News & Notices
15 Years of Service
David Grindle, left, and Lea Asbell-Swanger, right, congratulate Barbara Lucas, Monica Merritt, and Carol Carrigan for 15 years of service.
Photo/Janet Gramza
The year was 1998:
- Animal Kingdom opened at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida
- Windows 98 debuted (and crashed) at Comdex
- Google was founded
USITT had just had a conference in Long Beach (for the first time) and had just introduced our new "www site" according to board minutes!
That was also the year that Monica Merritt, Barbara Lucas, and Carol Carrigan began working at USITT.
In our mobile world, people don't often work for one employer for 15 years. Carol, Monica, and Barbara each came to USITT with little to no attachment to the world of theatre design and technology. Yet, they all had an affinity for working with people. We as an Institute say our people are our greatest asset, and these ladies are the living proof of that statement.
Through eight USITT presidents, 15 conferences, and countless committee meetings, these staff members have shown a dedication to the membership of our Institute that should be recognized by us all. From being the face of registration at the conference (Monica), to producing Sightlines each month (Barbara), to insuring we stay on top of our financial obligations (Carol), they work to serve the members in countless ways.
While none of us are irreplaceable, some people are invaluable. No price can be placed on the hours of support and dedication these three put towards the members of our Institute. It is the difference between a job and a passion.
If you get a chance, I encourage you to say thanks to these three. They have been with the Institute longer than any employee in our history. Monica and Barbara started on the same day -- July 29, 1998 -- and Carol followed shortly after on October 12.
We celebrate many things, but I think it is particularly special that three people came to our world of design/technology and found a home despite knowing nothing about who we are or what we do. That's not the case now, and we are a far better Institute for their dedication in the past 15 years.
Thank you Carol, Monica, and Barbara! Here's to many more years!
