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Stage Technologies Founding Managing Director Relocates to Las Vegas

Stage Technologies Limited Group CEO Mark Ager (pictured) has relocated to the company’s Las Vegas office. Having established a group of operating companies worldwide, Mark’s move to the US will ensure the company’s continued focus on sales and rentals opportunities for live events and in theatres, opera houses and universities in the region. These are all sectors in which the company has completed many impressive projects over the last 15 years, including multiple Cirque du Soleil resident shows in Las Vegas, the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the recently opened Signature Center in New York, on which the company worked with theatre consultants Auerbach Pollock and Friedlander and main contractor iWeiss Theatrical Solutions.

In recent years Mark has led Stage Technologies into project wins in Singapore, Macau and Saudi Arabia. He will continue to drive business around the globe from his new base. As well as managing the whole of the Stage Technologies Group, Mark will take over Kevin Taylor’s role as he has now left the company. Mark will join Stage Technologies’ well-established Las Vegas leadership team which includes Gemma Guy managing business development in the fixed installation and rental markets, Stephan Wood in projects and James "JT" Tomlinson who oversees US operations.

Mark founded Stage Technologies in 1994 with John Hastie and has been the driving force behind many of the company’s award winning automation products including the Acrobat system, which allows multiple axes to be controlled from a single console. A pioneer in the stage automation industry from its earliest days 25 years ago, Ager continues to promote innovation at Stage Technologies. He is also in demand as a keynote speaker at industry conferences, having addressed audiences in London and Beijing over the last six months, and as a lecturer at various theatre colleges on theatre automation and stage engineering.

Mark is joint author, with John Hastie, of the major work on the subject, Automation in the Entertainment Industry, published by Entertainment Technology Press Ltd in the UK.

www.stagetech.com

4th May 2012

SeaChanger Expands Sales Team

Lighting industry veteran Stephen Ellison (pictured) has joined SeaChanger as a product specialist for its SeaChanger architectural and theatrical lighting fixtures.

Ellison will provide sales and service support for the entire line of SeaChanger products, helping customers select the lighting equipment best suited to their production needs. The SeaChanger CYMG colour changer attaches to the reflector housing of any Source Four Ellipsoidal to create dramatic lighting effects. It has been used to enhance standard lighting everywhere from theatre and church productions to Broadway musicals, clubs and corporate events. Its line of Plasma and HMI lights are also widely used in museums, casinos and other architectural applications as well as television broadcast studios.

A strong addition to the SeaChanger team, Ellison brings deep knowledge in the areas of lighting design, systems engineering and technical training. Ellison holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Lighting Design & Technical Direction from North Carolina School of the Arts (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and has over 30 years of industry experience. He has held positions in design, consulting, systems engineering, technical direction and production management.

1st May 2012

Enrico Caironi 1947-2011

It is with great sadness that Clay Paky has announced the passing of Enrico Caironi, a man whose professionalism, integrity and humanity will be remembered by all Clay Paky work associates and friends. In the show-lighting industry, Enrico had for years been ambassador of Clay Paky and a model representative of Italian passion and quality.

Born in Bergamo in 1947, Enrico Caironi joined the Clay Paky team in 1995. As commercial director, he immediately became a key figure in company, always fighting at the forefront with relentless motivation. With his reliability and charm, he earned the company the esteem of customers, lighting designers and competitors. His passion for the job never once abandoned him. Though officially retired, in his last years he dedicated much of his energy to Clay Paky, leading demanding projects such as the “Knight of Illumination” awards and the “Show-Way” exhibition to success.

The last unforgettable memory he left with Clay Paky was the incredible courage with which he faced the serious disease that afflicted him. His warm smile, generous hospitality, and thoroughness with which he carried out his every endeavour will remain forever in the hearts of those who had the pleasure of knowing him.

16th December 2011

Mike Murphy Becomes Top Exec at J.R. Clancy

After 30 years with J.R. Clancy, Bob Theis will step down from his position as chief executive officer on December 31. Theis will continue until July 2012 as an advisor to the board of Wenger Corporation, the company that owns J.R. Clancy.

Mike Murphy, who has served as president of Clancy since 2009, will become the company’s top executive on January 1, 2012. He will retain the title of president. In his 14 years with Clancy, Murphy has been integrally involved in sales, project management, new product development, and in supervision of some of the company’s largest and most complex projects. He also developed and implemented the company’s quality management program, which led to the company achieving ISO 9001 registration.

"Under Bob’s leadership, J.R. Clancy has grown significantly in capabilities and in the strength of its business practices," Murphy said. "He established an important company goal that has become our mantra: Make Our Partners Successful. Thanks to his commitment to best practices, Clancy has been an ISO 9001-registered company since 2002, and we are listed as one of the fastest growing companies in the United States by Inc. magazine. Bob can be very proud of the things he accomplished at Clancy."

