USA - Technical Productions, Inc. has added award-winning lighting/set/production designer Seth Jackson as a full time member of its executive creative team.

"This is a huge step forward for both of us, and we're both able to service our existing and potential clients better because of this synergy," says Michael O'Keefe, CEO of Technical Productions Inc. (TPI). "For Seth, he has better facilities at his disposal and the support of a full service office. And TPI gains full-time access to his design talent - Seth is absolutely one of the most creative designers working today."

This merger comes at an opportune time for both. "TPI is expanding in a lot of new areas, and we need what Seth brings to the table on a daily basis, from conceptual ideas to final design," he says. "At the same time, Seth found himself increasingly in demand and spend

UK - To continue its dedication to supporting the lighting and stage technology markets in the Middle East, ETC is introducing Darren Beckley as its new regional manager for the area. He brings to ETC many years of experience working in the industry and across the Middle East.

In his new position, Beckley will be responsible for the sales territory that includes the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq. He will be based out of ETC's London office, with much of his time spent in the Middle East, working in symphony with ETC's distributors, dealers and integrators.

The son of a theatre manager, Beckley spent much of his childhood in the theatre, which sparked a lifelong passion for the entertainment industry. After completing his studies, he did a vocational apprenticeship in mechanics and engineering, where he gained valuable fabrication a

USA - With only weeks away until the music industry gathers for the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, Nashville's Grammy chapter gathered for an evening of celebration with nominees such as Little Big Town, Ashley Monroe, Point of Grace and Mr. Talkbox.

Bandit Lites provided a lighting package for the event with Chris Lisle Lighting Design and Erik Parker as programmer. Clay Paky's Scenius fixtures helped to set the mood for the evening, with some placed in the media room for texture along the back wall while others were placed in the gathering space with a small stage and cocktail tables. VL 2500s were loaded with custom Grammy gobos and projected in each room along with an additional 2500 fixture as a special on the stage.

GRN Battens and ColorBlazes illuminated the set pieces in the media room, while Par 64s and Lekos provided general washes on both the step and repeat and the s

USA - Apollo Design Technology, Inc. has announced the appointment of Aaron Creps as a production technician. In this role, Creps is responsible for the assembly and testing of mechanical and electronic subassemblies and products including precision calibration. He will also provide technical assistance to internal personnel and customers.

"Aaron brings great technical skills and a strong mechanical background to the Apollo team," said Mr. Joel Nichols, president of Apollo Design. Prior to joining Apollo Design Technology, Creps worked at Fort Wayne Nissan in the service department. He holds a Technical Certificate from Universal Technical Institute. "I'm excited to join Apollo," said Creps. "It's a great opportunity to grow my mechanical and technical skills while working with a fun group of people."

(Jim Evans)

Germany/UK - Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. has announced the retirement of Paul Whiting, president of strategic collaborations. A familiar face in the audio industry, Paul leaves Sennheiser enjoying a much higher profile in the professional audio, consumer and integrated systems industries than it did when he joined the company more than 25 years ago.

Paul began his career with Sennheiser in 1990, after 15 years with former UK partner Hayden Laboratories, which saw him establish a Sennheiser pro-audio network in the UK and head the company's professional division as sales and marketing manager.

On joining Sennheiser he helped establish Sennheiser UK as a wholly owned subsidiary and, as managing director, oversaw the company's continued UK expansion. His exceptional technical and organisational skills saw him being promoted to vice-president North West Europe. In 2007, he

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