Dr. Todd Snead

Todd Snead is the Director of Programs of Phantom Regiment, a non-profit youth performing arts organization based in Loves Park, IL. He holds a Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning from Georgia State University and has been a leader in arts education for over 20 years. Prior to his appointment at Phantom Regiment, Dr. Snead was the Interim Director of Lyric Unlimited (the department dedicated to learning and community engagement) at Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Dr. Snead’s career began in 1999 as Assistant Director of Bands at Judson High School in Converse, TX, where his bands received superior ratings. He then performed professionally with the first national touring cast of the award-winning musical Blast! as a trombone, euphonium, and conductor. In 2003, he was appointed Education Coordinator for The Phoenix Symphony, where he served as the Project Coordinator for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program. His collaborative work with The Phoenix Symphony and Arizona State University earned him the 2005 Collegiate Community Partnership Award. During his graduate studies at Georgia State University, Dr. Snead served as a Site Coordinator for the nationally recognized Sound Learning Program (a music education partnership with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Atlanta Public Schools). Dr. Snead’s success in academia led to his appointment as Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in 2009. 

He returned to arts administration in 2014 as Education Manager at The Atlanta Opera and was later named Director of Learning Programs at Lyric Opera of Chicago in 2017. While at Lyric Opera, Dr. Snead was actively engaged in the Opera America Education and Community Engagement Network, served on the Opera America Teaching Artist Training Task Force, and on the Partnership and Professional Learning Collective Impact Panel and for Ingenuity, Inc.  

Dr. Snead’s passion for the marching arts began in 2003 as a brass instructor for the Madison Scouts. He later served as a brass instructor at Glassmen and Spirit of Atlanta drum and bugle corps (serving as Spirit’s Brass Co-Caption Head in 2010). Dr. Snead was appointed Spirit of Atlanta’s Corps Director in 2011 and then promoted to Executive Director the following year. Under his leadership, Spirit returned to Drum Corps International’s elite “finalist” status and achieved the corps’ highest score in 25 years. Dr. Snead has also served on the Drum Corps International Tour Committee, the Board of Directors of the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, and was inducted into the Spirit of Atlanta Hall of Fame in 2021.

Dr. Snead has been a teacher, clinician, and adjudicator throughout much of the United States and has provided professional development for musicians in the Atlanta and Charleston Symphony Orchestras. He has presented research and has been an invited panelist at state and national music education conventions and is published in Music Educators Journal and Teaching Music. Dr. Snead holds a Bachelor of Music from Texas Tech University and a Master of Music from Arizona State University.

Dwight Emmert

Dwight Emmert is excited to fill the interim role of 2022 Phantom Regiment Corps Co-Director with his brother Jay.  The two have worked in tandem in the past as Co-Visual Caption Heads for PR from 2005-2007 and visual staff colleagues from 2008-2013.  Since 2013, Dwight has aided the corps in numerous facets including Education Coordinator, Visual Designer, and Cheerleader to name a few.  He was inducted into the PR Hall of Fame in 2020.  This summer marks Dwight’s 40th anniversary of his rookie season with the corps.  

Dwight is from Evansville, IN, where he is the Director of Fine Arts for the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation.  In his eleventh year in this position, he oversees all Arts programming. He proudly boasts the accomplishments of the 140 fine arts teachers/staff/administrators who work across 36 buildings with 23,000 students. His office also runs an extensive Honors Program for the performing arts with over 800 students.  The Honors program includes: middle/high bands, middle/high orchestras, elementary/middle/high choirs, 2-3 winter guards, jazz ensembles, and a summer musical program.

The Phantom Regiment housed in Evansville school buildings last summer while learning their 2021 production.  Dwight and his local team helped make that possible.  The corps plans to be back in Evansville for Spring Training in 2022.

Dr. Kate Ferguson

Dr. Kate Ferguson is the Director of Athletic Bands at Youngstown State University. Currently in her twenty-fourth year as an educator, Ferguson previously taught in the Akron Public, Crestwood Local and Cuyahoga Falls City School Districts. Additionally, she has served as a faculty member at The College of Wooster, Southeast Missouri State University, Kent State University. She holds a Bachelors in Music Education degree from Kent State University, a Masters in Music Education Degree from the University of Akron, and a Ph.D. in Music Education from Kent State University.

