2023 Summer Report from the WGI Board of Directors

2023 Summer Report from the WGI Board of Directors

The WGI Board of Directors had its annual meeting in Las Vegas this past weekend. Over two days, directors met to discuss a long list of organizational goals, review WGI policies, adopt a budget for the fiscal year, and approve proposals passed from the Advisory Boards that have a financial impact. They also welcomed three new members to the Board of Directors. Pictured from left to right: Heather Graham (Color Guard representative), Donnie Ross, and Matt Carraher (Percussion representatives).

Budget

Every July, The Board meets to approve the operating budget for the next fiscal year, including line items like office management, events management (Regionals, Power Regionals, and World Championships), off-season events like WGIcon, and much more. After a lengthy discussion and detailed examination of the previous year’s expenses, the board and staff make the necessary decisions to ensure that WGI will operate efficiently for the coming year. Before adopting the budget, they must discuss any proposals approved by the advisory boards with potential financial impact or safety considerations on the organization. Read below to see the results of those proposals.

Color Guard Proposals

Proposal #8 – The Board reviewed a proposal to amend the Color Guard Steering Committee membership. It was unanimous to approve the proposal, so the committee will now consist of five color guard instructors elected by the CAB and two adjudicators assigned by the chief judge.

Proposal #9 – The proposal to increase the maximum number of performers allowed on the floor from 40 to 50 did have a potential financial impact on the organization, so it required discussion by the Board. The proposal was approved with the understanding that there would be an increase in the number of medals needed.

Percussion Proposals

Proposal #6 – The Board approved changing the rule regarding gas or manual-powered generators in a competition space. With the new amendment, generators will not be allowed inside any competition venue, on or off, due to a potential safety hazard.

Winds Proposals

No proposals adopted by the Winds Advisory Board needed approval from the Board.
The Board also considered the use of signal-jamming devices at a WGI competitive event, which resulted in a unanimous decision to ban the devices entirely. Any Wi-fi, Bluetooth, cellular, or otherwise signal-jamming device used at a WGI event will result in disqualification.

Elections

The last item on the agenda before adjourning was the election of the Executive Committee for the upcoming year. Membership is comprised of individuals from the Board of Directors. These individuals are charged with all general business matters of the organization when the board is not in session and elected to a one-year term. The results of the election can be seen below. Congratulations to the newest edition of the Executive Committee!

President – Ed Devlin

Vice President – Michael Gaines

Vice President – Don Click

Secretary – Rosie Miller Queen

Treasurer – Kevin Shah