Jeff Fiedler has been named CEO for the Santa Clara Vanguard! I'm not sure which was more surprising - his leaving the Cavaliers after 35 years or this move to another corps.

Also, Dennis Hagner passed away. He marched in the Cavaliers in the early 60's, but I seem to remember him as a drum judge for many years - and a tough one, if I'm remembering the right guy. Dave, you probably knew him.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

Wow! Now THAT is a real change .. from Cavaliers to Santa Clara!

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Well, maybe he just wanted to retire from a working life to a warm climate?

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

If he's moving here, he'll need $$$ or is going to get a $125k or more from the Vanguard so he can buy a house. The realestate slowdown in the Santa Clara are has reduced average prices from $1.25 million to maybe $1 million. But he may find a fixer upper in the older part of San Jose for maybe $350K but he'll have to have bars on the windows and doors.

Bars on the windows... Heck if the Cavies stuck it out in Logan Square he would feel right at home out there. Of course Rosemont is a "gated community" with steel gates - close enough to bars.

What did you do in the Corps? drum

What years were you a Corps member? 61-69

John is right.. living in Logan Square is "tough duty" now. Lots of crime and gangs.

But, the "Yuppies" are moving in too ... so there might be some changes.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

I'm going to stick up for Logan Square. When is the last time any of you suburbanites have been into a neighborhood in the city? Logan Square is turning. Lots of nice restaurants and pubs, new condos and old architecture. Come on in, don't be afraid.
-CL

as I said, things are changing. And, people with money rehab old places and start new businesses. Lots of areas of the city have done this ... South Loop, Wrigleyville, Roscoe Village. Congrats to Logan Square.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

I must agree with Chris. We had been to the house walk in Logan Square some 3-4 years ago. Some great removations going on with beautiful gardens. Stopped a few times at a great Mexican restaurant we found, across from the statue in the square. Think the name was "Abrill". Don't know if I have spelled it correctly but the food was good. Does anyone know if it is still there?

What did you do in the Corps? bass drummer

What years were you a Corps member? '57- '62

I had just recently taken my 13 year old daughter to a concert at the Logan Square Auditorium. We parked in the neighborhood and felt safe. My only worry was getting a ticket and for street parking since loads of areas have permit parking. I would go back in a heart beat. Maybe because I grew up on the south side and have a love for Chicago.

What did you do in the Corps? Drum line

What years were you a Corps member? 80-81

I've visited Logan Square and a few other newly upscale Chicago neighborhoods during visits to Chicago the last few years (I live in the far western suburb of San Francisco). The areas along the various rapid transit lines on the north and northwest suburbs have changed quite a bit. If one works in the loop it would seem to me it's a much shorter commute than riding a train back and forth about an hour and a half each way. Those new areas also have some pretty hefty price tags for the houses or condos and some are close to what one would pay in the Bay Area close to one of the BART lines or in the City of San Francisco.

What did you do in the Corps? Baritone--Cadets 1959 through 1961 Imperials 1962 through 1966

Back to Jeff Fielder (original topic of this posting). It seems to me that the reason the he left the Cavaliers was burnout. So he's going to take a job with an organization that may require more attention and effort than the Cavaliers. That begs the question, did he leave the Cavaliers or did the Cavaliers leave him? Having seen this a few times within my own company, the public announcement doesn't always reflect the underlying reasons for someone leaving (or coming into) an organization.

Out of curiosity I checked out some of the Blue Devils site's blogs. The Blue Devils and Vanguard obviously are rivals so it's not completely unbaised but they do point out that it's strange that a corps would bring in someone this close to the start of the system. Seems to me that Fielder will have a position similar to David Gibbs the BD director who runs not just the DCI corps but all of the other educational activities. Like me some of the bloggers are curious as to why someone who left an organization because of burnout would take on a dealing with an organization that has some management issues.

I guess well have to see how things go.

What did you do in the Corps? Baritone--Cadets 1959 through 1961 Imperials 1962 through 1966

Re: Jeff Fiedler

John: after seeing your last comment, I remembered that Fiedler's REAL job is working in education administration in eastern Pennsylvania. Not sure if he was the top administrator in a high school district, but it was something like that.

This move is probably MOSTLY a professional move. Especially if he will be heading the full "educational" aspects of the Santa Clara operation!

Time will tell.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958- 1963

I think that the new Cavalier's director is from PA. Fieldler is with a Chicago High School.

I could see a move from the perspective as an educator. But the California speculation (Blue Devils) is he'll run the Vanguard as well. Their parallel is the Blue Devils director Mike Gibbs.

As you say, we'll see.

John, you are correct. The new Cavalier director (the previous assistant) is from Pennsylvania. Once again, drum corps becomes a professional move.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63