(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — The 2006 finalists for EventPro Forum's industry awards have been determined in five categories: Rising Star, Vendor, Humanitarian, Living Legend and EventPro.
Nominations for the awards were solicited on EventPro's website from the live event production community. A select committee of 10 event pros narrowed the list down from hundreds of nominations to the finalists. Past and current conference attendees voted online during the month of January to select the award recipients. Awards will be presented on March 8 at the conference's awards gala in Las Vegas at the Golden Nugget.
The finalists are:
Rising Star: Sacha Bambadji (production manager, Barry Manilow); Jeff Howard (APA Nashville); Panos Panay (Sonicbids); Seth Sheck (Access Pass & Design); Dave Stern (500 Greatest Shots);
Vendor of the Year: Access Pass & Design; Accurate Staging; Audio Analysts; PRG, Production Resource Group; Upstaging Lighting;
Humanitarian: Clifford Antone (Antone's); Tom Duncan and Willie Nelson (BioDiesel); Bruce Howard (Otter Productions); Frances Preston (TJ Martell Foundation);
Living Legend: Jake Berry; Benny Collins; Barbara Hubbard; Doc McGhee; Stanley Miller; and
EventPro of the Year: Arny Granat and Jerry Mickelson (JAM Productions); John Juliano (Eastern States Exposition); Steve Lemon (33 Lattitude Management); Kevin Lyman (Immortal Entertainment); Michael Weiss (production manager).
EventPro Forum, now in its fifth year, runs March 6-8 at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas and attracts event production professionals involved in the production of live events. — Jane Cohen and Bob Grossweiner