History

Raised as an only child, Marcy Tuttle never envisioned a family of hundreds but that is what she got. As the CEO and FOUNDER of her highly successful companies STAR SYSTEMS NATIONAL TALENT COMPETITION, and SHOCK THE INTENSIVE, and with her ability to emphasize similarities over difference even in a competitive setting,Marcy has created a family circle that widens year by year.

Her destiny was set at an early age, thanks to a simple family disagreement. At three years old, her parents debated the merits of various activities for their little girl. Her mother wanted baton, her father it seemed favor dance lessons. Guess who won?

By the time they moved from Peoria, Illinois to Florida, Marcy was an accomplished 21 year old dancer and ready to strike out in a new direction. She opened two studios in southern Florida, and enlisted both mom and dad to assist her in running the business.

In this fashion, her life ambled along for nearly a dozen years, weathering a marriage and the birth of a son, Casey. Then she stumbled on a golden opportunity, a failing competition business. “I bought it with $250 investment. Two speakers and a tape deck”. She went on to pay 10 cents on the dollar for the entire inventory in their warehouse and STAR SYSTEMS was officially on its way. That was in 1987…..making this our 20th year in the competition industry.

STAR SYSTEMS is a family business with Marcy’s son Casey acting as the NATIONAL DIRECTOR, and her future daughter in law serving as the buyer and designer of ESTRELLA, STAR SYSTEMS clothing line. Unlike other competitions,who advertise for employees off the internet, STAR SYSTEMS still utilizes, Casey’s childhood friends, such as Orlando Botero who serves as Regional Director, and lifelong friends such as Terry St Peters, serving various facets in the business from lighting designer and director for Nationals to occasionally serving as Regional Director. Most other employees are dancers that grew up in the competition industry or took dance as a child. Our backstage directors have been complimented time and time again, for their friendliness, helpfulness as well as the exciting aura they create backstage for the dancers before they enter the stage for competition. Marcy’s husband, also serves as the network engineer, along with the position of Regional Director as well. You can rest assured when attending STAR SYSTEMS that our staff is KNOWN to us, and not hired off the internet without knowing who they are.

Casey Tuttle, The National Director, was virtually raised along with the growth of STAR SYSTEMS. He says ‘from the time I can remember I have always been around the business. As a child, I would help my grandmother at the boutique, and then help my grandfather build trophies in our warehouse.” Soon after Casey began working backstage, the moving up to serve as emcee and learning lighting and sound, which he continues to attend conferences to update his knowledge in the ever changing industry. At the age of 19, he earned another responsibility,big brother, Marcy, suffering from empty nest syndrome, did her homework, and adopted a beautiful little girl from Guatemala whom her birth mother had named Karina. Casey did his first competition on his own in Kalamazoo, Michigan as Marcy was in Guatemala picking up Karina to bring her home. Casey says” I truly believe that STAR SYSTEMS is so successful because we are a family business. Everyone that is involved with STAR SYSTEMS is part of our family, perhaps not by blood, but because we bring them into all of our family celebrations, and celebrate theirs with them as well.”