Aquarian traveled to Montreal, Quebec to produce the annual Conference on Retroviruses & Opportunistic Infections (CROI) at the Palais des congres de Montreal. CROI is the largest annual conference on AIDS and other opportunistic infections. It has approximately 5000 attendees, with about 40% being international. Westover Management, CROI's parent organization, hired Aquarian to provide planning, audiovisual and logistical support. We handled all audiovisual spec needs from floor plan creation and labor scheduling to vendor recommendation, budgeting and supervision. We also supplied a team of on-site art directors and PowerPoint operators to facilitate the over 250 speaker presentations given at the meeting. This included quite a bit of file reformatting on-site as well as rehearsal room and cyber café management.
View Photos
In October, Aquarian produced the American Trucking Association's annual convention at the Marriott Orlando World Center in Florida. ATA was the first show held at the hotel since its major ballroom expansion, and we used all available space.
For the General Session set in the Grand Ballroom, Aquarian utilized three video screen areas plus an entire set featuring rear projected scenery elements from catalyst media servers. The set design facilitated panel discussions, award programs, and a State of the Industry Address, with animations and complex graphics.
View
Photos
Aquarian Entertainment has relocated to the heart of Great Falls, VA, just months after being named one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s Hot 500 small businesses with the greatest growth.
Specializing in entertainment production and the staging and production of special events and meetings, Aquarian has worked with a variety of entertainers and speakers such as Sheryl Crow, Phil Collins, Jay Leno, Rod Stewart and Faith Hill.
“The past year saw explosive growth for Aquarian,” says Gene Lundgren, President and CEO. “We’re increasing our staff and we felt it was time to expand our physical space as well.”
Aquarian’s new offices, located at 746 Walker Road in Great Falls, also allowed for a technology upgrade including Microsoft Office 2007 and Office ’08 for Mac across all platforms.
“Great Falls is a fantastic business community,” says Lundgren. “It’s the perfect home for a growing boutique entertainment business like Aquarian.”
Singer Sheryl Crow entertained 750 customers at a private show in Orlando in October. Aquarian negotiated the act and provided sound, lights and video for this event in the Crystal Ballroom of the Marriott’s Orlando World Center.
Crow crooned many of her hits, including “First Cut,” “All I Wanna Do,” and “Steve McQueen.” With the release of her new CD, she is a great choice for private dates this year.
View
Photos
The Venetian in Las Vegas set the stage for the November 2007 meeting of the American Community Bankers. This meeting marked the merger of the American Bankers Association with American Community Bankers, undertaken at the height of the liquidity crisis!
Speakers at this event included former Dallas Cowboy Emmitt Smith, and FDIC head Sheila Bair as well as other industry leaders. The event was very well attended, continuing the trend of increasing attendance at Las Vegas venues.
View
Photos
Aquarian Entertainment made the cut to be included in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Hot 500 List, featured in the August 2007 issue.
Out of 95,000 small US businesses with the greatest growth, Aquarian ranked #395 in the Hot 500. Companies that were considered had to have been founded between 1998 and 2002, had ’02 sales of $100,000 or greater and ’06 sales of at least $1 million, but no more than $1 billion. Additionally, they must have shown positive job growth between ‘02 and ’06.
Visit http://www.entrepreneur.com/Hot500/Details/395.html to view Aquarian’s Hot 500 listing. Press Release>>
Aquarian introduced a major new truck, The Cascadia, for Freightliner Trucks this past May 2007 in San Diego, CA. The aircraft carrier U.S.S. Midway was selected as the location of the launch site. The Theme “All Hands on Deck” and the shipboard location combined to create an unforgettable product launch.
With no overhead rigging points, high winds and the sunset after the audience arrived, Aquarian faced several logistical challenges. The solution was to create a bottom rail mounted articulating set, containing multiple video screens, which opened to reveal the trucks. Two 10-ton Cascadias were craned aboard and revealed on the deck, following a custom video module launching fighter planes off the ships catapults. Surround sound, significant lighting, nitrogen fog effects and extensive fireworks completed the reveal.
