Rocky Paulson received USITT’s 2017 Distinguished Achievement Award in Technical Production. Paulson is the founder of Stage Rigging, a production rigging company that was the first of its kind and still maintains a high profile in the industry 10 years after his retirement. It was the first of its kind and still maintains a high profile in the industry 10 years after his retirement. Until 2006, Paulson had the opportunity to be involved with many rock tours, corporate events, films, and major rigging events such as national political conventions, Olympics, and Super Bowls. He spent significant time educating the Stage Rigging riggers and others in the industry by writing articles and teaching.
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| Bill Sapsis presents the award |
ETCP Has Now Certified 1000 Arena Riggers
It is with great excitement that ETCP announces the program has now certified 1000 Arena Riggers throughout North America! Since 2006, ETCP has issued a total of 2,350 certifications held by 2,002 individuals in all four areas.
Bill Sapsis, ETCP Arena – Rigging SME Chair says, “Congratulations to ETCP on certifying its 1000th arena rigger! My entire Arena Rigging Subject Matter Experts Team and I are thrilled that we reached such an important milestone. Not only does this mean that all of our hard work writing the exam is being put to good use, but also having that many qualified riggers in the work force means the industry is that much safer. Now we can start working on reaching the 2,000 mark.”
“One thousand ETCP Certified Arena Riggers is an amazing number. However, equally as amazing but impossible to quantify is the great degree to which our industry has been made safer and more efficient. Congratulations to all certificants and everyone who participates in creating and operating the program!” says Jules Lauve, President of ESTA.
Newly Recognized ETCP Recognized Trainers
The following ETCP Certified individuals have become ETCP Recognized Trainers:
Keith Allen (Electrical) ~ Venus, TX
Justin Argenio (Rigging) ~ Durham, NC
Mark Hogan (PPDT) ~ IATSE Local 476, Chicago, IL
Doug Hook (Electrical) ~ IATSE Local 58, Toronto, ON
Marty McGee (Electrical) ~ Richmond, CA
Charles McIntyre (Electrical) ~ IATSE Local 728, Thousand Oaks, CA
Neil Mulligan (Rigging) ~ New Haven, CT
Shawn Nolan (Rigging) ~ Cincinnati, OH
Josh Peklo (Rigging) ~ Minneapolis, MN
Colin J. Peters (Rigging) ~ Drexel Hill, PA
Mark Hogan Becomes Second to Obtain All Four Certifications
Mark Hogan’s extensive training and career as an entertainment technician has spanned the course of 40+ years. Mark began his training with 2 years of electronics schooling and Chicago City Colleges in 1973. While still in school, he worked as a repair technician at Sun Electric in Chicago, IL and Amlin TV Repair in Norridge, IL until 1976. His work at Sun Electric included repairing and calibrating automotive diagnostic equipment while at Amlin he repaired TV’s, stereos, and other home entertainment products.
In 1974, Mark began his apprenticeship at IATSE Local 476 in Chicago, IL and subsequently successfully passed the FCC First Class Radiotelephone License test in 1975. In addition to his IATSE apprenticeship, he worked part-time as a weekend broadcast engineer at WAKE am / WLJE fm radio stations. In 1976, Mark began fulltime work in Local 476, where he currently has over 60,000 career hours working as a Studio Mechanic electrician. Three years later, in 1979, he successfully passed the FCC Amateur Radio Novice & Technician Class technical tests, including 5 word per minute Morse Code send and receive. His FCC call letters were N9CAY. Since the early 1980’s until present, Mark has taught or assisted every Local 476 electric class.
In 1984, he opened Chicago Dimmer Inc., a business that builds and leases custom analog lighting dimmers utilizing SCR/Triac, SSR technology. Chicago Dimmer Inc. operates to this day. In 1987, Mark successfully passed the FCC Amateur Radio General, Advanced and the Extra Class technical tests, including 20 words per minute Morse Code send and receive. His FCC call letters were K9MH. From 1989 – 1991, he opened and operated Ideal Motorized Platforms, Inc. With Ideal Motorized Platforms, Inc., he built custom motorized units that allowed 12kw HMI’s and subsequently 18k’s to be sent up in condors and on Genie lifts and allowed the lamp to be remotely operated from the ground. The motorized units were able to accommodate Pan, Tilt, and Spot/Flood lamps.
From 1992 through 2006, Mark opened and operated Online Generator, Inc., which provided truck and van mounted generator rentals to TV commercials and movie sets. Mark performed all maintenance and repair on said generators, in addition to operating them, with thousands of hours logged. In 2003, he started building tube stereo amps from parts.
In 2007, Mark was elected Business Manager/Secretary Treasurer for IATSE Local 476, Chicago Studio Mechanics. Two years later, in 2009, he successfully passed the ETCP Entertainment Electrician test (renewed in 2014) and in May of 2016 he passed the ETCP Arena Rigging test. In August of 2016, he passed the ETCP Portable Power Distribution test and, most recently, in March of 2017 he passed the ETCP Theater Rigging test. Mark is now a recognized ETCP trainer for Entertainment Electrician and Portable Power Distribution. Mark continues to actively further his education as an entertainment technician and enjoys passing his knowledge and expertise onto the next generation of technicians.
