Sun Devils Announce 2015 Executive Director and Corps Director

[John M. Johnson]

Sun Devils Announce 2015 Executive Director and Corps Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – The Sun Devils Drum and Bugle Corps are excited to announce that corps founding member John “JJ” Johnson will once again return as the Executive Director. JJ’s leadership has been crucial to organization since the beginning. As a founding father of this drum corps his consistent involvement has helped to truly develop the personality of the drum corps.

Anthony Parisi will be taking over the responsibilities of Corps Director. Anthony has been an integral part of the corps resurgence. He has worked tirelessly on both the design and administrative direction of the corps over the last 2 years. Anthony’s experience with the Sun Devils family has made him a natural fit to replace our friend Robb Van Eck who retired as corps director after the 2014 season. Anthony looks forward to continuing many of the standards that have been set over the history of the corps while helping the corps to grow and take our next steps toward success.

Anthony had this to say about the 2015 season “The team of staff and members we have assembled over the last few years are a true family. We are in the process of adding some amazing people to further move the corps in the right direction, competitively, educationally and administratively. I am looking forward to working closely with JJ and the rest of the management team to reach our true potential while never losing site of the fact why we really do this, Family! ”

More announcements about additional administrative and Creative staff will be coming shortly, so stay tuned! See the bios for JJ and Anthony below.

John “JJ” Johnson, Executive Director

JJ has been involved with the marching arts since 1989, starting with the 7 time BOA Grand National Champions, Marian Catholic High School. As a graduate of Marian Catholic, the lessons learned have spanned a lifetime. While at NIU, JJ garnered several accolades including, Rookie of the Year, Director's award, and he also was a two time recipient of the Marching Huskie of the Year Award. JJ started his drum corps career back in 2000. While with Heat Wave, which happened to be JJ's first drum corps experience, he played soprano, mellophone, and then eventually Drum Major. Utilizing the skills learned from Marian Catholic and Northern Illinois University, he excelled and eventually became Executive Director of Heat Wave and more recently, the Sun Devils. "I am looking forward to another fun and challenging season. We have every intention on building upon last year's successes."

Anthony Parisi, Corps Director

Anthony Parisi has spent most of the last 20 years deeply involved in many aspects of the marching activity. In high school and college he marched both brass and percussion. Anthony moved on and participated in junior corps for partial seasons with both the Bluecoats and Boston Crusaders. He began his DCA career with a year in the Sunrisers and then marched for the next 8 years with the World Champion Hawthorne Caballeros playing both baritone and euphonium. Anthony has been involved with the Tampa Bay Thunder drum and bugle corps as both a visual and brass tech and was also involved for several years with the WGI World Finalist Emanon Winter Guard as a visual tech/consultant. Anthony has been the Assistant Director/Drill Designer/Show Coordinator for several bands in the NY/NJ/PA area, including 4 time winner of the Yamaha Cup and Northern States/NJ Champions, Pequannock Township High School. Anthony has also worked with Riptide Indoor Percussion(RPT)Recently he was the Drill Designer for the St. Augustine Ancient City Regiment. Outside the marching arena Anthony works for Expedia Local Experts as a concierge in the Orlando hospitality market.