Leaderboard

Hey guys. I usually stay clear of this stuff and I appreciate those of you that understand my position. I'm basically going to tell you what has already been said on here. There are some smart people here with good sources. The Cadets are working on a number of things right now. All for the good. DCI is aware and being extremely helpful. The corps will be on the field this summer and will be highly competitive. The staff is being given the tools they need within the budget. The budgeting for the corps is realistic with expenses high and income low, it has an extremely generous line item for "unbudgeted expense," and in the words of a few highly respected Directors in the activity, it is "realistic and highly attainable and more corps should budget like this." This budget, when achieved, will leave the org with a surplus after the season also. A long term goal of a working 2 and 3 year (and beyond) plan is being forecasted. Every single drum corps (one or two exceptions) rely on donations through fans and alumni, every one. The Cadets have a phenomenal donor base that needs to continue to grow and give (that is astonishing to a large percentage of other corps) that, along with our generous sponsors, shows we run, and other events, is simply wonderful and successful. Denise is a rock star! The goal is to support her in everything she realistically needs. Her 30+ years of upper management (and an officer for 16 of them) at MetLife, along with her time with her father running the 27th Lancers, her time at The Cadets, and helping run Vanguard gives her the experience she needs to be both professional and a driving force for The Cadets. Her people and business skills are nothing short of amazing. She is far from a push over and has an acute mind for our activity. A quote from the movie Spinal Tap was "...These go to 11." Denise goes to 11 for The Cadets! She is more than capable of running this organization. I have considered her (because of mine and her relationship with George Zingali) a sister for many many years and that continues today. Once again. She is a rock star! When I first came to the corps in the fall of 1980 there was a shirt that some older members and alumni wore, for obvious reasons, that in simple block letters said, "We will never die!" Hang in there. I know there are a lot of questions that unfortunately cannot be answered right now for legal and practical reasons. Please respect that. What I can also tell you is that anybody that has been to the past couple of camps have seen the corps at ensemble can attest that the Cadet sound and style (and swagger) is back! This staff is on a mission and it is infectious. DCP has always been particularly tough on The Cadets, sometimes for the absolutely right reasons and sometimes with not enough information. I get that. Please understand, there is an army of people (of all ages and from all over the country) that are highly motivated for the corps to be both financially and competitively successful, not for just this season, but for many years to come. I am going to go back to lurking now. I have been on DCP since "day one" and love the debates here and actually learn a lot too (at least in the first few pages of a topic). I appreciate not being trolled or baited into an argument on this subject. Thanks all. With respect...

I’m sorry but you aren’t being constructive and you don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s a dangerous combination oh look she has lots of experience running multi million dollar organizations: Professionally, Denise recently retired from MetLife where she was an officer of the company for 16 of her 35-year career. During Denise’s tenure at MetLife, her “hands-on” approach brought her to the front-line managing Insurance Product Software Development, and Quality Assurance functions in several locations around the US and Canada. Throughout Denise’s career at MetLife, she was extensively involved in company mergers and acquisitions converting software Illustration systems onto MetLife platforms. Denise managed a staff of 20 as well as associates in different locations around the country. Denise also played a significant role in relocating and transitioning MetLife’s Retail business operations to North Carolina. Denise is currently the Co-Founder and President of the Bonfiglio Foundation. As a non-profit charitable organization, the Foundation’s philanthropic mission is to raise money to provide scholarships in honor of George and Patsy Bonfiglio. Applications are accepted from young men and women that participate in DCI organizations. George Bonfiglio was the first president of the DCI Board of Directors and played a significant role in leading the organization through its early years to ultimately build a foundation for future success.

rumor has it you marched on him a few times

So this above was the original post, not a reply to someone, but information on the upcoming season of The Cadets. This was your response: BUT, he was gracious enough to provide you with some kind of answer to your question: But because his answer was unsatisfactory, it kept on going, and now you're asking this: So let's assess. A poster wanted to provide some information about what the Cadets are coming up with in terms of their 2020 show. And instead, he was asked about financials, when that question could have been asked of someone who probably would have had more information than the poster to whom you posed the question. I'm sorry if you feel that someone is attacking you, but your question was irrelevant based on the initial post to which you responded. So I feel no sympathy for calling it out.

if i smelled a rat, i'd have said so. i have talked to enough people in the know, i am respecting their request for full public disclosure....but i don't smell a rat for the first time in 30 years

she has a ton... her full bio is right there on yea.org I'm over all this back and forth - hopefully all these concerned folks will be donating and volunteering and back here in the thread complimenting the corps this summer.

