degree in journalism and an individualized study program centered around facial hair and its impact on Western civilization from 1975-1992. His thesis, "Smurfs, Disco, and the Fall of the Berlin Wall: How mustaches shaped nearly a quarter century of Western living," is often referenced by mustache enthusiasts throughout the world. He currently resides in St. Louis and enjoys building miniature papier-mâché models of supermodels in his free time.

REV. YITZCHAK ISLAMANTO
SPIRITUAL ADVISOR

A man who has demonstrated untold bravery throughout a decorated 42-year spiritual career, the Rev. Yitzchak Islamanto joined the American Mustache Institute in February 2008.

Rev. Islmanto replaces AMI's former spiritual advisor, Rev. Michael Trautman, who left the organization due to his continual disregard for administrative rule number 8.10 stating, “All AMI staff must wear, or make every attempt to wear, a deliciously full cookie duster at all times. Said soup strainer may not be accompanied by any semblance of chin coverage which is inclusive of beards, goatees, or soul patches which constitute a 'spousal compromise' and demonstrates weakness."

Rev. Islamanto, a native of Qatar, leads the Third Unitarian Universalist Church of Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh province and the largest city in Pakistan. He first read about AMI and its efforts in August of 2007 while visiting Cambridge University in the United Kingdom to conduct his world renowned symposium: "A Spiritual Understanding of Why Faces Devoid of Hair Embody Weakness."

Rev. Islamanto has a B.A. in pastry repair from the Universidad del Urinatorium in Mumbai, a Masters of Divinity from the New Delhi Theological Seminary (now a subsidiary of ITT Tech), and is a visiting Fellow at the African Institute of Medieval Gastroenterology and Mustaches. His Master’s thesis, the “The Goodness in Genghis Kahn: A Mass Murderer & His Mustache,” has been hailed by the government of Myanmar as a beacon of freedom and hope. He also plans to continue his research in his newest thesis, "The Uterus And Links to Mustache Awareness," which will be co-authored by Ronald J. Hyatt and Dr. Lawrence Flynt.

Faculty