Jeff Ream Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 28 minutes ago, Nine White Russians said: I agree with everyting you just said, mostly the part about attracting the top staff. I believe if you do that, you can have it both ways....design something that wins and is "Madison" in spirit. The huge problem is, Madison has not been able to raise and maintain the finances necessary to attract andkeep said talent. They really need to observe and figure out what Corps like Boston and Mandarins did to build themselves up to where they could make those successful moves. I do not believe Chris Komnick is the person qualified to do that. We gave him ten years to try, and aside from the Mason years (which Komnick gets too much credit for), he has failed to achieve success. It's time for him to leave and let some new, more qualified blood to come in. My dream/fantasy is he leaves, and Jim Mason comes back....but this time as Executive Director. He knows how to run a successful Corps, build finances and get people who are professional fundraisers....and how to hire the right people under him like Donnie VanDoren. you have to get the board willing to pull the trigger. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 26 minutes ago, Stu said: There you are!!! Welcome Back! And to answer your question; no, I have already had my vowel movement for today. But thanks for asking! "Whistle while you work....". All seriousness, I do hope you had a great time with the kiddos. At some point as we age we won't be able to do that anymore, and we need to relish it while we still can. And I do mean that! kiddo and they had a blast. I didn't hate it as much as 2017, but I am 65 pounds lighter and the cpap ensured a great nights sleep after two Southern Hurricanes nightly at the Riverside Roost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 22 minutes ago, MikeD said: That was a great show, IMO. i liked 17, but, because I follow WGI, i looked like a ripoff of what Music City Mystique did in WGI that very spring, and better 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swmstom Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 The complaints in 17 were more about Scouts seemingly selling their soul for the sake of keeping up with the Jones'. 17 saw Scouts throw away their identity.. wearing wild costumes and playing unrelatable, esoteric music with a "theme" that was tough to follow. 18 took it a step further. Now Scouts have flipped to the complete opposite end of the new/old spectrum....and neither seems to be working. I think most alum...or at least speaking for myself as an alum....want to see Scouts put on a show that can be competitive with modern DCI, but still hold the identity that is recognizable as The Scouts in look and music style. Some say that's impossible, but I say it is. As some have mentioned, The Bluecoats have shown that "Scouts-type" music still works. The Dowside Up show was a perfect example from a music standpoint. Right now it feels like design is a blindfolded, stick-swinging attempt. No idea whether to be too old or too modern when everyone with their eyes open are begging for somewhere in the middle. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slingerland Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 12 minutes ago, swmstom said: Right now it feels like design is a blindfolded, stick-swinging attempt. That's probably the most accurate description of what this feels like. No disrespect for Jim Elvord, but there's no one associated with the activity who sees his experience in the 1970s as having any relevance to drum corps today. The same, it should be said, was true of Jim Mason nine years ago or whenever he came on board. Meanwhile, there are probably some Scouts alums in their 20s or early 30s working as designers or decision makers at other bands or drum corps who'd be happy to help the organization find who they are today - but the Scouts would have to commit themselves to a future version of themselves rather than clinging to their old days, something the organization seems almost entirely unwilling to really do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queenanne_1536 Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 1 hour ago, Jeff Ream said: you have to get the board willing to pull the trigger. And what a pathetic board of directors it is. Board of Directors in any organization are there for checks and balances and to improve the organization. This board is made up of cowards who are incapable in speaking up and doing what is right to save this organization. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2muchcoffeeman Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 (edited) Questions a board of directors should ask: Are the customers happy? Safe? What's our retention level? What feedback are we hearing from the members, and what are we doing to respond to it? Are the bills being paid? Are we financially sound? Are we achieving our mission? Are we in compliance with DCI policy, board-governance best practices, regulatory requirements? Is the executive leadership accountable to us? Do we have a succession plan in place? How much more money can I help raise? Questions that a board should not ask: What's the show design? What is our ranking? What scores are we getting? How about those uniforms? Are the alumni happy? There is one significant point of crossover between these two groups of questions, not only for Scouts but for any corps: The single most potent recruiting tool you have for next year is the show you put on the field this year. So if the show design is hurting your audition numbers, it's time to put the CEO on the spot. But if the customers -- i.e., the members -- like what you're giving them, then the audition numbers will be there, and the board needs to keep its nose out of the show. And, while good relations with alumni are better than poor relations, the board does not exist to serve alumni. It exists to serve the members. At most, the alumni should have a third-party relationship with the corps. It can be positive, most crucially financially, but the alumni are not central to the purpose of the corps, and as such should not be a central concern of the board. Edited June 28, 2019 by 2muchcoffeeman 4 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyDad Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 4 hours ago, Jeff Ream said: I can read here and various places online Ok so you have no actual knowledge and are speculating. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 46 minutes ago, HockeyDad said: Ok so you have no actual knowledge and are speculating. Thank you. if I do know more, it's nothing I'd post here, as there are some specifics I'd rather not out and keep the confidence of those willing to talk to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queenanne_1536 Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 (edited) Are the customers happy? *** This is subjective *** Safe? *** I would assume, and hope, this would be a yes *** What's our retention level? *** Pretty sh!t, obviously *** What feedback are we hearing from the members, and what are we doing to respond to it? *** Can't answer this *** Are the bills being paid? *** Can't answer this, but why the delay in uniforms? Whether their was a storm or not is irrelevant. A little bad weather isn't going to delay your uniforms for weeks **** Are we financially sound? *** Can't answer this, but I would certainly like to know the answer. Offering reduced or zero tour fee to fill your guard ranks doesn't help the finances *** Are we achieving our mission? *** BIG FAT NO, obviously. Driving a former champion to 16th place is hardly an achievement. A before you say it, this is a competitive activity. Driving your alumni away and having poor member retention isn't achieving your mission. *** Are we in compliance with DCI policy, board-governance best practices, regulatory requirements? *** Probably *** Is the executive leadership accountable to us? *** Obviously not *** Do we have a succession plan in place? *** Perhaps not *** How much more money can I help raise? *** Alienating your alumni doesn't help here *** Questions that a board should not ask: What's the show design? What is our ranking? What scores are we getting? How about those uniforms? Are the alumni happy? You make some good points, but that's not the only thing a BOD is there for. It is there to provide checks and balances, and to prevent one or more persons taking control. We saw that with the Cadets and we are seeing that with Madison. Ask yourself why they can't retain members and are a feeder corps? Ask yourself why they are constantly dropping in placement and relevance? Ask yourself why two men (CK and DP) who have been proven failures are STILL in charge. The BOD is a failure. That's why. And that's fine if you don't want to care about your alumni. We've seen what great alumni support can do in Boston and what totally alienating your alumni can do in Rockford and Madison. Now you tell a BOD that doesn't give a sh!t about what its alumni think is doing a better job than one that does. The only time there was a DCI finals that didn't include either Regiment or Madison was 1972. We're going to see it again this year. So yes, both BODs are failing in their duties. Good God, I don't understand how anyone can defend what's happening at Madison. The entire organization needs a title wave to come in and wash the current administration out. ALL. OF. THEM. Edited June 28, 2019 by queenanne_1536 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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