The WGI Board of Directors held its annual meeting this past weekend in Las Vegas, gathering over two days to focus on strategic planning, policy review, and fiscal decision-making for the upcoming season. The meeting included key approvals of budget allocations and proposals from the advisory boards for the Color Guard, Percussion, and Winds divisions.
Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Adopted
As part of its annual July session, the Board approved the 2026 operating budget, covering core functions including office operations, regional and championship events, and off-season initiatives. Prior to adoption, the Board evaluated several proposals with financial and safety implications to ensure alignment with the organization’s goals and participant experience.
Read below to see the results of those proposals.
Color Guard Proposals
Proposal #8 – To enhance inclement weather readiness, the Board approved the addition of a second warm-up tent at UD Arena for World Championships.
Proposal #9 – The Board approved a second covered tent in the backstage area for prop storage, improving logistics at World Championships.
Proposal #16 – The proposal to provide wristbands for all non-performing members was unanimously rejected.
Proposal #17 – The age limit for Independent Open Class was approved. U.S.-based units may include participants up to 25 years old as of April 1, 2026.
Percussion Proposals
Proposal #3 – The Board approved a trial implementation of acoustic carpet panels at UD Arena for the 2026 Percussion and Winds World Championships.
Proposal #9 – A proposal regarding Advisory Board proposal submission protocols was tabled for further review.
Proposal #14 – A strobe light warning policy was approved. A general notice will be added to all announcer scripts, and groups using strobe effects will be required to include additional warnings in their performance.
Winds Proposals
Proposal #3 – To ensure consistent warm-up conditions, an additional climate-controlled tent with closed sides and elevated carpet will be installed at World Championships in 2026.
ELECTION
The meeting concluded with the election of the Executive Committee, which is responsible for the organization’s general business operations between full board sessions.
WGI congratulates the following individuals on their election for the 2025–2026 term:
President – Ed Devlin
Vice President – Michael Gaines
Vice President – Don Click
Secretary – Rosie Miller Queen
Treasurer – Kevin Shah