"I’ve worked with Mike since 1997, and I can honestly say that he’s more than qualified to take on the leadership of J.R. Clancy," Theis said. "Mike and our management team are the best in the industry – there are none better."

Looking ahead, Murphy plans to maintain Clancy’s leadership in product innovation and project management. "We’re looking forward to introducing some dynamic new products, and expanding our international business in the coming years," Murphy said. "These are exciting times at J.R. Clancy."

13th December 2011

LSC Announce Staff Changes

There have been several changes at LSC in recent times and as the company positions itself for growth with the release of the Clarity LX range of consoles in the new year.

With Alan Graham leaving LSC, Trevor Sykes has been promoted to the position of general manager. Trevor's wealth of experience both within LSC and elsewhere made him a natural choice to lead the LSC team towards continued growth and process improvement.

Trevor has a long association with LSC starting out with the company as a technician in the late eighties. Leaving LSC in the late nineties to explore other areas, he rejoined 2007 as product development manager and his many years in the motor car industry developed a burning desire to promote a continuous improvement culture. Trevor is keen to continue this passion in his new position and to implement the skills he has learned to make LSC's customer service paramount.

Jane Argentaro has taken on the role of material controller at LSC. This is a newly created role and Jane will draw on her vast experience of the electronic component supply industry to purchase and manage the company’s stock for manufacturing and sales.

This important role will be a vital life-line to manufacturing, ensuring timely delivery of parts to meet production deadlines and Jane’s organisational and negotiating skills will be put to full use.

Heather Ellis commenced with LSC in October as sales administrator with responsibility for ensuring good sales support to customers and the LSC sales team. Also hailing from the motor vehicle industry, Heather's attention to detail and dynamic personality is the perfect recipe to ensure good company communications with its customers.

Heather is the first point of call for all new orders, progress of orders through the manufacturing department and any product availability enquiries.

In picture: Trevor Sykes, Jane Argentaro and Heather Ellis.

13th December 2011

Alan Graham Retires from LSC

LSC Lighting Systems has announced the retirement of long serving manager Alan Graham (pictured). Alan joined LSC in 1988 and will be known to many in the lighting industry as the front man for LSC export sales from the early 90s until 2004 when he relinquished the position to concentrate on internal matters and move away from constant travel.

Alan has contributed to LSC in many ways over the years and has had input to all aspects of the company including the design of its products, how they are manufactured and how they are marketed and sold. On top of this, his love of building was gainfully employed when he undertook the design and project management of the company's current 2000 sq metre head office.

Trained as a design draftsman, Alan was initially employed by LSC as a contractor in the early 80s to design printed circuit boards for LSC products such as the Precept control desk and Tour Series dimmers. However it became obvious to management at the time that Alan had more to offer than PCB design and he was offered the position of general manager in 1988. He has held this role since then, but in the early 90s became very interested in the sales and marketing aspects of the company where, as it turned out, he had a natural talent. Alan became the exterior face of LSC through the 90s and into the last decade as he headed up local and international sales.

From 2004 on, Alan has concentrated on the internal operations of the company including production and marketing where he has used his many talents to streamline production and continue to push the company's commitment to Australian Designed and Manufactured.

Gary Pritchard, LSC's CEO commented: "The contribution that Alan has made to the growth and success of LSC over very many years is significant and his input will be surely missed. I am sure he will be able to look back at his time at LSC with fondness even though the company has been through both good times and bad over the years. He will certainly be able to stand back and look at LSC with pride and say 'I helped build that'. I join with the rest of the LSC staff and wish Alan all the best for his future."

Alan's initial plans are to take a year off, build another house and take a long holiday in Europe. Although he is leaving full time employment with LSC he will continue on as a director of the company. He leaves the company on December 23.

6th December 2011

American Society of Theatre Consultants Announces Edgar L. Lustig to Receive First Honorary Fellow

At the annual meeting of the American Society of Theatre Consultants (ASTC), held this year in St. Louis, MO, it was announced that Edgar L. Lustig has been named as the first Fellow of ASTC (FASTC).

Jim Read, ASTC President stated: "The Fellows membership category has been established to honor members who have rendered conspicuous service or made notable contributions to the advancement or diffusion of the knowledge of theatre consulting, or the fostering of its practical applications, and who have rendered significant service to the ASTC in multiple fashions. In recognition of decades of service to ASTC and his contribution to the world of theatre, we are proud to announce the elevation of Ned Lustig to the most honored status of Fellow of the American Society of Theatre Consultants."

Edgar (Ned) L. Lustig has been a theatre consultant for forty-six years. As a founding member, he has served as Secretary-Treasurer since the formation of ASTC in 1983. He has made prodigious contributions in technical theatre as technician, manager, technical director, manufacturer, designer and consultant. Lustig is known for his inventions and innovations in theatre and lighting equipment technology, most notably the dimmer affixed to the lighting instrument. His consulting work includes The Ferrara Theatre in America’s Convention Complex, High Point University’s Hayworth Fine Arts Center, University of Chicago’s Mandel Hall, Wright State University’s Recital Hall and Drake University’s Fine Arts Center. In addition Lustig has contributed his talents as set and lighting designer for theme park work at Busch Gardens Tampa and Williamsburg.

