From 1976 to 1998 and again in 2004, Gary was the Associate Director of Bands at the University of Illinois in Urbana -Champaign, where he conducted the nationally renowned Marching Illini, Basketball Band, and Symphonic Band II. He also taught marching band procedures, and band arranging in the School of Music. In 1988 Gary was elected to be a member of the American Bandmasters Association and served as the president in 2018. Presently he serves as the conductor of the Bonita Springs Concert Band in Bonita Springs, Florida. Recently he was inducted as a Board Member in the Association of Concert Bands. His self-published textbook, "The System–Marching Band Methods," which is used in many universities marching band classes.