Philadelphia Union announced the club’s Front Office has selected its inaugural Union Fan Council. Consisting of 26 members, the group held its first meeting at Talen Energy Stadium in June and is expected to meet regularly throughout the year.

“This is a great opportunity to proactively engage with our dedicated fan base and learn what’s important to them,” Union Chief Business Officer Tim McDermott said. “Collectively, we will identify ways to improve the fan experience and enhance what is already regarded as the best stadium experience in Philadelphia. We received more than 500 applications for board positions and have established the Union Fan Council with a well-diversified representation of our overall fan base.”

The Union Fan Council is made up of fans from all segments of the club’s fan base. The objective of the group is to provide fan feedback and input to the club on a variety of topics to help create the best possible fan experience in 2016 and beyond. The inaugural Fan Council consists of:

Alex Armstrong Lee Narozanick Jonathan Bach Jesse Noa Michael Baschoff BJ Nolek Scott Cooper Scott Pezick Mark Cornish Jason Raguz Robert Cucugliello Gary Ross Cait Dalton Howard Silverstone Robert Delaney Adam Turkington Aprilrae Ferguson Donna Underwood Tim Hampson Nick Verna Mark Houlette Timothy Watts Mary Houlette Jamie Welbaum Staci Klemmer Dwight Wilkinson

Topics of discussion for the board include items such as in-stadium and gameday experiences, ticket programs, community initiatives, concessions, merchandising and much more. Each selected member is committed to a minimum 12-month term and required to attend six-to-eight meetings per year.

The Philadelphia Union return to MLS action on Saturday, Aug. 13 at New England Revolution. They’ll return to Talen Energy Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 20 against Toronto FC. Single game and group tickets are still available by visiting PhiladelphiaUnion.com/tickets or by calling 1-877-21-UNION.