has named Michael Friedman as executive vice president of Airstar America as part of a strategy for the company to expand its line of lighting technology and its client base in North America. Friedman joins Todd Wimett, general manager, in setting the course for the company in the US. With offices in Los Angeles; Austin, TX; and Orlando, Airstar is the world's leading designer and manufacturer of high-diffusion space lighting balloons used in a variety of markets, from film/TV/video and special events to construction and rescue sites.
Friedman's nine years of management experience in the entertainment technology industry include serving as division general manager of Nocturn, a unit of Xenotech-Strong, and before that as VP of sales and marketing for Wildfire, a leading supplier of specialty lighting and visual effects for professional entertainment and design markets.
"As a lighting industry professional, I have watched as Airstar pioneered space lighting technology," Friedman says. "The company's illumination, visual effects, and diffusion capabilities solve a wide range of problems for a wide range of applications. I'm looking forward to exploring ways to inform new markets of Airstar and continue to expand knowledge within our existing client base."