Patricia MacKay, a USITT Fellow that some consider a maverick in the industry, was honored this year as part of the trade show she founded 1988. Ms. MacKay was involved as the entertainment technology industry was starting to come of age. This year, as LDI celebrates its 20th anniversary, Ms. MacKay was honored with a Light in Life Award for the vision, dedication, and insight that helped put the industry on its feet. The award, sponsored by Theatre Projects Consultants, was presented November 17 at the LDI Awards Ceremony in Orlando, Florida.

The publisher of leading industry trade publications, Ms. MacKay purchased Theatre Crafts in 1981 from Rodale Press, where she started working in 1970 and became editor in 1975. She remained at the helm of the publication until 1996. She had added Lighting Dimensions to her holdings in 1986, and expanding it from its roots in rock and roll lighting to include theatre as well as architectural projects as lighting designers began to cross over from one discipline to another.

In 1988, Ms. MacKay added another publication to her list when she acquired Cue, a small British technical theater publication, and renamed it Cue International. This was eventually folded into Theatre Crafts to become Theatre Crafts International (TCI). The publications have evolved into the current Live Design.

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Fred Foster, CEO of Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC), was unanimously chosen by the board of directors of the Wally Russell Fund to receive its 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mr. Foster, who is also a USITT Fellow, is the youngest person to receive the award. "Fred's visionary leadership has propelled ETC into the top rank of the world's leading manufacturers of stage lighting equipment. ETC has been constantly innovative in technology with such products as the Source Four spotlight, the Sensor dimmer and the EOS and Obsession control systems. From the outset of ETC in 1975, Fred knew that the stage lighting industry was a people-oriented one, and he has constantly attracted the brightest talent in the world to his rapidly growing international business." said Richard Pilbrow, chairman emeritus of the Wally Russell Fund.

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The North American Theatre and Engineering Conference (NATEAC) has announced the panel lineup for its upcoming conference. The conference, to be held July 20 and 21 in New York City, will include panels on topics ranging from Designing Alternative Spaces to the Role of the Consultant in the Design Process.

List of topics, along with other conference information, can be found at www.NATEAC.org.

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Maureen Hanratty, a third-year MFA lighting student at San Diego State University, is currently assisting lighting designer Donald Holder on the pre-Broadway musical Ray Charles Live at the Pasadena Playhouse.

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The Sightlines staff wishes all our readers the warmest holiday greetings for enjoyable projects throughout the year.

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