There is a huge savings in doing this. The numbers have been run.

perhaps you've missed all those "hard choices" that have been made and announced: 1. laying off YEA staff including $200K in salaries 2. a more limited tour schedule for Cadets 3. shutting down C2 This alone accounts for $500K a year in "difficult decisions" Cadets are also making self-built props this year - last year they paid $60K for the stairs Many many examples are announced of smart, conservatively minded decisions And I'm sorry - but if her corporate background as an officer of Metlife doesn't impressed you, perhaps her background with SCV and many other corps does JMO, George.

My understanding is that she was highly regarded at MetLife, which I will admit I know anecdotally rather than from reading her performance reviews, but regarding drum corps, keep a few things in mind. Her upbringing was a total drum corps immersion experience. She was an original 27th Lancer. Her parents mortgaged their house to loan DCI starter money. Family friends included Bill Cook and Gale Royer. She knows the story of the rise of the Cadets in the early 80’s from people directly involved. She became a color guard instructor and judge. She has been tour director for SCV. These are just a few of her drum corps credentials. The Cadets have challenges to face but folks like Denise Bonfiglio are part of the solution.

Ain't nobody got time to do that for a show that will be rained out anyway

These are actually two of the highest paying parade fees that I have encountered and Tom Augnst is one of the Directors at Dartmouth which will also save us money on housing while in the Boston area.

yup. some very hard decisions have been made the last 2 years. not all were popular. continued evaluation of things well as ongoing issues known by all have made it tough. things didnt get rough overnight. they won't be perfect overnight. but current plans in motion and to be announced will start righting the ship.

Questions that nobody here can answer are really just backhanded ways of throwing shade on the organization. 2000Cadet is asking if you have contacted the organization itself, as only they can answer questions that are not part of the public-facing operation of the 2020 Cadets, such as camps and reactions to the members and staff that they can see/hear.

Actually, as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, the public has every right to know about their financial situation, and they are, in fact, required by law to make key financial info public in the form of the 990s each year. So to say that the general public has no right to know, is patently false. They do have the right to know. Plus, the public also includes the potential parents of members and others who could be affected by their financial struggles. (Debtors and potential vendors, for example), and they most certainly are entitled to an honest, transparent explanation about how an unproven group of people plan to handle the safety and well-being of the 150-ish young people they are responsible for.

You're wasting your bandwidth. That person clearly has an agenda even when people have tried their best to answer his/her question to the best of their ability. There's no point in trying to convince someone who clearly does not want to be convinced of anything positive.

Going back to the days of GH,there were people touting their trust in The Cadets' Management Team and criticizing people making cynical comments about the organization. You obviously you have enough personal involvement with the Cadets to trust the current management team. I don't have that level of involvement.I can only rely on what The Cadets put out for the public. Unfortunately,so far that hasn't been very much. There was previous post saying information on what The Cadets were doing would be forthcoming. I hoping that,when they do "open up", the concerns of people like me,are addressed and I can finally trust the organization again.

I guess it all depends on how cynical one is about the Cadets. Personally, I trust the current management team at the Cadets. Their main focus is sustaining the Cadets into the future and giving the marching members an amazing and safe experience. It really isn't necessary to be mistrusting of the current Cadets team. The reason to be cynical about the Cadets is long gone!

Did everyone here feel that was the right approach when discussing all things George Hopkins? Asking for a friend.

underachiever (insert sarcasm here)

If you're referring to the first week in July, the corps will be rehearsing in Dartmouth and then performing in two of the largest July 4th parades in New England (Bristol RI and Wakefield MA) for which I would expect they will receive performance revenue. The alternative would've been to follow the tour down to Orlando. On the surface, this decision not to travel south seems like a prudent financial one.

The Cadets financial issues are a matter between DCI, the Cadets management team, the marching members and their parents. Not sure why anyone else needs to be involved. I applaud the current management team at the Cadets for sticking by the organization and making tough decisions to help ensure the future of this great drum corps.

i'll make it easy for you: when and if all rumored or unknown if any at all changes are complete, all will be known.