Under her direction, Ferguson’s ensembles consistently earn superior ratings at both district and state Ohio Music Education Association Events. Her ensembles have been invited to perform at the International Music Festival at the Kennedy Center for the performing arts, the Northeast Ohio Band Invitational at Severance Hall, the Ohio Music Education Association Professional Conference, the Magnificent Mile Light Parade, and the Fort-McDowell Fiesta Bowl Parade. Additionally, her performing groups are highly involved in community performances and events within the Northeast Ohio area.

Ferguson recently presented sessions on Sight Reading at the 2021 Kentucky Music Education Association Conference, the 2018 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, and the 2019 OMEA Professional Development Conference. Additionally, Ferguson has presented her research on several occasions at the Research Roundtable, and Poster Session associated with the OMEA Professional Development Conference. She has spoken about sight reading and concert preparation during instruction improvement days in the Akron Public Schools. Ferguson is published in Contributions to Music Education, and the TRIAD.

Ferguson is an active member of the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA). Her service to OMEA includes adjudication and hosting High School Solo & Ensemble Events. In addition, she has been a frequent member of the Professional Conference Planning Committee, has served as the All State Band Chair, and Past-President of District VI.

Robert Cawthorne

Robert is the Merchandise & Marketing Director for Phantom Regiment, also serving as the corps Videographer since 2009. 

Originally from Oklahoma, Robert’s drum corps journey began with stints doing photography and video for WGI and DCI, before joining Phantom Regiment in 2009. 

From 2009-2016, Robert directed, shot, edited, and produced the “On the Road” documentary series for the corps, which has been shown in multiple film festivals and was a two-time winner at Rockford’s “On The Water Film Festival”. As the corps long-time Videographer, his work for Phantom Regiment includes show teasers, video tour journals, annual finals week retrospectives, voiceover, drone photography, and more. As Merchandise & Marketing Director, Robert oversees the corps’ graphic design and branding, online media presence, and email campaigns. He leads the media team on the road and manages the online and touring merchandise program, The Phan Shop.

In addition to his work with Phantom Regiment, Robert is a professional wedding filmmaker (Revered Films), working alongside his wife, Dana. Robert has produced over 400 wedding films for couples across the United States, UK, and Mexico. 

Robert and Dana reside in the Chicago suburbs with their son, Colton.

Jeff Hassan

Jeff Hassan was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in 2010. He was vice president from 2017-22 and was elected president in 2022. In addition, he chairs the board’s Executive Review Committee.

He is a key accounts manager with NXP Semiconductors, where he has worked since 2009. Jeff moved into the company’s automotive division and now manages the overall engagement with one of the company’s largest customers.

Jeff marched in Phantom Regiment in 1996-98 as a member of the snare line. He joined the percussion staff in 2000-01 and again in 2006-10. He has also been an instructor for Phantom Regiment’s snare drum camps.

After a 16-year stint in Chicago, Jeff moved back into the southeast Michigan area with his wife, Melissa (also a Phantom Regiment alum), and their two children.

Robin Lanning

Robin (Hartowicz) Lanning was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in 2021 after previously serving on the board from 2012-17. She was elected vice president of the board in 2022. Robin is a member of the Development Committee and also is Phantom Regiment’s Fundraising & Marketing Coordinator.

Robin is the marketing director at Tactive (formerly Print Resources) in Indianapolis and is the founder of Skilljourn, a training company that helps managers improve people skills.

She was a member of the Phantom Regiment color guard from 2002-03 and later toured with the corps’ souvenir team from 2004-06. With her background in print and merchandise design, she assists with the organization’s graphic design needs.

Her brother and father both marched with the Cavaliers and her mother marched in the Golden Knights, a winter guard out of Chicago. She truly has a drum corps family as her parents met because of color guard/drum corps, her brother currently works for Drum Corps International, and her father is President of the Cavaliers’ Board of Directors. Robin says, “When we were born, my mother swore that her children would never march drum corps. Be careful what you wish for.”

Robin lives in Indianapolis with her husband, Brett. She has a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication from Ball State University and a master’s degree in organizational communication from Southeastern Louisiana University.

