Call For 2004 Wally Award Nominations

All industry professionals are invited to nominate two outstanding trailblazers in the lighting industry: one for the 2004 Wally Russell Lifetime Achievement Award and one for the 2004 Wally Russell Newcomer Award. The "Wally" Awards will be presented on Saturday, October 23, 2004 as part of the awards ceremony at The Entertainment Technology Show — LDI2004 in Las Vegas.

Established in 1992 in memory of Wally Russell, the "Wally" Award is presented annually to a pioneer in the lighting industry: a true trailblazer who lights up our lives with creativity, dedication, and innovation. This individual, like Wally Russell, exhibits a strong sense of leadership, a commitment to technological innovation, and a career of service to the lighting industry.

This year, in addition to the Lifetime Achievement Award, the "Wally "Newcomer Award will be reinstated, honoring a "bright light," an exciting young talent who is expanding the boundaries of entertainment technology with an eye toward the future. This award was presented only once in the past: in 1992 to Robert Bell, the "father of WYSIWYG."

"We are extremely pleased to continue our long-standing association with the Wally Russell award committee," says Ellen Lampert-Gréaux, conference director for The Entertainment Technology Show-LDI2004, and consulting editor for Lighting Dimensions and Entertainment Design. "We have been involved with the Wally Awards since their inception in 1992 and look forward to congratulating this year’s nominees in both categories. We applaud their decision to present the lifetime achievement award and the newcomer award, linking the past and the future."

The "Wally" winners:
2003: Sonny Sonnenfeld
2002: Jimmy Fuller
2001 Jim Bornhorst
2000 Stan Miller
1999 Don Stern
1998 Bran Ferren
1997 Fred Bentham
1996 Francis P. Deverna
1995 Tharon Musser
1994 George van Buren
1993 Charles Altman
1992 Wally Russell

The 1992 Newcomer Award Winner:
Robert Bell, the "father of WYSIWYG"

The Wally Award committee: Donna Appleton, Phil Bernard, Rusty Brustché, David Cunningham, Tom Folsom, John Howe, Larry Kellermann, Philip O'Donnell, Richard Pilbrow, Brian Russell, Glen Russell, Robert Schiller, Jennifer White, and John Wiseman.

Please email Wally Award nominations to [email protected], clearly stating the name of your nominee in each category and several sentences explaining your choice. There will also be a call for nominations in the April and May issues of Lighting Dimensions with a form that can be faxed to 212-204-1823. The deadline for nominations is May 14, 2004.