Contact Spirit of ’76

Matt Snyder began working with Spirit of ‘76 in 2004 part-time at our seasonal retail tent and warehouse. After graduating from the University of Missouri, Matt joined the Spirit team full time as an Account Executive in 2007. Later in 2011, he was promoted to Sales Manager. After moving to Michigan in 2015, Matt changed his role to Senior Account Executive. In 2017, he took an almost 3-year sabbatical into the corporate world before rejoining the Spirit team in August 2019. Matt is a proud member of the National Fireworks Association (NFA) and has been a past member of the Pyrotechnic Guild International (PGI) and American Pyrotechnics Association (APA). In addition to his passion for fireworks, Matt also believes in serving every customer, every time, with no exceptions or excuses. He loves to help his customers navigate the fireworks industry, making it easy for them to follow their passions and run a successful business. In his free time, Matt enjoys boating, golfing, grilling, watching the St. Louis Cardinals, and hanging out with his dog, Dulini.

Ben Muzzey began working part-time for Spirit of ‘76 in 2002. After graduating from the University of Missouri in 2005, Ben joined the Spirit full-time as Spirit’s first full-time employee. He served as Sales Manager before transitioning in 2023 to Dealer Network Elite Account Coordinator. Ben is proud to say he plays a small role in the huge successes of the firework entrepreneurs he works with daily. He finds joy in seeing the new and inventive ways pyrotechnics use our product lines in their fireworks displays. When not at work, Ben loves spending time with his wife and 3 children. An ideal day for Ben is to spend time with friends and family at a BBQ while watching his favorite baseball team, the St. Louis Cardinals. 

Angie Northway has been with Spirit since March of 2020. Prior to joining the team, she spent 16 years selling business sound systems, music service, and video content. She then moved into selling high-end countertops while owning two small businesses with her husband. After successfully selling their baseball/softball training center and 4-field complex, Angie joined the Spirit of ‘76 team. Since joining the team, Angie says she enjoys working with her customers and strives to be the expert they come to. Her goal is to make the best customer experience by making purchasing fireworks fun and easy. In her free time, Angie loves spending time with her family, the outdoors, and trips to the mountains. The 4th of July has always been a special time for Angie, as her parents share a birthday of July 4th. 

Tim Thurber has been with Spirit of ‘76 since 2017. Prior to joining the Spirit team, Tim worked in sales for the St. Louis Blues. Tim’s position for fireworks extends far past just assisting customers in finding their ideal fireworks. As a proud holder of a Missouri State Shooters License, Tim is an expert in choosing and shooting fireworks. A lesser-known fact about Tim is he was born in Canada. 

Jonathan Suchoski joined the Spirit of ‘76 team in 2021. He graduated from the University of Missouri where he studied Business with an emphasis in Marketing. Jonathan also obtained his Sales and Developmental Certification through the Trulaske College of Business. Jonathan has experience in running firework retail tents and assisting in the advancement of display and retail businesses. In 2023 he joined the ’76 Pro Line team as a Solutions Specialist. His joys come from seeing a customer’s growth in their business endeavors and witnessing the creativity in firework displays. Jonathan is a member of the APA, NFA, PGI and has successfully completed display operator training. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf, grilling and cheering on his favorite sports teams.