Drum Corps International will soon have a new governance structure designed to facilitate more efficient business operations, following a 16-2 secret ballot vote of the DCI Board of Directors Friday evening at the DCI Annual Meeting in Orlando. Since last September, there has been ongoing discussion among directors of restructuring the current board setup to streamline decision-making. Currently, the DCI Board of Directors consists of representatives from 14 member corps and four non-affiliated (at-large) directors. The new board will consist of nine individuals, including six elected representatives from the DCI member corps as well as three at-large directors. A DCI member corps, under the new governance structure, is defined as a corps which participates in the DCI World Championship World Class Quarterfinals the previous season. Each current DCI member corps will vote this Sunday on the nine representatives who will serve on the new board of directors. Also under the new format, the DCI member corps, regardless of whether or not their corps is represented on the board of directors, will still vote to elect board members. The member corps will also vote on changes to the by-laws, rules and competitive issues. Board members will serve on staggered three-year terms, and will meet at least four times each year. With the creation of this system, at-large board members will no longer have a vote on competitive issues, beginning in 2009. The new governance structure will become effective upon the adjournment of the DCI Annual Meeting on Sunday afternoon. "The governance discussions have served to energize the board and have stimulated some really great dialogue leading to tremendous new opportunities for the increased efficiency of managing our business operations," said Mike Kehoss, acting chairman of the board. "We hope that the positive momentum of these discussions will be sustained and that the members of the board will continue to share a renewed commitment to the ongoing evolution of Drum Corps International long after this weekend's sessions draw to a close."