Marie Lauten

Marie is a Denver, Colorado-based marketing professional specializing in brand development and awareness, messaging strategy, and content. After graduating from The Ohio State University with a major in music and minors in business and economics, she began working in real estate and marketing in 2014, switching full-time to marketing in 2016. After spending 6 years working in corporate real estate marketing, Marie currently works on a freelance basis assisting small businesses and non-profit organizations with marketing and operations.  

Marie marched the mellophone with Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps from 2003 – 2007 and aged out with the Phantom Regiment in 2008. She has since taught Spirit and River City Rhythm on visual staff, and she is currently the visual caption head for the award-winning Air Academy High School in Colorado Springs. Along with working with the Phantom Regiment, she is the Marketing and Media Manager for The Cavaliers drum and bugle corps.

Julia Link

Julia (Hachmeister) Link has been involved in pageantry arts her entire life, starting as the mascot for her dad’s winter color guard called the Colleens. She competitively marched with several winter guards from the middle of the 1970’s until aging out of winter guard with State Street Review in 1992. She started her drum corps journey in 1985 with the Phantom Regiment Cadets and continued 1986 through 1990 with the Phantom Regiment. Julia’s sister, Emily, marched with PRC and the Phantom Regiment in the 1990’s, and most recently, Julia’s daughter has continued the family legacy with the Phantom Regiment in 2021 and 2022.

Julia’s dad, Tom, was involved with the Midwest Color Guard Circuit, WGI, and DCI from the early 1970’s and retired completely in 2020 and was Julia’s motivation throughout her marching career. She also has two Uncles that marched in the Cavaliers Drum Corps in the 1960’s and 1970’s.

Since aging out, Julia has remained involved in pageantry arts as Circuit Staff, WGI Staff, Instructor, and as the Secretary on the Board of Directors at Allegiance Color Guard. Julia had been working in Early Childhood Education since she was in high school, and was ready to make this life changing career jump to the Operations Manager position here at the Phantom Regiment. Julia resides in Crystal Lake with her husband, Jerry and their 4 children, Madelyn, Nathan, Kayleah, and Spencer.

Joe Taylor

Joe Taylor was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in 2021 and is also the president of the Phantom Regiment Alumni Association Board of Directors. This is his second stint on the Phantom Regiment board as he also served a term from 1998-2001.

In addition to his responsibilities on the two boards, Joe is also the corps’ tour director, a role he previously held from 1998-2001. He is a member of the board’s Governance Committee.

Joe is the assistant principal for curriculum and instruction at Deerfield High School in the Chicago suburbs.

Joe aged out of Regiment in 1991 and filled a variety of volunteer roles until becoming tour director in 1998. He fell in love with the admin side of the corps when he lived with the St. Angel family during his marching days, and was mentored by former corps directors David St. Angel, John Baumgartner, Bill Riebock and Ron Schulz in the years after he aged out.

He lives in Cary, Ill., with his wife Nicki, daughter and current marching member Katherine, and black lab Phantom. 

Kelly (Boshoven) Couvelaire

Kelly was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in 2017 and was elected treasurer in 2019. She chairs the board’s Finance Committee and is a member of the Executive Review Committee. Kelly has been an active volunteer and board member of the Phantom Regiment Alumni Association since 2013.

She is a senior manager for Beasley Media Group and has spent the past 25+ years working in media sales and management, primarily radio, in her home state of Michigan. After aging out of Phantom Regiment in 1985, she began her media career in Rockford, Ill., working alongside former Phantom Regiment board member John Baumgartner at Cablevision Systems. She also serves as an auxiliary judge for the Scholastic Marching Band Association of Michigan and has judged every fall for more than 20 years.

She marched in the Coachmen Drum and Bugle Corps from Grand Rapids, Mich., starting at age 11 before marching with Phantom Regiment in 1982-1985, including the 1983 winter guard. She was part of the Phantom Regiment color guard staff in 1986-1987.

Kelly lives in Grand Haven, Mich., with her family. She has three adult children: Colin, Delaney and Kieffer.

Emily Barclay

Emily (Fetcho) Barclay was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in July 2015 and was elected secretary in 2022. She is a member of the board’s Executive Review Committee and Development Committee.

She is a music teacher for KIPP Los Angeles Schools.

