From a Teal Sound press release: On Saturday September 9, Teal Sound held their annual planning retreat to prepare for the 2007 season. The corps made great progress in positioning themselves for future growth. The highlight of the meeting was the reorganization of the corps management team and Volun-Teal positions. Michael Butler, the corps founder, will take the role of executive director "I have run this corps for the past eight years as a one- or two-man management team. We are at the point in our development where that will not be good enough," said Butler. The corps is pleased to announce that Randy Blackburn has accepted the position of corps director. Blackburn will be returning for his second season with Teal Sound. In 2006, he served as the visual caption head and designer for the corps. Randy currently resides in Thomasville, Ga., with his wife, Susan and two daughters, Lauren and Kathryn. He is the night plant manager for the Printing House, Inc. in Quincy, Fla. After receiving a music education degree from Memphis State University, he went on to become the visual designer and assistant to the band director at Largo High School in Largo, Fla., from 1983-1987. He was a member of the Crossmen from 1980-1982, and after aging out, took a position on the marching staff with Suncoast Sound in 1983. Over the years, he has served as a designer and consultant for various high school bands in the southeastern U.S. Blackburn has been a visual adjudicator for more than 20 years and has judged for Drum Corps South, the Southern States Judges Association, Gulf Coast Color Guard Circuit, the Central States Judges Association and the USSBA. He is currently an active color guard and percussion judge for the Florida Federation of Judges Association as well as a clinician for circuit members. The corps is also honored to announce that Brian Fisher has accepted the role of assistant corps director. Fisher is returning for his second season with Teal Sound. This past season he joined the visual staff and has recently been named the assistant director for 2007. Fisher has been involved in drum corps on and off for the last 27 years either as a member, instructor, director or spectator. He was a charter member of Suncoast Sound in 1979. During his days with Suncoast, he played French horn and was drum major. Once he aged out in 1983, he became tour director until 1986. In each year under Fisher's leadership, Suncoast Sound made it to the DCI World Championship Finals. Fisher attended Southeastern Louisiana University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in business in 1987. Fisher currently owns a computer consulting business and lives in Pinellas Park, Fla., with his wife Jill and their two daughters, Shelby and Kylie. "I am so glad to have Randy and Brian. We are all cut from the same Suncoast Sound cloth and share similar philosophies," said Butler. Also accepting positions for the 2007 season are Dennis McWilliams (operations director), Trevor Jones (program coordinator), Chuck Kennedy (Volun-Teal coordinator), Lori McWilliams (development director), Eric King (marketing coordinator), Sierra Stephens (corps dietician), Alex Calhoun (transportation manager), and Kevin Perryman (alumni association coordinator). www.tealsound.org