John Polk

In an industry known for its unique creative and technical disciplines, John Polk stands out. He is “the water guy.”

John has built a forty-year career around the creation of beautiful, spectacular and atmospheric water effects. He began his career in the lighting and water feature industry with The Fountain People Inc. He was then recruited by Walt Disney Imagineering where he ultimately worked as the Manager of Special Effects.  There, he was responsible for integrating the electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, audio, and lighting systems for engaging guest experiences in one-of-a-kind choreographed show fountains and rides. John gained valuable experience at Aquatic Design and Engineering and The Hettema Group, before joining his current position as Senior Vice President and Executive Producer at Technifex. 

John is a true renaissance man when it comes to his thorough understanding of water technologies and how to use them to create new and magical guest experiences. Whether for simple interactives, or massive nighttime spectaculars like World of Color, Polk thinks outside the norm and develops features that delight creative clients while meeting stringent operational criteria. 

While many industry professionals spend their careers working with one or two themed entertainment companies, John’s specialized skills have brought him to virtually every major player: Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, Legoland, Chimelon, as well as water parks, museums, and even stadium concerts for Taylor Swift and others.

There are precious few in our industry who possess the skills that John has relative to water technologies, as reflected in his many inventions and one-of-a-kind solutions to creative challenges. John has developed numerous water features, nozzles and animated water technologies that are unique to our industry. They are designed specifically to meet the needs of his clients and the stories they are trying to tell. 

John thoroughly understands the need to be a “team player” in our industry and strives to make all who are invested in the success of a project feel they are a valuable contributor to that success. He is also passionate about educating others in the art of his craft, as well as teaching the notion that those who are successful in our industry do not do it alone. 

Some TEA Masters create with words, paint, sculpture or fabric. John Polk is a Master who transforms water into art.