I really need that popcorn meme right now. 🍿

I think I just addressed this well in my above post. Asking questions is not "throwing shade." That's an unfair assessment and assumes a lot without knowing facts. It's personal, which is something that is usually frowned upon here. A little consistency, maybe? Since no one bothered to ask - I don't in any way have negative feelings or ill-wishes for The Cadets. I'm certainly not saying anything derogatory about them. On the contrary, I am concerned about the odd lack of public comment from the actual org, and want to be reassured that everything is OK on ALL levels, not just the rehearsal/performance parts. I think that is a legitimate thing to worry about given we have seen before that all is not always as it seems. Was there this much opposition to people asking questions about GH when the accusations were flying about? I don't recall people saying "there is no reason to talk about any of that because no one here has the answers?" Nope. Lots of people asked lots of tough questions and unfortunately, some bad things came to light. Hopefully there is nothing but good news yet to come about The Cadets. But I should not be chastised for asking thought-provoking questions.

Senseless? Is it not OK to point out the types of questions that should be asked? There seems to be a lot of people who are "in the know" about all things Cadets. They are making bold statements about the health of the corps and the org. It should be OK to say "is anyone else thinking about these things?" And who knows? Maybe someone who DOES have those answers would get wind of this discussion and decide they should publicly address them. It's happened before. Kathy Black's video interview of late comes to mind. No one here knew the answers about how and why the "any instruments" proposal came about and a LOT of people on here made unsubstantiated claims. There's no doubt she felt compelled to respond to the rising tide of questions. Sorry, not sorry. If it's OK for someone to say "I saw a rehearsal and everything is good" it is equally OK to day "I haven't seen any evidence of what the operational structure is so I believe there may be cause for concern." We are just opining on what we have observed. If it leads to a broader discussion and results in a more "official" statement or two coming out, then it is worth discussing. Otherwise, what exactly is the forum even here for?

January 24th and we're at 165 pages -- no one does a distance urination contest like Cadets fans can!

Looking forward to what comes from the Cadets and I’m a Senior corps side guy with no dog in this fight. Just think some people here have their mind made up and now digging for “evidence” that will “prove” their point. Lol sounds like an ex-coworker who would surf the cable “news” networks until he found one that agreed with him. Then he knew he was “right”

This a thread on Pioneer?

I think the above post from @njthundrrd has provided some answers to your questions.

I think it was 1 season only. But you are correct.

Took time off (forget how long), did Mini and came back as Class A (smaller sized corps). Still put on a really good show. Just worked themselves back up in a patient manner.

I have personally been told by senior alumni members that the cadets were in dire straights unless a big corporate or private donor bailed them out and a new board is being formed. Of course this is all “rumor”, so if they don’t want rumors started, maybe they shouldn’t be spreading them, lol

From reading Ms.Bonfiglio's background,I don't know how much "hand's on experience" she's had, when it comes to budgeting, and other technical aspects of running a corps. I also don't know exactly what her/YEA's responsibilities are when it comes to this. From looking at her background it seems that, if she does have to handle the technical aspects of the corps, she would know where her expertise is and the type of people she needs to bring in . That is,assuming she has the authority to bring those people in. But,at most,she is only in charge of the "front of the house". It seems that,from reading the posts on this thread, the "back of the house" is where there are the most "issues". Again,as I posted,its unclear what the current relationship is between The Cadets and YEA. If they are still "joined at the hip",The Cadets could have still have "back of the house" issues. I would think that,by now,accountants have combed through all of YEA's records and have pretty good idea where they stand,financially. What's worrisome is that If even 1/3 of the comments about their finances posted on DCP are accurate, they are going to need to make some hard choices to stay viable.

I hope to say that MS want more than an experience. When did passive efforts become the standard for this corp? It makes me long for the 80s and 90s! It was all about greatness then, and it showed.

Skating on thin ice? Source please.

This should suffice:

IF I had the question, I CERTAINLY would have asked the right people. But since I didn't have a question about it, I didn't ask. Additionally, I AM part of the Alumni group on Facebook and they have been providing quite a bit of information to those who are members of it. I am also in contact with the staff members who are teaching Cadets this year as I marched with many of them. So, rest assured, I am more than capable of having my questions answered WHEN I have them. Nice try though.

Have you? As an alum, perhaps you should. If it were my corps who was skating on thin ice, I'd wanna know whatever they could tell me.

