The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) - the international membership association for the makers of compelling places and experiences - announced the slate of honorees for the new, inaugural TEA Masters Program, honoring masters of their craft in the global visitor attractions industry.

The TEA Masters will be officially honored Oct 4, 2018 at the TEA SATE Orlando - SeaWorld conference, where they will also be presenters on an educational panel. #TEAmasters #TEAsate

PHOTO GALLERY

The TEA Masters are:

• Glenn Birket, Engineering & Control Systems

• Joe Falzetta, Lighting Design

• John Lindsay, Project Management

• Ralph Nielsen, Master Craftsman, Project Production

• Rich Procter, Writer

• Philipp van Stratum, Creative Director

• Nina Rae Vaughn, Illustrator and Art Director

Pictured at top, clockwise from top right: Procter, Birket, Nielsen, Lindsay, van Stratum, Falzetta, Vaughn

TEA Masters are creators, developers, designers and producers whose body of work has made a significant and sustained contribution to the growth and development of the industry through their innovation, design, craftsmanship and artistry.

The seven TEA Masters honorees will be officially recognized and their contributions celebrated on October 4, 2018 as part of the TEA SATE Orlando - SeaWorld conference.

Monty Lunde

In addition to the formal honors, the TEA Masters will make up an educational panel on the SATE Orlando conference program. The panel will be chaired by TEA Founder and Past President Monty Lunde of Technifex, chair of the TEA Masters Committee. 

"The seven selected individuals have a cumulative total of 267 years of experience, in a wide range of disciplines - all critical to the successful development of high quality themed entertainment attractions and experiences," said Lunde.

TEA Masters at TEA SATE Orlando - SeaWorld

The TEA Masters will be formally honored Oct 4, 2018 at TEA SATE Orlando - SeaWorld, and will participate in an educational panel as part of the SATE program. TEA SATE is the definitive conference series on Experience Design.

For more information and tickets on TEA SATE Orlando - SeaWorld, taking place October 4-5, 2018, please visit the official SATE Blog. 

Additional information about the TEA Masters, their contributions, honors, landmark projects and work history will be shared in the near future.

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How the TEA Masters were nominated and selected

Criteria used to qualify nominees for consideration as a TEA Master in 2018 included the following:

• Work as a professional in any discipline associated with the themed entertainment industry
• Have at least 10 years of experience practicing their craft in the industry, and be currently practicing
• Not a leader of a major corporation working in themed entertainment
• Not currently serving on the TEA International Board, or the TEA Masters Committee.

TEA sent an official call for nominations to its worldwide membership and to the themed entertainment industry at large. The Committee reviewed the submissions and recommended the slate of honorees, which was approved by the TEA International Board of Directors.

Nominations for the next TEA Masters slate will open in the near future and be announced on TEA channels. 

About the TEA Masters Committee

The inaugural TEA Masters Committee is made up of Past Presidents of the association, who initiated the concept and steered the development of the TEA Masters Program.

2018 TEA Masters Committee members:

• Monty Lunde, Technifex (Committee Chair)
• Steve Birket, Birket Engineering
• Nick Farmer, Farmer Attraction Ltd.
• Pat Gallegos, Gallegos Lighting
• Craig Hanna, Thinkwell Group
• Keith James, JRA
• Christine Kerr, BaAM Productions
• Roberta Perry, ETI
• Rick Rothschild, FAR Out! Creative Direction
• Steve Thorburn, Thorburn Associates
• George Wiktor, The GW Group