Veronica Plousis

Veronica Zepp Plousis, known to most of the Crossmen family as Roni, is honored for her lifelong dedication to the corps as a charter-era member, color guard captain, instructor, mentor, counselor, financial advisor, board leader, fundraiser, and devoted ambassador for the Crossmen spirit.

Roni has been part of the Crossmen story since the very beginning. She came to the merger as a member of the 507 Hornets, and before that, The Stingers. When the Crossmen were formed, Roni was still a young teenager, but even then she displayed the qualities that define a true Crossmen: dedication, discipline, hard work, loyalty, and pride.

As she matured in the corps, Roni’s leadership became clear. She was a solid and dependable member who led by example, eventually becoming an exemplary color guard captain. In that role, she balanced compassion with a deep commitment to excellence. She cared for the people around her, but she also understood the standards required to help build a great corps.

After aging out, Roni continued to give back by volunteering as a Crossmen color guard instructor. Like so many who helped shape the organization, she carried her member experience forward and used it to support the next generation. Eventually, she stepped away from drum corps for a time to raise a family and pursue her professional career as a CPA.

Roni went on to excel in her field. She currently serves as CFO and COO of Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, one of the largest community schools of the arts in the nation. Her professional accomplishments have earned significant recognition, including being named CFO of the Year in Philadelphia in 2021. Her expertise in finance, operations, nonprofit leadership, and organizational strategy has become a tremendous asset not only in her career, but also to the Crossmen and the Crossmen Alumni Association.

Throughout her life, Roni has remained active in drum corps and deeply connected to the Crossmen. She is a legacy member of the Unity Club, a Crossmen Counselor, and a trusted advisor who provides key financial and nonprofit guidance to the Board of Directors. She has served as a Crossmen Mentor to marching members, helping support young people as they navigate their own drum corps experience.

Roni has also played a major role in strengthening alumni engagement and fundraising. She helped organize and solely sponsored the Crossmen LIVE fundraising event, and she organized and guided the production of the Crossmen Alumni Handbook. Her work has helped create structure, clarity, and momentum for the alumni organization while continuing to support the corps itself.

Her leadership now extends to the national level through her service as a member of the DCI Board of Directors. That role reflects the respect she has earned throughout the activity and the value of her insight, professionalism, and steady leadership.

Those who know Roni professionally and through drum corps describe her with phrases such as “wisdom and insight,” “forward thinking,” “fiscally smart awareness,” “outstanding role model,” “very supportive colleague,” and “a true professional.” One description captures her especially well: Roni always brings her best to improve the process, the product, and the people around her.

The Crossmen and Crossmen Alumni Association have been extraordinarily fortunate that Roni has so generously shared her time, expertise, and heart with both organizations. Her dedication to the corps is unmatched, and her love for drum corps has been part of who she is since childhood.

Her sister, Laura Murtaugh, also a Crossmen charter member, once shared a story that says everything about Roni’s devotion. In 1973, before the Crossmen merger, their family experienced a house fire. The one and only thing Roni grabbed before running out of the house was her marching boots.

That is Roni: committed, loyal, prepared, and forever connected to the activity and the corps she loves.

For her years as an early Crossmen member and color guard captain, her service as an instructor and mentor, her leadership and financial guidance to the corps and alumni association, her work strengthening alumni engagement and fundraising, her service on the DCI Board of Directors, and her lifelong embodiment of the Crossmen spirit, we proudly honor Veronica “Roni” Zepp Plousis as a member of the Crossmen Hall of Fame Class of 2023.