• Vote for the 2016 Career Achievement Award

  • Vote for the 2016 Career Achievement Award


About the Award

This award honors "an exceptional individual with a distinguished history of achievement in the laser display industry."

Nominees for the Career Achievement Award do not have to be a past or present ILDA Member -- he or she can be anyone who worked or achieved in the industry.

Past recipients of the Career Achievement Award can be divided into three broad categories:

  • People who helped build significant laser display-related businesses
  • People who made artistic and technical achievements
  • People who worked to improve ILDA and the laser display industry
In whatever areas they worked, the Career Achievement Award recipient should have made significant and lasting achievements in the field of laser display, and should be a person of integrity.

How to vote

All current 2016 ILDA Members are eligible to vote for the 2016 Career Achievement Award.

Simply review the list of nominees (below) and pick your favorite. You must pick from this list; no "write in" votes can be accepted.

  • To vote, send an email to a special ILDA address, vote@laserist.org. In the email, put your name, your ILDA Member name (company or individual), and the name of the nominee you feel is most deserving of the Career Achievement Award.
If you have trouble choosing, some additional suggestions about factors to consider are in the CAA section of this page.

Voting opens on Friday, August 5 and closes on Friday, August 19 2016. Votes must be sent by 11:59 pm, your local time, on August 19. In your email, choose just one of the nominees listed below.

Vote by email only once per ILDA Member. If we receive more than one email from an ILDA Member, only the first email vote received will be counted.

2016 Career Achievement Award nominees

Click on a name below, to read about that nominee. The biographies were submitted either by the nominee, or by the person who submitted the nomination. The text may have been shortened for space reasons and may have been edited for improved English.

Be sure to email your choice of nominee by Friday, August 19 to: vote@laserist.org.

  • Stephen Harvey, LM ProductionsOpen or Close

    Stephen Harvey is the Managing Director of LM Productions Ltd and has over 25 years experience within the production industry. He started Laser Magic Ltd. in 1985 producing laser shows for a wide variety of events and clients and winning contracts for companies such as Disney, Carnival Cruises, and Universal Studios' nighttime show.

    Developing in line with changes in the market and an increasing demand for multimedia services, 2001 saw a change in name to LM Productions, reflecting the broader product offering whilst staying true to its laser roots. LM Productions Ltd went on to produce award winning work, gaining recognition at the European Laser Show Festival in the volumetric category, and winning ILDA Awards in the innovative application and multimedia show categories.

    Stephen is dedicated to progress and is always looking for new and inventive ways to showcase and promote lasers within multimedia shows and installations. In 2012 LM Productions supplied a range of technologies for the 4D Omani Pavilion theatre at the Yeosu World Expo, its innovative use of technology was greatly enhanced by the interplay between lasers and other media to produce a fully immersive 48 seat 4D installation. The pavilion won both a gold medal and gained recognition as an Event Award Finalist.

    Stephen has been active in the laser display community for many years by co-founding the UK Entertainment Laser Association (ELA) in 1997, primarily involved in improving general public relations and safety aspects of the laser industry in the UK. He is a past board member and active participant within the International Laser Display Association (ILDA) and is a member of IAAPA and the Federation of Small Businesses.

    Stephen’s company, LM Productions, is not a 2016 ILDA Member.

  • Alberto Kellner, Laser Entertainment srlOpen or Close

    Alberto Kellner has been active in the entertainment industry since 1985. He first worked in PR and event organizing for a show agency in Milan. Since 1987, he has worked with lasers. In May 1988 he founded Laser Entertainment srl, which in 2013 reached its 25th anniversary year.

    The focus of the company was to use and promote lasershow among the entertainment industry and related markets in Italy and in southern Europe, since spreading to the Middle East. Also, from the beginning Alberto has been fascinated by the use of lasers together with other media techniques (video, lights, special effects) to create a real "multimedia show".

    Since the first large scale waterscreen installed in Gardaland in 1995 (ILDA Award first place, Multimedia, in 1996), Laser Entertainment has received more than 30 international awards and recognitions between ILDA and other first place prizes from groups such as the European Lasershow Festival, BEA, and the Pepsi Award.