A theatre consultant is a professional advisor who provides guidance, advice and support to owners and design teams for the planning, design and equipping of theatres, concert halls and other types of facilities used for public assembly and presentation of the performing arts. ASTC was founded with the mission to establish and maintain best practices within the theatre building design industry. ASTC has a continuing interest and involvement in the evolution of building codes and has been a major catalyst in the development of all of the major building and life safety codes pertaining to performance facility design.

The seventy-three ASTC members are comprised of professional theatre consultants who have demonstrated a broad range of capability and experience necessary to qualify for membership. As professionals, ASTC members have individual and collective interest in providing unbiased, functionally sound and practical consulting and design services to owners, users, architects and engineers of performance and assembly facilities. These interests are reflected in the objective and programs of the ASTC.

19th October 2011

Compulite Systems Appoints Alon Cohen as Product Manager

Compulite Systems (2000) Ltd. has recently appointed Alon Cohen as the product manager for new future developments of Compulite’s products for the next decade. Alon’s 25 years of experience will add a new innovative and practical approach to the company’s products. During the years Alon gained extensive experience in various activities including; programming, operating, directing and lighting design. "Learning and listening to the market needs, users, operators and lighting designers makes Alon the right person in the right place at the right time," said Yehuda Shukrun, CEO.

Alon, who was always fascinated with lighting, started his lighting career as an apprentice in the Jerusalem Theatre. There he gained vast experience by working closely with top lighting crews and eventually became a film projectionist. From age 18, he started working for Israeli Company Danor, the biggest lighting rental company and sole distributor of Compulite products in Israel. Alon worked at Danor as a lighting technician, crew chief, lighting programmer and operator.

After a few years, he decided to go solo as an independent lighting designer, programmer and director for local Israeli dance groups and theatre companies. During this time he also ended up doing a brief stint at Compulite, as QA & Support Manager. He was mostly involved with the final development stages of the Vector family, the company’s flagship selling lighting console.

Alon’s impressive talents led him to be the lighting designer for the National Philharmonic Orchestra as well as a lighting designer for corporate companies such as, Texaco Benelux, BP France, Comverse Italy and Chabad organization New York.

"I am very excited to be back at Compulite, and extremely excited for the upcoming challenges that lie ahead. I am honored for the opportunity and responsibility that has been given to me. I am looking forward to working again with the Compulite distributors and with the company’s local staff. It feels like I never left," said Alon Cohen.

In picture: Alon Cohen with a Compulite Vector Red Console.

5th August 2011

Audinate Elects David Krall as Chairman of the Board

Audinate Pty Ltd, the leader in IP audio-visual media network solutions, has elected David Krall as chairman of its board of directors. His election as chairman comes at a time of rapid growth for Audinate, completing its most recent fiscal year (ending June 30, 2011) with almost double its revenues from the prior year. Krall originally joined Audinate’s board of directors earlier this year. Krall also currently serves as executive chair of QSecure in addition to serving on the board of directors of Progress Software.

David Krall brings more than 20 years of experience in building successful technology businesses. David most recently served as president and COO of Roku, the market leader in streaming entertainment devices for the TV. David has extensive AV industry experience as the former CEO of Avid Technology, Inc., a leading tools provider to the media and entertainment industries, based in Burlington, Massachusetts. Under David's leadership, Avid doubled its revenues to just under $1 billion annually, introduced groundbreaking new products in its core businesses, and expanded into new markets through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. In addition to his board roles, David currently serves as a strategic advisor to a number of startups, including Roku, Universal Audio, and GrapeGenie.

"Audinate’s board of directors is integral to our ability to execute our growth strategy, and having someone with David’s industry background as our chair will be a tremendous asset," said Lee Ellison, president and CEO of Audinate. "David Krall’s diverse background in developing companies who are in the start-up’s high-growth phase, as well as large publically traded companies, will be a major benefit for Audinate moving forward."

"What first attracted me to Audinate was their advanced technology offering, allowing customers to send audio and video signals synchronously across standard IT networks," said David Krall, "but what has impressed me most since joining the board has been the strength of the team behind this offering. Audinate definitely can compete at any weight class, and I think they have a tremendous opportunity to make a big contribution to this industry."

4th August 2011

Patrick Woodroffe Appointed for London Olympics 2012

Patrick Woodroffe has been appointed lighting designer for the opening and closing ceremonies for both the London Olympics and Paralympics. Associate LD is Adam Bassett and Miriam Evans is Patrick Woodroffe Lighting Design associate.

23rd June 2011

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