Royce Manwiller helps GSA clients by day, goes wild with drums at night
 Royce Manwiller – known as “Cook” to friends and colleagues – joined GSA in 1997 working in business development. His duties included tracking orders for customers to make sure their products arrived on schedule where they were supposed to.
- Today, Cook is a GSA Customer Service Director in Pennsylvania, helping clients learn how to use GSA Advantage! and e-Buy. These services allow federal buyers to find information and solicit price quotes on goods and services available through GSA Schedules and government-wide acquisition contracts.
- “It’s one of the best organizations in the federal government because of what we do,” Manwiller said, speaking of GSA. "This is as good as it gets.”
- Manwiller said the part about his job he enjoys most is meeting new people – the same benefits he enjoyed while working as a professional musician before joining GSA.
- During the 1960s, Manwiller played drums professionally with various bands. Initially he was self-taught, sneaking into the attic to play on a relative’s drum set stored there. Later, he received several lessons from Buddy Rich – arguably the greatest jazz drummer of all time. At Frankie Valli’s request, Manwiller once filled in on drums for the Four Seasons during one of their concerts.
- When he’s not working at GSA, you can catch Cook playing with the band, Cutting Edge Heat. The 10-piece, Philadelphia-based band plays a wide range of music, from Motown, to hip-hop and jazz. He also plays at GSA holiday parties in Crystal City, Va.
Last Reviewed 12/10/2008
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