April 22, 2004 – ETC is making changes to its executive staff, announcing new titles and roles for two of the current vice presidents.
Well-known industry veteran Steve Terry will now assume the leadership of the company’s global R&D department. Terry’s current executive title and role within ETC’s service operations will be expanded to vice president of research and development and professional services.
Terry, who has been with ETC since the summer of 2001, has been a highly respected authority in the industry for over 25 years, and a major visionary force behind some of its most significant technical advances, including the development of industry-wide control protocols. In addition to driving the development of DMX512, he helped start the ESTA Technical Standards program and is the current co-chair of the Control-Protocols Working Group that is developing ACN and RDM.
A tireless proponent of innovation, Terry will bring his strong executive and field experience to ETC R&D, working to further integrate ETC’s product-development efforts with the demands of the marketplace that he knows so well. Says ETC CEO Fred Foster, "Steve’s intuition on products is unmatched. More than 20 years ago when we began our relationship with him as our customer, he was something like a virtual VP, driving our R&D program from afar with his insights."
Previous to his recent role as ETC’s VP of Professional Services, Terry was president of the Fourth Phase Systems Group. He was also a partner in Production Arts and principal throughout its transition into PRG/Fourth Phase. Terry, a longtime consultant to ETC, also helped define the concept of lighting-systems integration, opening up a new market segment for the industry. Terry replaces outgoing ETC vice president Joe DeKlotz, who had served in the lead R&D role from 2000 on.
Along with the recently redefined role for Steve Terry, ETC has appointed Steve Downs as new Vice President of Manufacturing and European Operations for the company. The new position combines two roles for Downs: the global direction of production operations and the management of ETC’s daily operations in Europe, including the Holzkirchen, Germany, base of transtechnik Lichtsysteme, and ETC’s busy London location. Downs will begin his tenure May 1, 2004.
Downs, who will assume leadership from departing interim vice president of European operations Bob Vanden Burgt, has been an integral member of ETC’s executive staff for several years. Most recently he served as ETC’s vice president of manufacturing and quality.
Starting at ETC in the Dimming department while still an undergraduate working on his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1991, Downs progressed steadily through several key management roles, including manufacturing systems manager and director of quality assurance. Downs is credited with helping ETC achieve a BSI (British Standard Institute) certification to ISO 9001 quality system. According to ETC president Dick Titus, "Under Steve, ETC manufacturing has increased its efficiencies, with significant improvements in product lead times and inventory control."
Over the last ten years Downs has also expanded his professional experience by earning two advanced degrees, a master’s in Manufacturing Systems Engineering and an MBA in General Management, both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Downs and his family are currently relocating to Holzkirchen, where he will be on-site to handle operations for the European offices.