People people everywhere
If there is one thing I love about the lighting industry - it is the people.
A pair of my favorite lighting people - spotted together - talking politics of all things.
Marshall Bissett of TMB and Jonathan Resnick of Barbizon
Here is Keny Whitright from Wybron - accepting a "best debuting lighting product" award for his infotrace system.
And Gary Fails of City Theatrical accepting an award for his DMX projector douser.
Both Gary and Keny are extremely committed to the lighting industry and especially to innovation. Gary has proven his mettle time after time by finding special needs and inventing solutions. Wybron has often been on the leading edge - and they are definitely leading with Infotrace, a product which proves that RDM technology will provide a whole new tool chest of information for the technician.
David Johnsosn seemed a little tense as he officiated the awards ceremony this evening - but he mellowed with the addition of the showgirls.
(One of the showgirls appeared to leave the stage and "faint" late in the ceremony. She appeared to be standing too long with locked knees!)
Allen Branton graciously accepted the Wally Russell Lifetime Achievement Award for 2006. Allen gave a simple speech with a few road stories. I was most interested in his telling of his father the architect taking him out as a boy to dirt fields and telling him that "this would soon be a library or other building." Allen then worked in the construction process on the buildings later and said it was the first time he had the experience of people working together to create something from nothing. He has made a life of doing that very thing. And what a resume!
And someone near and dear to my heart - Fred Foster - another lifetime of innovation. Fred has constantly worked for the lighting art and has also taken the time to encourage others. He takes time and his own money to encourage students to learn more about our industry. He has built some of the most significant products in lighting and ETC is a great place to work. (Marian Sandberg (behind Fred) refereed the event this evening)
Every industry has its people and I really like our people.
David