Remarks from Sonny Sonnenfeld
Consultant to ETC

I am used to doing roasts – so saying nice things about Fred Foster was going to be difficult for me. However, once I got started it was easy. Fred was born in Wisconsin in 1957. Now we welcome Fred into the charmed circle of USITT Fellows. Thank you for honoring Fred. Good night, and enjoy the Conference.

Sonny walked off the stage, then returned and continued..

But really, Fred truly deserved to be in the charmed circle. The criteria for becoming a Fellow in USITT are – or is it the criteria is? Well, anyway, the criterion is: the member must have made a truly outstanding contribution to both the theatre or performing arts and the work of the Institute.

Fred supports the Institute by being one of the largest exhibitors at the annual USITT Conference. He encourages his employees to participate in USITT committees. He underwrites the Technical Standards program as one of the top 10 contributors. ETC is a Contributing member of USITT and he sends me a check each month.

When interviewed, Fred always says “I could not have done it without the help from my team.” That is not modesty. It is honesty.

• Fred knows nothing about manufacturing – so he has Dick Titus.
• He hates administration – so he has Mark Vassallo.
• Fred loathes selling – so he has Mike Griffith.
• He thinks acquisitions means locating enemy aircraft – so he hired Bill Gallinghouse.
• Fred thinks that marketing means going to the A&P or Wal-Mart – so he hired David Lincecum.
• He thinks that shipping means having someone take care of his boat.
• Fred knows that receiving has something to do with radio and tv.
• He believes that R&D means Real Deal – so Joe DeKlotz takes care of that.
• He knows nothing about finance. Suzan won't even let him write checks at home, and at the office he is not even a signator on the company bank account.
• Console development is done by Dennis Varian – thank goodness.
• Fred does not even have a valid passport – so Joe DiNardo takes care of New York City. Mark White takes care of London, and Jimmy Cheung handles Asia.
• He believes engineering means driving a locomotive – so Steve Terry does that.
• Fred thinks field service means planting the North 40 – so Sarah Spencer takes care of it.
• So when Fred says “I could not have done it without the help from my team,” it is not because he is modest. It is because he cannot do anything.

Except

• have the best company in the entertainment lighting field;
• have some of the very best people in the field working for him;
• have the best ellipsoidal reflector spotlight ever made;
• have the most reliable dimmer and dimmer systems on the market;
• have the largest number of high channel count reliable, high quality control consoles out there;
• have a company where people like to come to work;
• have a company that customers like to do business with, and trust, and respect;
• have a company that does over $100 million of profitable business a year!

For a guy “who can't do nothing” he does pretty good. Fred, we are all glad to induct you in the Hall of USITT Fellows.

Follow these links to stories about the other new USITT Fellows:

• Forrest Newlin, remarks by Bruce Brockman
• Ken Vannice, remarks by Mitchell K. Hefter
• Paul Vincent, remarks by Richard Arnold

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