Connecticut Hurricanes Hall of Fame

Terry Sekellick Hunter Joined the Hurricanes in the historically significant year of 1977, adapting well to the adjustments confronting the previously all male corps. She, in effect, mentored the color guard for seven years, through her dedication towards perfection and relentless work ethic. Her quite leadership earned her captaincy of the guard in the early '’80'’s.

Terry came to the Corps via the Seymour Vanguards. She also marched, simultaneously, with the championship, and renowned Skylarks Color Guard. Terry was commended early in her career as the recipient of the “Hurricane of the Year” award for 1979. The influence and standard of excellence demonstrated by Terry has surely carried through to the many top ranked Hurricane Guards since that inaugural coed year.

Art Hylwa came to the Hurricanes at age 16 in 1955. He was truly the only real musician in the Corps during its formative years, and he assisted first, Oscar Knablin, then Joe Genero in training the horn line throughout his 15 year career with the Hurricanes. Aside from being the lead soloist for the Corps during his tenure, Art has been a highly regarded horn instructor in Connecticut for over 50 years, giving instruction to hundreds of “street” players with no previous experience. Between 1957 and 1973 Art taught many of Connecticut'’s top junior corps including the Golden Buccaneers, Royal Lancers, Derby Cyclones, Oxford Explorers, Stateliners, Conn. Classics, Trumbull Trubadours, and the Milford Shoreliners, as well as the Connecticut Yankees, in 1970 and 1971.

When Art's career performing with the Hurricanes ended he stayed close to his horn, and for several years played professionally as a member of the Dick Wailonis Band. When the alumni faction of drum corps took off in the mid 1980'’s Art was right there …as a charter member and brass instructor of the Connecticut Alumni and subsequent to that was also a charter member, as well as brass instructor for the Park City Pride.

Art judged brass captions for the Northeastern Judges Association from 1968-1973 and was also a founding member, as well as Vice President (6 yrs) of the Hurricanes Alumni Association. In his capacity with the Alumni Association Art ran a number of successful golf tournaments, raising several thousand dollars that was used to support the Hurricanes. In addition to his well deserved place in the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame, he is also a member of the Conn. Alumni Hall of Fame and is a charter member of the Buglers Hall of Fame.

Gene Imperato* is considered to be the founder of the Connecticut Hurricanes Drum & Bugle Corps. The story goes that Gene was involved in the John H. Collins Post Fife, Drum, & Bugle Corps and in 1954, in a back room meeting, (at his Pioneer Auto in Derby Conn.) began the transformation of the corps into a competitive marching and maneuvering organization that would become known as the Connecticut Hurricanes.

The name Hurricanes was born out the infamous Hurricanes Connie & Diane, two vicious storms that ripped through Connecticut within a week of each other, resulting in widespread devastation. It was Gene who acted on the inspiration and incorporated the rebirth of the Collins Post Corps into the Hurricanes.

Gene was the 1st Director of the revamped corps and designed the first Hurricane uniform (black, with black sash and a silver lightning bolt). The sashes were hand sewn with the lightning bolt that has perpetuated as the Hurricane's identity to this day.

Gene remained director of the corps until the late '50’'s when the corps stormed onto the senior circuit becoming highly competitive.