Emily was a member of the Phantom Regiment mellophone section from 2005-09 and served as horn sergeant in 2009. She went on to teach with Academy Drum and Bugle Corps in 2010-11 and Blue Knights in 2012.

She chairs the board recruiting and scholarships subcommittees.

Emily, who is originally from the Chicago suburbs, has a bachelor’s degree in music from Butler University in Indianapolis.

She lives in Torrance, Calif., with her husband, Rick, a drum corps alumnus, whom she met while teaching Academy in 2010. They have a dog, Rigby, and a cat, Shadow.

Ed Collins

Ed Collins was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in January 2019. He serves as chair of the Development Committee.

He is a senior vice president/financial adviser at JPMorgan, where he has worked since 2002. Ed serves on the board of directors and is chair of the investment committee for La Plaza, a central Indiana nonprofit that prepares Latino students for educational success and connects families to health and social services.

Ed was a member of the Phantom Regiment euphonium section in 1991-92 and was drum major for Quad City Knights in 1990.

Originally from Chicago, Ed has a bachelor of science degree from Western Illinois University. He is retired from coaching softball at Guerin Catholic High School in Noblesville, Ind., and with several travel teams.

He splits his time between Indianapolis, Ind., and Celebration, Fla., with wife Nicole. They have three college-age children: Patrick, Megan and Caitlin.

Jim Devine

Jim Devine was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in July 2022. He has been a member of the Governance Committee since 2021.

He is executive vice president and chief shared services officer for the Corix Group of Companies in Chicago, where he has worked in various capacities since 2010. Jim brings more than 25 years of human resources experience to the Phantom Regiment team.

Jim was a member of the 1993 Phantom Regiment bass drum line, which won the DCI Ensemble competition. He also was a member of the Michigan State University Spartan Marching Band bass drum section from 1991-93 and later taught the competition drumline 1994-2004. He was a bass tech for Phantom Regiment and the Wheaters winter percussion in 1996.

He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Michigan State University and an MBA from University of Phoenix.

Jim lives in Chicago with his husband, Andrew.

Jennifer Duenke

Jennifer Duenke was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in January 2019. She is a member of the Development Committee and the Governance Committee.

She is owner/photographer at Jenny Dinky Photography and also freelances as a consultant for business and nonprofit startups in the areas of strategic planning and grant writing.

She is a member of the Phantom Regiment board’s development committee.Jennifer was a member of the Phantom Regiment color guard in 1993-95. Additionally, she marched with the Freelancers from Sacramento, Calif., in 1992 and Ascension, a world-class winter guard from Houston in 1996.

She was a volunteer choreographer for the 60^th Anniversary Alumni Corps.She has a bachelor’s degree in photography, a master’s degrees in international relations (civic development and women’s security emphasis) and nonprofit leadership (strategic planning and program implementation emphasis).

She comes from a drum corps family as two older brothers marched, and her father drove a bus for both Phantom Regiment and Cavaliers.

Past volunteer work has included documentary and medical photography for the Peruvian American Medical Society in rural Peru and serving on the grant writing committee for her local school district.

Jennifer is originally from California but has called St. Louis, Mo., home for most of her life. She is married with a young son and daughter.

Tim Farrell

Tim Farrell was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in July 1998 and has been on the board since. Previously, he served on the board from 1986-97. He served as president from 1992-96 and again 2000-22. He is a member of the board’s Governance Committee.

He is retired from the product display business in 2021 after more than 30 years as president of PG Display, a Rockford display manufacturing business founded by his father, Ken, who also served as president of Phantom Regiment for several years in the 1970s.

Tim marched in the corps in 1972-75 as a member of the baritone section. He later was Phantom Regiment Cadets program coordinator in 1979-80 and a brass instructor with PRC in 1981-82. He has been on the board of directors of the Phantom Regiment Alumni Association since its founding in 1989. Prior to his terms as president of the PR board, he was development committee chair in 1989-91 and transportation committee chair in 1987-89.

In 1996, Tim was honored with the organization’s Chevron Award for meritorious service and, in 2010, he had his name added to the alumni association’s Heritage Award. Tim was inducted into the Phantom Regiment Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class in 2016. He was named Drum Corps International’s Volunteer of the Year in 2006.

He is an avid motorsports fan as well as a bicyclist and motorcyclist.

