New corps directors and administrators were invited to Indianapolis on Wednesday, a day in advance of the DCI Annual Meetings and Activity-Wide Health, Wellness & Safety Summit for an all-day orientation.
Held annually, the sessions give new directors an opportunity to not only learn more about what’s in store for them at the DCI annual meetings, but also about what services Drum Corps International’s headquarters staff provide to the corps.
“For those attending these meetings for the very first time, it can be very overwhelming,” said Phantom Regiment executive director Rick Valenzuela, who also serves as chair of DCI’s voting membership. “It’s great for them to get a behind-the-scenes view of Drum Corps International and give them a head start on what they’ll experience both at these annual meetings and as the summer approaches.”
The more than 20 individuals in attendance representing 15 different World and Open Class corps kicked off the day with opening remarks from DCI CEO Dan Acheson. Just before a lunch break, attendees made their way over to Drum Corps International’s corporate headquarters in downtown Indianapolis for a “cube crawl,” which gave them the opportunity to meet and interact with DCI’s full-time professional staff.
“There’s a lot of people working behind the scenes on behalf of all of the drum corps throughout the year,” Valenzuela said. “It’s always great to put faces with names who help make our summer tours possible.”
Afternoon sessions centered on corps compliance and summer tour logistics as well as an in-depth look at the event, operations, marketing and sales operations of Drum Corps International.
New directors will join other annual meeting attendees this week beginning Thursday for sessions covering general business as well as ongoing health, wellness and safety initiatives.