"an unproven group of people" -- do you know who Denise Bonfiglio is???? What an absolutely RIDICULOUS statement. This "unproven" team is loaded with caption winners, championship winners, corporate leaders and DCI HOFers..

Yes, the public can see the 990 forms when submitted. That is far different from the types of questions and snide comments being thrown around this thread. So no, my post is not "patently false". As long as those who are footing the bill for a marching member (be it parents or the members themselves) are satisfied with what they see and hear, it is no business of outsiders to peer into every dusty corner looking for 'gotcha' items, just because they feel like it.

Some of these posts are reminding me of an experience I had last summer. It was the Saturday afternoon just before finals. I needed a haircut. Sitting next to me was a young man and young woman who marched with Shadow. Great kids. Both entering their senior year of high school. Both shared the colleges they were applying to, one being Boston College, and as a BC “wannabe” I approved. The young man loves old school drum corps. His favorite old school show? 2008 Phantom Regiment. He would have been a Kindergarten graduate that summer!

Please reread my post. I never said anything about being unimpressed with Ms.Bonfiglio being an officer at Metlife. What I said was I didn't know how much "hand's on" experience she has handling the technical aspects of running a corps. There is no question she has the ability to handle the "musical production" components of the corps' show. I also said that, if she does have to handle the technical aspects of running a corps ,she would know where her expertise is,and who to bring in. To me,recognizing your limitations , is a compliment . I also never said The Cadets haven't made hard choices. It just seems there are more to be made. Your post is the first I've heard of a "limited tour" for 2020 and making their own props. Those are positive steps. What I would like to know,and i assume this will be addressed at some point, is,with the "hard choices" YEA/The Cadets have made,are they still operating in the "the red". If they are,how deep is the "red ink",especially with long term debt.

It’s a sad day In Madison when you can’t even retain board member’s son.

you're over reacting.

No, some are just pointing out that if you truly have financial concerns about The Cadets, you'd be better off contacting those who are financially responsible for....The Cadets.

I guess this is a classic "agree to disagree" moment. When someone says that I am "throwing shade" that is most assuredly personal - it's criticizing me of putting out a perceived derogatory statement. Nothing I said was derogatory. If you were only commenting on the content of my comments, a less personal way to go about it would be something like "I think your comments are unfair/unfounded." Whatever. Clearly I have touched a nerve here, because I have not for one second criticized The Cadets and yet several are acting as if I have insulted them gravely.

Admin hat: I have hidden a few posts that have wandered into posters making personal commentary about other posters, and not the topic at hand, the 2020 Cadets. Understand these type of posts go against DCP guidelines. DCP is a privately owned and operated website with guidelines all have to follow. It is not a public forum. Users who sign up agree to abide by the guidelines.

Unproven - yes. Bravo for Hall of Famer Denise Bonfiglio. I'm sure she earned that honor. However that does not automatically equal the knowledge and skillsets to run a multi-faceted multi-million dollar organization. She may do very well and she may be surrounded by a strong team. The unproven part is that we still don't actually know who is running what at this point. Are Denise and the Cadets still a part of YEA as of this moment? Does the BOD of YEA still have complete control of the finances? If the answer is no, then why is that information not yet public? Why does the YEA site still list The Cadets as part of their org if that has changed? If it has changed, why is there no listing of the new BOD who IS controlling the financial interest of The Cadets. Everyone can feel free to join in and attack if they choose. That's your perogative. But I am not makikng wild claims or snarky comments. I am asking legitimate questions about the transparency and stability of what was/is/may be YEA and The Cadets, as well as asking questions about why much of this still seems to be shrouded in secrecy and not a topic anyone is supposed to be allowed to discuss.

Back room stuff going on currently (aka 2020) doesn’t affect the corps today (aka 2020)? So much different from my Sr and Alumni type experiences

Heh... a few of us went to DCI East prelims in 1992, mainly to see SCV and their "Fiddler" show. The Bottle Dance started... we jumped to our feet... and a woman behind us literally grabbed at our shirts and tried to pull us down!!! "You're blocking my view!!!" Well... we were like, hey.... it's the freakin' BOTTLE DANCE, lady... we are standing up and cheering!!!! She finally let us be. As soon as the corps was done, my friend turned around to her and her friends and told them if they ever tried something like that again, he would kill all of them. LOL. And... knowing my friend... he meant it.