Tim, a lifelong Rockford resident, is married to Lisa, who marched French horn in Phantom Regiment in 1971-75. They have two adult children who both marched in the corps. Jessica was in the PRC color guard in 1994-99 and PR in 2000, while Stacey was in the baritone section of PRC in 1990-91 and PR in 1992-94. They also have four grandchildren.

Joe Hickey

Joe Hickey was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in July 1998 and has been on the board since. He served as vice president from 1999-2003 and is a member of the board’s recruiting subcommittee.

He is a partner at the law firm of Dykema Gossett PLLC and is resident in its Bloomfield Hills, Mich., office. Joe has been Phantom Regiment’s legal counsel since he joined the board, and Dykema serves as pro bono counsel for the organization.

Joe is originally from Ohio and was a marching member (French horn) with Phantom Regiment in 1982-84. While a marching member, he also served as an instructor for the 1983 Phantom Regiment Winter Guard.

In addition to supporting his favorite drum corps, Joe enjoys working out, travel and football (Detroit Lions, Michigan and Michigan State).  He is also a member of the board of directors for Danialle Karmanos’ Work It Out, a Detroit-based charity promoting the health and welfare of Detroit’s youngest residents, its kids.

Joe lives in Bloomfield Hills. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Rockford College (1985) and a juris doctor from University of Toledo College of Law (1988).

Missy (Moffitt) Jenkins

Missy (Moffitt) Jenkins was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in 2022. She is a member of the board’s Development Committee, and stays busy with the drum corps by managing Club 56, serving as volunteer coordinator and as a member of sewing crew.

She is a geometry teacher at Arlington High School in Arlington, Tenn., where she is also the sponsor of the Key Club. After school hours, she teaches The University of Memphis Colorguard. Missy has been the director of colorguards and then program coordinator over the course of the past 10 years. She has taught the color guards of many Memphis-area high schools during her career.

Missy was a member of the Phantom Regiment color guard from 1991 to 1994.

She lives in Arlington, Tenn., with her husband, Scott, and their two lab mix rescues (Dallas and Tiffany). Missy and Scott are the proud parents of two sons, AJ and Tristan, who both attend The
University of Memphis.

Greg Newell

Greg Newell was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in July 2000. He has been on the board since, including as vice president from 2002-2005 and secretary from 2010-2022. He chairs the board’s Governance Committee and is a member of the Executive Review Committee.

He is a project manager for SPM implementations at STERIS Corp. Prior to his current position, he was operations manager at JAUST Consulting Partners (2017-18) and a program manager on the business applications team at Vista Consulting Group, the operations consulting arm of Vista Equity Partners (2015-17).

Originally from Otsego, Mich., Greg was a member of the baritone section in 1988 and 1989. After moving to Rockford for a job in 1998, he started volunteering at camps and in various capacities with the organization.

Greg was honored with the organization’s Chevron Award for Meritorious Service in 2003 and was elected to the Phantom Regiment Hall of Fame in 2022.

He graduated from Aquinas College (Grand Rapids, Mich.) with a B.A. in business administration, including a music minor, after spending the first 3 years of college as a trombone performance major at Michigan State University and Western Michigan University.

Greg lives in Seffner, Fla., with his wife, Teresa, whom he married in 1992, and their dog, Magnolia.

Aaron Ozminski

Aaron ‘Oz’ Ozminski was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in July 2018. He has been a member of the Development Committee since 2014.

He is an owner/managing director of Elite TechSources in Salt Lake City, an IT resources provider. Before starting Elite TechSources, Aaron was the branch lead for COMSYS (which became Experis IT) in Salt Lake City, which he ran for 5 years. Before moving into the technology services and recruiting field, he worked as the technology leader and UI/UX designer for a custom home automation and home theater company.

Aaron was a member of the Phantom Regiment baritone section in 1989-91 and a conductor in 1992-93. He continues to play trombone regularly with several diverse groups – brass quintet, community orchestra, funk band, pirate band, etc. – in the Salt Lake City area.

He started college as a trombone performance major before graduating from University of Utah with a bachelor of science degree in organizational communications (advertising emphasis).

He lives just outside Salt Lake City with his wife, Kristy. They were married in 1997 and have two children.