    Alberto and his creativity team have been pioneers in graphic lasershow creation using different software platforms (Laser System Magnum, LOBO Lacon 3, Pangolin), bringing and sharing high quality "state of the art" lasershows to the industry. Furthermore he has developed and assembled innovative laser products, including:

    • The first 2 watt RGB DPSS solid state projector presented at ILDA in Las Vegas 2004 and winner of the ILDA Award for DPSS laser of the year called "Flash 2 watt RGB"

    • The first laser projector with both integrated wireless DMX and Pangolin Flashback to allow show recall and play via wireless DMX, finished in 2007 and presented at the ShowWay 2008 exhibition in Bergamo, Italy.

    Since 2010 Alberto and his team have pushed forward the integrated use of laser, lights and videomapping 3D to allow a unique multimedia experience

    Laser Entertainment was the first Italian company to join ILDA, in 1993. Since then Alberto has been an active member promoting the safe use of laser in Italy, southern Europe and the Middle East. Alberto served on the ILDA Mascom committee in 2002 and 2003, then as Board member in 2004, and served as ILDA President from November 2004 to March 2006.

    Alberto's company, Laser Entertainment srl, is an ILDA Corporate Level 2 Member for 2016.

  • Chris Matthews, LCIOpen or Close

    Chris Matthews was one of the first to put lasers together with music, and he has continued to develop technology and markets. In 1977 he was Chief Design Engineer for The Who, a pioneer in concert lasers, being responsible for their laser effects and a new laser projection technology using miniature mirrors. In 1978 he co-founded Britain's first laser entertainment company, Laserpoint. He was instrumental in representing the industry to the U.K. Health and Safety Executive to produce the PM19 entertainment laser safety guidelines.

    Since founding Laser Creations International in 1979, his achievements have included the commercial development of the first high-definition laser video projector. LCI has produced many multimedia events combining water screens and laser projections, such as Expo '92 in Seville and Expo '93 in South Korea. Chris is recognized as the founder and father figure of the U.K. laser entertainment industry, and remains committed to further development of laser and associated high technology.

    Chris' company, LCI, is not a 2016 ILDA Member.

  • Glenn Thomas, Laser Images (Laserium)Open or Close

    Laser shows were first popularized by Laser Images Inc. through their “Laserium” shows in planetariums.

    Laser Images’ Glenn Thomas pioneered the art of live performances of abstract laser imagery with music. During his 27(!)-year career as the senior laserist for Laserium at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles from 1975 to 2002, Glenn performed approximately 12,500 live shows that both inspired and influenced those of us who followed in his footsteps.

    Laser shows were presented very differently during Glenn’s career. They were performed in the totally darkened environment of a planetarium theater with a single ion laser powering the innovative Laserium projector. It had four X-Y scanner pairs and an extensive array of optical effects that even today have never been equaled. The original Laserium shows consisted entirely of abstract laser imagery that was performed live. The laserist controlled all aspects of the image composition (such as harmonic frequencies, size, position, movement, color, optical effects, etc.) from a sophisticated console which was similar to an electronic music synthesizer — with a multitude of potentiometers, switches, and even joysticks.

    Glenn played the console just like a musical instrument and elevated Laserium shows to become synonymous with visual music.

    In a very real sense, the laserist was the star of the show. A talented laserist was a lot like a rockstar guitarist who would drive audiences wild with their virtuosity. Similarly, audiences at live planetarium laser shows would erupt into applause after an especially exciting performance by the laserist.

    And Glenn was the most renowned, and accomplished, laserist of this bygone era of live laser shows. He was a master of his instrument – like Yo-Yo Ma is to a cello.

    Laserium founder Ivan Dryer, honored as the first recipient of the ILDA Career Achievement Award, remarked after one of Glenn’s performances that it wasn’t just entertaining but that it was a transformative experience. Pretty high praise!

    It should also be noted that Glenn was sent to Laserium planetarium installations worldwide to teach other laserists how to perform. Consequently, his influence was experienced by literally millions of audience members.

