Phantom Regiment is pleased to announce the hiring of Jude Boughton, Jeremy Hunt and Rob Ferguson to the design team for next season. They will join Jeremy Earnhardt, Don Hill, Brett Kuhn and Dan Farrell, who all return.
In addition, John Leonard will be the color guard caption head. He joins returning caption heads Christian Carichner (brass), Bret Kuhn (percussion) and Josh Scott (visual).
Boughton, who is back with Phantom Regiment after several years away, replaces Alan Spaeth as visual coordinator. Spaeth will continue to be involved but in a smaller role.
” I could not be more pleased and honored to be joining the wonderful creative team of Phantom Regiment, ” Boughton said. “This legendary corps was actually the first group I fell in love with as a kid just learning what drum corps was and to have a chance to be back working here again is like a dream come true.
“PR has always represented the wonderful marriage of tradition, innovation, elegance, and theatricality in performance, and anyone who knows me would no doubt would attest to the fact that these are the qualities that most speak to me and what I love about our unique art form. “
He was on the guard staff in 2003-04 before moving up to program coordinator and guard coordinator roles with Colts and Spirit of Atlanta. Boughton has also been involved with Glassmen, Reading Buccaneers (DCA) and Black Watch (WGI). He is currently program coordinator and color guard director at Round Rock High School (a BOA grand nationals finalist in 2013) near Austin, Texas. He is also program coordinator for Vandergrift High School, the 2013 4A Texas state champion.
Hunt joins the team as drill designer, taking over for Jamey Thompson, who was in that position in 2005-07 and 2011-14.
” I ‘m very honored to follow in the footsteps of three of my mentors Greg Cesario, Johnny Sanchez and Jamey Thompson, ” said Hunt, who also lives in Austin and is the drill designer for Round Rock High School.
“In combination with Jude Boughton, I hope to bring the next evolution of great visual design to the Phantom Regiment. Meticulous design has always been a foundation of the corps dating back to John Brazale. “
He has been the drill designer for Colts and Spirit of Atlanta in recent years as well as for James Bowie High School and numerous indoor groups. Hunt, who marched with Patriots and Bluecoats, has been on staff with Carolina Crown, Glassmen and Madison Scouts. He currently designs for Round Rock, Leander, Anderson and Duncanville high schools.
“I ‘d like to thank Jamey for all he ‘s done while here at the Regiment ” said Dan Farrell, who ‘s returning for his 20th season as program coordinator. “He has done great things for the corps, both on and off the field, and he will be missed. “
Ferguson comes to Phantom Regiment as the front ensemble arranger, taking over for Matt Jordan, who is leaving after 4 years in that role. 
He has been director and music designer for WGI Independent World percussion ensemble Matrix Percussion since its inception in 1999. He was percussion arranger for Glassmen from 2008-12 and currently arranges for Hawthorne Caballeros (DCA).
“It is very exciting to have Rob coming on board, his years of experience as an arranger and composer will be a great asset to the corps,” said Kuhn, who begins his second year as percussion arranger and caption head with PR. “We share the same philosophy regarding teaching and development of our students and look forward to furthering the culture at the Phantom Regiment. “
Kuhn adds, “I would like to thank Matt for his friendship as well as work and dedication to the organization. We wish him much success in the future. “
Leonard returns to Phantom Regiment as color guard caption head. He was previously on staff in 2010. He takes over for Annie Pelka, who will be moving into a different role. 
“I had one of the best summers of my career working for Phantom Regiment in 2010, and I ‘m thrilled to return in a larger role for the upcoming season, ” he said.
Leonard, who marched with Cavaliers and Crossmen and was a member of Blast, is color guard director at Marcus High School in Texas. He has been on staff with Santa Clara Vanguard as well as Lake Park (Ill.) and Centerville (Ohio) high schools and First Flight and Field of View winter guards.
“I ‘m very excited to have these people coming on board for 2015,” Farrell said. “All of them have been doing great things in the pageantry world, and we look forward to the freshness they can offer us here at the Regiment.”
Audition camps are scheduled for Dec. 5-7 in Rockford, Ill., for guard and percussion and Dec. 12-14 in Rockford for brass and conductors. For more information about the organization, visit www.regiment.org and www.facebook.com/regiment.