Mark Patterson

Mark Patterson was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in 1994. He served as treasurer from 1995-2019 (with a couple years off in the late 1990s). He is a member of the Finance Committee.

He is a Certified Public Accountant with KraftCPAs, PLLC, and has been in public accounting with various firms since 1984.

Mark, who is originally from Rockford, marched in Phantom Regiment from 1975-78, playing cymbals and then orchestra bells. He is one of the founding members of the Phantom Regiment Alumni Association, authoring the bylaws and obtaining the tax-exempt status for the organization. He served on that board, as treasurer, for the first six years. In addition, he is on the board of directors of Monroe Harding Inc., an organization in Nashville that works with children that are in the state’s custody.

An avid runner who has completed eight half-marathons, Mark was honored with the Phantom Regiment’s Chevron Award for Meritorious Service in 2007 and was elected to the Phantom Regiment Hall of Fame in 2017.

He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and a master of science in taxation degree from DePaul University in Chicago.

His late father, a long-time supporter of the corps, was a member of a drum corps in Rockford after getting out of the service after World War II.

Mark, who lives in Nashville, Tenn., has three adult children: Nicole, Andrew and Erica.

Brandon Stansbury

Brandon Stansbury was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in May 2020. In addition, he has been a member of the Finance Committee since its inception in 2017.

Brandon is a senior manager of financial planning and analysis for Unity Technologies, the world’s leading game engine that’s used by studios and developers to create 2D and 3D video games that reach 770 million users worldwide. He has worked in the corporate finance industry for more than 15 years, focused primarily in the technology sector. His previous experience includes stints at Teradata, HomeAway, Main Street Hub, and GoDaddy. At Main Street Hub, he played an integral part in building the finance organization and was a key member of a small team that worked on the July 2018 acquisition of the start-up by GoDaddy.

Brandon was principal conductor of Phantom Regiment in 2002. He joined the administrative staff as a tour assistant (2003) and tour manager (2004-08). He also has been a coordinator and instructor for Phantom Regiment’s drum major camps and served as moderator and clinician for the Phantom Regiment conductor auditions from 2007 to 2015.

Originally from New Orleans, Brandon graduated from Holy Cross School. He received his bachelor of science in finance from Southeastern Louisiana University. Brandon resides in the heart of downtown Austin, Texas with his wife, Lauren, and their beloved Mini Aussie Labradoodle, Nola.

Ryan Tysdal

Ryan Tysdal was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in July 2020. Previously, he served on the Phantom Regiment Alumni Association board of directors in the early 2000s.  He is a member of the Governance Committee.

He is a commercial real estate broker for Van Buskirk Companies in Sioux Falls, S.D. Prior to that, he spent 10 years in radio advertising.

Ryan was a member of the Phantom Regiment baritone section from 1996 to 2000, including serving as section leader his ageout year. He came to the corps as a 15-year-old saxophone player who had learned to play baritone only 6 months prior.

He has a bachelor’s degree from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D.

In his spare time, he and his family enjoy spending time at their cabin on Lake Okoboji in Iowa.

Ryan lives in Sioux Falls with his wife, Sara, and their three young children, Harper, Emerson and Henry.

Barb Pelan

Barb Pelan was elected to emeritus status on the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in 2012. She was a member of the board from the early 1990s until 2012, including several years as secretary.

She is a retired school teacher and social worker. She taught school for five years, worked for Illinois Public Aid for five years and was a social worker for Illinois Department of Children and Family Services for 22 years.

Barb began her involvement with the organization as a chaperone and cook for Phantom Regiment Cadets in 1982. Later, she chaired the food program before the days of a fancy kitchen trailer and co-chaired the food program after the first kitchen trailer was acquired in 1988 along with Kevin Nesmith, Gary Krug, Becky Nelson and Nancy St. Angel. She was a bingo volunteer and worked on many projects for the organization, including the Spook House and the concession stand at Show of Shows (she was succeeded by her son, Dana Pelan for several more years).

In her retirement, Barb enjoys genealogy, scrapbooking, decorative arts, cooking and various collectibles. She has an associate’s degree from Springfield Junior College and a bachelor of science degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

Barb, who is divorced, lives in Rockford. She has five children. Her son, Dana Pelan, was a contrabass player who aged out in 1985. Her daughter, Lisa Baclet, was a color guard member who marched her final year in 1984. Daughter Christine Pelan aged out as a member of the color guard in 1989. All three started with Phantom Regiment Cadets. In addition, she has two daughters, Amy Woods and Barb Pelan.

