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40 AT 40: Roth Edwards
Job Title: Director of Technical Operations
The people are what sets Bandit Lites apart from the rest of the industry. Once a week, for 40 weeks, Bandit arel showcasing an employee who has made a substantial contribution to the company, whether it be in an office, on the road or somewhere in between. Bandit would not be celebrating its 40th Anniversary without the hard work and dedication of every one these employees.
Roth Edwards has spent the last eight years working various positions for Bandit Lites. Starting out as an assistant warehouse manager, he spent several years in installations before settling in as the Director of Technical Operations. Below are a few questions we asked to get to know him a little better.
Q: How did you get involved with Bandit Lites?
A: In high school I did lighting and sound for theater. When I graduated, I didn’t really think I could make a living doing it so I went into electronics. I quickly realized that wasn’t what I wanted to do so I decided to go to school to be a sound guy. I followed a girl to TN and I was looking for an audio gig but being in Knoxville, there wasn’t a huge amount of audio companies. In my search, I happened to come across Bandit and called them up to see if they had any job opportunities. Luckily, they did have a position to fill and I’m still here eight years later.
Q: What are your responsibilities as Director of Technical Operations?
A: Basically, I’m in charge of making sure that everything works. I learn new technologies as they come out and incorporate them into the Bandit system.
Q: What makes Bandit’s Technical Services Division unique?
A: We repair everything in-house. From making our own custom metal work to repairing circuit boards down to the component level. Since we don’t have to ship the equipment off to be repaired, the turnover is a lot faster so the equipment is able to spend more time on the road. In addition, because we have such a knowledgeable staff, many manufacturers come to us in the beta testing period to let us test out upcoming products and offer our opinions on design changes. Over the years, we have come up with several processes and testing equipment for trying out new gear. As a result, we continue to be involved in the development of new products for several manufactures.
Q: Do you have favorite memory from working at Bandit Lites?
A: I did a Garth Brooks show on the deck of the U.S.S. Enterprise. You would not believe how many lighting fixtures you can fit onto an aircraft carrier. I was in charge of the followspots. There were 14 of them scattered all over the ship mounted on missile turrets, radar towers etc. We walked around with the LD and a welder and the NAVY crew would weld a hanging point wherever we wanted to put a light. It was a really cool to be part of such a special event.
27th March 2008
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