EdisonReport’s 8th annual Lifetime Achievement Awards took place Monday night. The perfect way to kick off LightFair, over 100 gathered at the Synergy showroom on Broadway for a night celebrating those who have dedicated their lives to lighting. Special honor was given to the late Howard Brandston, a true giant of the industry. Howard was known to make notes and drawing designs on cocktail napkins, and guests were invited to write a tribute to him on a cocktail napkin, which will be on display during LightFair at the EdisonReport/designinglighting booth (3148).
Ten exceptionally worthy lighting professionals were honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards:
Mark Benguerel: “He is everything that is encompassed by a lifetime achievement award,” Melinda Beltz commented. She was visibly moved during her introduction of Mark – a testament, no doubt, to the enormous impact he has had on her. Mark thanked many of the people who had been a part of his journey, including Donnie Miller and Terry Walsh. “But, most of all, I’d like to thank the people behind my career – my family,” he concluded.
Larry Bloch: “Larry’s journey was that of the ultimate salesperson,” George Dieckmann. A longtime friend and colleague of Larry’s, George shared with the audience Larry’s gratitude for all that had helped him to this point. He closed his touching tribute with a piece of advice from Larry – “Lend a hand when you can, and enjoy life.” Wise words, indeed.
Cheryl English: “Cheryl is the one you want in your corner, but she’s also the person you want to have a drink with,” Shirley Coyle joked. Recently retired from Acuity Brands, Cheryl has had an amazing career involved in virtually every aspect of the industry. “This is a great honor, because it’s an award that is from my peers,” Cheryl said. “When you think of me, I hope you think of a trailblazer for women in our industry.” That line caused an uproar of applause from the audience. I think it’s safe to say they do, Cheryl.
Lisa Heschong: Lisa co-founded the Heschong Mahone Group, served in the International Dark-Sky Association, and helped advance lighting guidelines, including developing the lighting portion of California’s Title 24. But perhaps her greatest contribution, Nancy explained, has been her general expertise in daylighting and the advancement of the industry’s understanding of it. Her book Visual Delight in Architecture: Daylight, Vision, and View was a crowd favorite.
Becky Rainer: Becky has had a long and storied career with Cooper Lighting, where, she said, she learned from everyone, especially the manufacturing people out on the floor. In addition to her day job, Becky has made significant contributions to organizations such as NEMA, ANSI, and the IES.
Alan Lewis: “How did I get involved with lighting? It sucked me in,” Alan joked. And the industry is thankful that it did. Originally a clinician, his lighting career took off when he got the opportunity to work with Dick Blackwell and Glenn Frey. He has since contributed extensively to the CIE and the IES, where he served as president. He has also published numerous research papers, deepening our understanding of light and vision.
Steven Rosen: “If I’ve done anything award winning in my career, it was surrounding myself with the talented people at Available Light,” Steven reflected. He knew he wanted to be a lighting designer since the 9th grade, and, to this day, he still explores interesting, creative ways to employ light. He closed his acceptance speech with a word of encouragement for the industry. “This moment should not be about looking back. We have much work to do.” Ever onward, Steven.
Suzan Tillotson: Erin Dreyfous introduced Suzan and reflected on their initial meeting, where she was struck by the “undeniability of [Suzan’s] ethos and design thinking.” An encounter with Howard Brandston during Suzan’s second year in architecture school led her to lighting design, and she hasn’t looked back. Her firm, Tillotson Design Associates, is about to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
John Tremaine: “He is a true entrepreneur and a design savant,” Don Reid explained in his introduction. “I marvel at how his brain works.” John started his career in sales but wasn’t captivated by it. He found his passion through listening to creative designers, and he founded Q-Tran, Inc based on his love of design. His passion still burns bright. “We have so much left to do,” John said, “and it is a thrill.”
Larry Comer: This Lifetime Achievement Award was given posthumously. His daughter Sarah was there to accept it on his behalf. “He loved Metalux. He loved the people; he loved what it became,” she said. She also spoke of his passion for helping fellow entrepreneurs begin their journey, sharing what he had learned along the way. He was an incredibly accomplished man, but of all the titles Larry held, the one he most cherished was grandfather.
The night concluded with a touching tribute to the late Howard Brandston, given by his wife, Melanie. He was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. His impact was profound – the effects of his contributions to lighting are felt even by those who never met him.
Melanie spoke of how she and Howard met and reminisced about the sincerity of their love for each other. One of Howard’s strongest qualities was his determination in fighting for what he believed. “Where he is now, he is trying to convince God to bring back the incandescent bulb,” she laughed. Given Howard’s passion, I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the case.
EdisonReport would like to sincerely thank the master of ceremonies, Lance Bennet, the event’s sponsors – Lamar, Signify, and Intra Lighting – as well as Synergy NYC for hosting. We would also like to thank this year’s judges: Nancy Clanton, Donnie Wall, and Shirley Coyle. Thanks to all who attended and made this a memorable night.