Ron Schulz

Ron Schulz served on the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors from 2005-2019. Previously, he served on the board as Phantom Regiment Alumni’s Association’s representative from 1999-2005.

He retired in 2014 from his position as dean of technical programs and allied health at Rock Valley College in Rockford. He is an instructor of film in the mass communications division at the college.

Ron marched as a soprano player in Phantom Regiment Cadets, Blackhawk Cadets and Forest City Rangers in 1962-68 and Phantom Regiment in 1968-74. He has been involved with the organization since his marching days, first as a visual instructor  for Phantom Regiment in 1975-81 and then as an instructor and program coordinator for Phantom Regiment Cadets in 1982-85.

He was corps director for Phantom Regiment in 1986-88, a tour director in 1989-96 and then again was corps director in 1997. Ron was president of Phantom Regiment Alumni Association from 1998-2014 and has been vice president since.

Ron’s name was added to the Phantom Regiment Alumni Association’s Heritage Award in 2013, and was inducted into the Phantom Regiment Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class in 2016.

Ron, who is a lifelong Rockford resident, serves on the Phantom Regiment’s Hall of Fame Committee. His sister and a cousin also marched in Phantom Regiment.

He is a film historian and has served as president of the Rockford Film Project/Storefront Cinema. He maintains a massive library of 16mm motion picture film in his basement.

He has bachelor of science and master of arts degrees from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

Kathy Vigna

Kathy Vigna was elected to emeritus status on the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in 2014. She had previously served as a member of the board from 1982-92. She was president of the board from 1985-89 and treasurer from 1989-92.

She is retired from Hamilton Sundstrand, where she had been director of aftermarket contracts. She also was a senior manager of contracts and a program manager.

Kathy also has been a president and board member of the Purple Knights Drum and Bugle Corps in Rockford. She was a volunteer and corps mom for Phantom Regiment Cadets. Both of her sons marched in Phantom Regiment Cadets and Phantom Regiment: John (who is married to a PR alum from ’88-’89) from 1980-89 and Brian from 1982-88. She was inducted into the Phantom Regiment Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class in 2016.

She is actively involved in numerous organizations: Alpine Kiwanis Club, currently serving as president of the board; Boone County Kiwanis Club, where she serves as a mentor; and Remedies Renewing Lives (a domestic violence shelter and addiction treatment center), where she is a member of the board and event chair.

Kathy, who lives in Rockford with her husband, Bob, has a bachelor of arts degree from University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada. Her husband is a former assistant director of Phantom Regiment Cadets. Her sons both live in the Grand Rapids, Mich., area. She has five grandchildren, including two in college.

She notes that her interest in Kiwanis Club began when, as PR board president, she would attend a Kiwanis meeting each year to be presented with a check in support of Phantom Regiment activities such as building the first kitchen trailer.

“Now I get to present the checks (to PR),” she said. “I love it.”

Jim Wren

Jim Wren was elected to emeritus status on the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in 2017. He previously served as a member of the board from 1967-1986 and 2000-2017, including as vice president from 2013-2017.

He is a retired safety and health consultant and senior loss control representative in the insurance industry.

Jim was a member of the original Phantom Regiment in 1956 and marched until 1962. He played soprano and French horn and was drum major his final season. He went on to be the business manager for the corps in 1963 and wrote the drill in 1964.

In 1968, he became brass arranger, a role that would define his drum corps career. Phantom Regiment would go on to become famous for its powerful hornlines, winning multiple high brass titles and earning a place among the elite corps in the activity. The corps rose to prominence in the early to mid-1970s with Jim as a key component of the success. First earning a spot in the DCI World Championship finals in 1974, Phantom Regiment has been a part of finals every year since.

Jim would continue as the corps’ brass arranger through 1999. His accomplishments earned him election to the Drum Corps International Hall of Fame in 1994. He was inducted into the Phantom Regiment Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class in 2016.

Jim has a bachelor of science degree in marketing from Northern Illinois University (1962).

He lives in Roscoe, Ill., with his wife, Laura. They have two sons, Jim and Matt.