The 2012 Wally Awards have been announced and will be presented in conjunction with LDI2012 at the awards ceremony on Saturday, October 20, in Las Vegas. These awards were founded in 1992 in memory of lighting industry pioneer Wally Russell.
And the winners are:
Wally Lifetime Achievement Award: Imero Fiorentino
Imero "Immie" Fiorentino (born July 12, 1928) is an American lighting designer, considered one of the most respected pioneers and leaders in the American entertainment industry. Beginning his career as a lighting designer in the Golden Age of television, he designed productions for such celebrated series as Omnibus, U.S. Steel Hour, Pulitzer Prize Playhouse and Kraft Television Theatre.
In 1960 he left ABC to form Imero Fiorentino Associates (IFA), and consulted on the planning and development of major productions, exhibits, museums and architectural projects, from past Republican and Democratic National Conventions to numerous United States presidential election debates. His projects comprised major concert tours and television specials as well as the environmental lighting for Epcot’s World Showcase at Walt Disney World, and consulting for such clients as Anheuser-Busch, Michelin, Electrolux, American Express, and Xerox.
Wally Newcomer Award: Karen Lawrence
A 2004 graduate of the University of California, Davis (Bachelor of Arts, Theatre), Karen Lawrence currently works in Show Lighting for Walt Disney Imagineering, where her duties include heading up all mock up projects involving lighting as well programming on ETC and Pharos control systems. She also worked with the lighting designer and programmed The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel's Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventure Park. She has held various freelance positions including work on the 2005-2009 Academy Awards Governor's Ball, assistant master electrician for several E3 booths over the years, and lighting designer, master electrician, and programmer for the 2006-2012 Pasadena Pops Summer Concert Series. She was an LDI lighting intern in 2003, 2004, 2005, & 2006.