    Considering Glenn Thomas’s lengthy career and unique artistic accomplishments, he is most deserving of ILDA’s highest recognition.

    Please use this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oWAbJ7ZEQw to view a short documentary of Glenn’s job as a laserist back in the 1970’s.

    Glenn’s company, Laser Images, is not a 2016 ILDA Member.

  • Dr. Alexander Timofeev, Orion-Art MultimediaOpen or Close

    In 1980 Alexander Timofeev graduated from the Moscow Power Engineering high school majoring in "Optoelectronics & Lasers” where he was engaged in scientific work. He subsequently published over 50 laser-related research works and has 12 USSR Certificates of Invention (patents), as well as international patents.

    In 1995 he began work in laser display, helping develop outdoor laser advertising using acousto-optics to create bitmap images. He received the highest award at the Brussels Salon of Innovations: "Eureka 1996."

    Shortly after that, Alexander became the со-founder and Chief Manager of Laser Show Systems Company (Moscow), which had become the largest company in the field of laser show systems at that time. It was the first company in Russia to integrate latest technologies and ILDA standards to the show technology represented on Russian Market. Since 1998 he started participating in the ILDA Conferences.

    In 2003 Alexander became co-owner & General producer of "Orion-Art Production Intl." In 2009 he became owner and CEO of "Orion-Art Multimedia." The company is now one of the leading Russian companies in the field of laser and multimedia shows. From the very beginning of his work in the laser display industry, he has been striving to improve the quality of laser graphics and animation. Orion-Art began submitting their works for the ILDA Awards in 2004. Since then they have won 42 ILDA awards: 26 of them are the first and/or second prizes in the "Laser Graphics," "Beams & Screens," "Lasershows." and "Multimedia Show" categories..

    In 2008 he was elected as a board member of the International Laser Association (LAS-Russia). Until 2011 he was heading the LAS' Department of Applied Laser Technologies in display systems, advertising and show-business. He was the first in Russia to introduce mandatory laser safety training and certification of technical staff working with lasers at laser displays.

    The 2011 ILDA Conference in Moscow, hosted by Orion-Art, was acknowledged as one of the most interesting and successful in the history of ILDA, and gained a few new ILDA members from Russia.

    Alexander Timofeev believes that one of the key areas of his work is introducing new products and ILDA standards to the Russian market, maintaining the principles of ILDA ethics in working with partners, and compliance with ILDA safety standards.

    Alexander's company, Orion-Art Multimedia, is an ILDA Corporate Level 2 Member for 2016.


How the votes are counted

At ILDA's office, your nominee is given a certain number of points depending on your Member category, as stated in ILDA's Bylaws:

  • Corporate Level 1 (annual dues $1040): 4 points
  • Corporate Level 2 (annual dues $520): 3 points
  • Corporate Level 3 (annual dues $260): 2 points
  • Non-Profit (annual dues $130): 1 point
  • Individual/Hobbyist (annual dues $130): 1 point
  • Student: Not entitled to vote
We will look up your membership level to confirm the number of points, so you don't have to. Only two persons will tally the points: ILDA's Executive Director and the chair of the ILDA Ethics Committee. Of course, voting will be kept strictly confidential.

The 2016 recipient -- the person with the most points -- will be contacted privately after the points have been counted. The recipient’s name will first be publicly announced at the 2016 ILDA Conference in Baltimore, at the climax of the Awards Presentation on November 8.


For more information, visit our other ILDA websites:

Stacks Image 11369
ILDAmember.com: Membership database and event management, including joining ILDA
Stacks Image 11372
LasershowSafety.info: Information about safe laser shows, including laws, regulations, checklists, and more

© 2007-2024 International Laser Display Association. All rights reserved. 

Contact ILDA 

No reproduction of the text or images on ILDA websites is allowed without written permission of ILDA or other copyright holders. "ILDA" and the ILDA logo are trademarks of the International Laser Display Association.

This site does not use cookies and does not track or gather information on individual visitors. Aggregate information is gathered by Google Analytics to determine overall visitor behavior. More information is on our
Privacy Policy page.