About Us

The Mission of the Steel City Ambassadors is to provide a world class musical education to all regardless of financial status while bringing the sound of Drum Corps back to to Pittsburgh, our mission continues to drive the progress of our organization. We celebrate and embrace diversity in all of its forms including gender, race, sexual orientation, religion and socio-economic diversity. We believe that everyone brings their individual identity AND unites to create amazing musical ensembles. 

Our story begins in 1980 in western Pennsylvania, home of dozens of fine units from the 1930s through the mid-1970s. But as the steel industry that fueled the Pittsburgh region went into decline, so too did the corps movement. In 1976, however, a group of old Sharpsburg Cadets dusted off their chops for their hometown’s sesquicentennial parade, and some of the guys kept that unit intact as a parade corps, called the Sharpsburg Ambassadors.

 Four years later, Dave Fite, former Archer Epler Musketeer soloist, moved to Pittsburgh. Fite knew there was more to drum corps than five or six parades and the occasional standstill concert. One night after practice Fite proposed a plan to build a competitive senior corps out of all the untapped local talent. To kick things off he organized a giant reunion party that drew over one hundred former corps members. This nucleus responded to Fite’s call to form a new corps in August of 1980.

The new Steel City Ambassadors took fledgling steps, joined the ICA and DCA.

But our story does not end there, the corps as many others went through its ups and down through the years, facing many challenges which brings us to today!

The Steel City Ambassadors are currently in the process of obtaining full Drum Corps International Membership in 2026.

 Recent honors and awards of distinction:  International Corps Associates Champions in 1981,1982,1983,1984,1985. International Corps Associates (North) Champions in 1983. Empire State Champions in 1983.

President and CEO is William J Ringler

Corps Director is Benjamin Karic

Asst. Corps Director is Charles R Lisella