This prestigious award was established in memory of Wally Russell, a technology-savvy trailblazer whose influence shaped the generations that followed in his footsteps. This year there are three strong candidates to choose from, each of whom has exhibited the qualities of a Wally winner: a strong sense of leadership; a commitment to technological innovation; and a career of outstanding service and contribution to the industry.
GEORGE C. IZENOUR
George C. Izenour wrote his Master's thesis on what became his first invention: the electronic lighting control system for theatre. In 1939, as a fellow of the Rockefeller Foundation, he established a laboratory dedicated to the advancement of theatre technology at Yale University, the home base for his award-winning career as inventor, consultant, acoustician, professor, and author (Theatre Design 1977, Theater Technology 1988, Roofed Theaters of Classical Antiquity 1992). His most important invention was the inverse polarized rectifier circuit for dimming and switching. His complete lighting system, patented by Century Lighting, ushered in the modern era of stage and television lighting. In the late 1950s he consulted on Harvard's Loeb Drama Center, the first of over 100 performing arts venues in his prolific theatre consulting career.
WILLIAM KLAGES
Bill Klages has won seven national Emmy Awards for television lighting design and has received 28 Emmy, Monitor, and Ace awards and nominations. He is best known for his success in lighting television's most celebrated entertainment specials, award shows, and large-scale events. He is also very active as a television facilities consultant. He has lectured and conducted seminars throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, and has written many feature articles for trade and consumer publications. He has been honored by LDI as “Designer of the Year” in 2002 and by USITT in 2004 with the “Distinguished Award in Lighting Design.” By maintaining his own high standards, Bill Klages endeavors to gain recognition of the lighting designer's artistic contribution to the visual quality of television.
JOEL E. RUBIN
Joel E. Rubin joined Kliegl Bros. in 1954 while completing his Ph.D. dissertation. At Kliegl, he saw the earliest SCR dimmers, the first full-line of lighting instruments designed specifically for tungsten-halogen lamp technologies, and the first truly portable lighting control memory consoles. He takes pride in having nurtured and mentored a small army of professionals who later earned leading places in the lighting industry. Co-founder in 1961 of USITT and its second president, he also organized the international activities group within USITT, and went on to become one of the founders of the OISTAT and its president for eight years. He is in his second decade with Artec Consultants Inc as a principal consultant for theatre planning, lighting, project development, and project management.
Wally Winners 1992-2003: Sonny Sonnenfeld in 2003; Jimmy Fuller in 2002; Jim Bornhorst in 2001; Stan Miller in 2000; Don Stern in 1999; Bran Ferren in 1998; Fred Bentham in 1997; Francis DeVerna in 1996; Tharon Musser in 1995; George van Buren in 1994; Charles Altman in 1993; and Wally Russell in 1992.
The Wally Award Committee: Donna Appleton, Phil Bernard, Rusty Brutsché, David Cunningham, Tom Folsom, John Howe, Larry Kellermann, Philip O'Donnell, Richard Pilbrow, Brian Russell, Glen Russell, Robert Schiller, Jennifer White, and John Wiseman.
Vote by contacting
Ellen Lampert-Gréaux
phone: 212-204-1807
fax: 212-204-1822; email:
[email protected]
or mail to:
Ellen Lampert-Gréaux
Lighting Dimensions Magazine
249 West 17th Street, 4th Fl.
New York, NY 10011
by August 15, 2004