New Officers For World Drum Corps Hall Of Fame

Three new members of the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame executive committee, all named Bob, assumed office during the group’s annual meeting and induction ceremony in Rochester, New York on Saturday, September 1.

Bob Glovna, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, is the new president, taking over from George Bull, a Baltimore, Maryland resident and one of six charter members of the Hall of Fame, who has served on the executive committee since its inception in 1976. Bob Peterson, of North Mankato, Minnesota, who had previously served as one of the members at large on the executive committee, is the new vice president, replacing Joe Campos, of Barnegat, New Jersey. Bob Findley, of Shelton, Connecticut, replaces Peterson as a member at large.

The background of each new officer is as follows.

Bob Glovna, President:
Bob Glovna was 10 years old, in 1955, when he first played trumpet in the Madison School Band in Bridgeport, Connecticut. After seeing Hawthorne Caballeros drum major Ralph Silverbrand at Hedges Field stadium during the Barnum Festival senior drum and bugle corps contest, he was inspired to join the newly-formed St. Raphael’s Buccaneers junior corps in Bridgeport, as a soprano player. He remained with the Buccaneers until 1960, then performed with Connecticut Hurricanes senior corps until 1970. At the end of the 1970 season, he became corps director and business manager of the Hurricanes, serving in that position until 1977. During his final two years as corps director, he also served as vice president of Drum Corps Associates (DCA), holding that office until 1983. Bridgeport’s week-long Barnum Festival each July honors P. T. Barnum, the renowned circus producer and a former mayor of Bridgeport. Glovna was nominated as Barnum Festival Musical Chairman for Champions on Parade from 1975 to 1980, serving as grand marshal in the final year. He was show chairman for the Bright Lights DCA senior drum and bugle corps show from 1982 to 1985. A year after the formation of Park City Pride, an alumni corps representing a number of popular junior corps from the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, the board of directors unanimously elected him as director and business manager.

Bobby Peterson, Vice President:
Bobby Peterson’s 40 years of drum corps involvement began with the St. George Cadets. During more than four decades of activity, he taught drumming to more than two dozen corps, and founded the All States Judging Association and judged contests for the Mid Atlantic, Eastern States, Drum Corps International (DCI) and Drum Corps Associates (DCA) associations. He played in the Holy Name Cadets’ drum line in the mid 1950s, and later played with Hawthorne Caballeros. He played a snare drum in the first parade of the Hawthorne Caballeros alumni drum and bugle corps.

Bob Findley, executive committee:
Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut in the mid-1940s, Bob Findley knew what he wanted to do the first time he saw a senior drum and bugle corps contest. However, he was much too young to join a senior corps at that time. By the late 1950s, junior drum and bugle corps were springing up across the state. His involvement began when he was recruited to play drum in St. Ann’s School drum and bugle corps. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1963 and served until 1966. He returned home to resume his drum corps career, eventually becoming drum major for such highly regarded senior corps as Connecticut Hurricanes, Connecticut Yankees, Rhode Island Matadors, Connecticut Alumni and the Park City Pride alumni corps. He began instructing in 1969 and became a drill and show designer for many drum and bugle corps, high school bands and winter color guards along the East Coast and throughout the Midwest, winning many titles and awards. In addition to these continuing commitments, he is the drum major and visual co-ordinator for the Park City Pride. He is a member of the Rhode Island Matadors hall of fame and a charter member of the Connecticut Hurricanes hall of fame.

The other twelve members of the executive committee who will continue to serve in the same positions are: Jim Cossetti, executive secretary; Darcy Davis, programs chairman; Bob Neuhoff, long range planning; Dick Filkins, membership chairman; Phil Gentile, treasurer; Joe Capone, chaplain; Bill McGrath, Jr., historian; Carol Hooton, systems information chairman; Roy Wilson, public relations chairman, members at large Rip Bernert, Roman Blenski and Riggie Laus.

The World Drum Corps Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization honoring those individuals who have, over a number of years, contributed significantly to the development and continuing excellence of the activity through individual or collective effort. The organization also seeks to preserve the history of the drum and bugle corps movement in North America by selecting a noteworthy junior and senior “corps of the decade.”

An important part of the Hall of Fame’s purpose is to enhance a feeling of good fellowship among the many individuals and organizations involved with drum and bugle corps activity, thereby enhancing constructive contributions in all areas.

Since its founding in 1976 by the late Vince Bruni, of Rochester, New York, membership in the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame has grown from six charter members to 233 regular members, including 103 deceased, and 190 associate members, including 24 deceased. Members from across the United States and Canada have contributed to the activity across North and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa and Japan.

Regular Hall of Fame membership reflects contributions and participation in the activity over a long period of time, often reflecting an individual’s activities in a number of areas. Each year, up to seven new regular members are selected by the review committee. Members are then urged to lend their efforts and experience to any persons, corps or related organizations seeking help in enhancing and continuing drum and bugle corps activity as an important medium of family entertainment in North America and beyond.

Those eligible for nomination as associate members include any member of a junior or senior drum and bugle corps, active or inactive, including alumni corps and alumni associations. The nominee must have dedicated at least five years of service to one of these groups, as a performer or in a support role. Nominations in this category have been suspended temporarily, to help maintain a balance between membership categories.

More information about the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame is available at www.worlddrumcorpshof.org/