Two halls and several meeting rooms of the San Diego Convention Center were then used for General Sessions, meal functions and breakout rooms. The entire show utilized 16:9 ratio 26’ wide screens and the new Barco 28k video projectors for true HD projection.
view
photos>>
Aquarian provided full service for the 14th Conference on
Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), which was a scientifically focused meeting of the world’s leading researchers working to understand, prevent and treat HIV/AIDS and its complications.
This February 2007 conference, held at the L.A. Convention Center, attracted over 4000 scientists and researchers and required extensive planning throughout the year. The keynote sessions utilized 18 x 24 graphic screens and featured a Wifi service for all attendees. view
photos>>
Aquarian produced an evening of magic for a sponsor’s party at the 2007 Truckload Carriers Conference held at the Bellagio Casino in Las Vegas.
The award-winning “The Majestics” thrilled the audience with their sensational illusions, culminating with a 300-pound live tiger on stage for the finale. Locally based magicians worked the audience, challenging them with sleight of hand, card tricks and humor.
view
photos>>
2006 has seen an upswing of live music performances
on the corporate and convention circuit. Aquarian
has enjoyed a robust year of booking and producing
numerous performers including James Taylor, LeAnn
Rimes (2 shows), Gordie Brown (3 shows), The Roadhammers,
Le Cirque and Phil Vassar among others. Clients and
attendees alike have come to expect quality performances
from the comedic, variety or musical acts booked
for their convention. 2007 looks to be an exciting
year and our advance bookings portend that live music
is here to stay.
The
2006 American Community Banker’s
Conference was held
at the Manchester
Grand Hyatt in San
Diego,
CA. The conference included industry leading presentations
from the Comptroller of the Currency, Head of the
FDIC and a live teleconference from the Federal
Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. Keynotes included
Ted Koppel, Flags of Our Fathers author
James Bradley and a political debate between former
Clinton Press Secretary Mike McCurry and Fox newsman
Bill Kristol. The opening reception was held on
the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Midway, and
the unique location and experience was enjoyed
by all attendees. view
photos>>
Aquarian Entertainment and Production Services
introduced a new vehicle line for the Daimler Chrysler
Commercial
Vehicle Division, Western Star Trucks, to the press
and their dealer organizations. The reveal took place
in Phoenix, AZ with the theme “Taking You to
New Heights”. A soft
LED wall, kabuki backdrop and catalyst system helped
create the environment and reveal the trucks
live in the ballroom. Canadian rock band The Roadhammers
performed their hits and shot a rock video for CMT,
with the new vehicles used as product placements. view
photos>>
In Aquarian Entertainment and Production Services' biggest year
ever, the New Year started on January 5th in Charlotte, NC. Freightliner Trucks
had a five-day series of sales meetings, and Aquarian provided comprehensive
services from set design, staging, lighting, sound reinforcement and graphic
production
to full producing services. Multiple venues were used to focus on the special
needs of specific sales divisions, including parts sales as well as truck sales.
Aquarian provided these multiple environments with a special NASCAR look and
feel. The event also involved visits to both Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s garage and
the Penske garage, adding more excitement and fun for the sales management
team. view photos>>
Early February 2006 found Aquarian in Denver CO for the 13th Conference on Retroviruses
and Opportunistic Infections. The conference was a scientifically focused meeting
of the world's leading researchers working to understand, prevent and treat
HIV/AIDS and its complications. This international conference drew over 4000
attendees from around the world and is the leading symposium to address the
ever-increasing
rate of
HIV/AIDS.
view
photos>>
Aquarian is proud to become the primary
sponsor of the exciting young AMCT2.0
Racing Team, driving in Germany’s venerable
BF Goodrich Langstreckenpokal endurance cup series.
On 10 Saturdays each year from March to October, the
team’s Mercedes-Benz 190E wears Aquarian’s
corporate logo as it challenges the twists and turns
of the legendary Nürburgring-Nordschleife circuit
in races lasting up to 6 hours. more>>
Entertaining generations of fans, Rod Stewart delivered
big time at the Marriott Copley ballroom in Boston,
MA. This private party was a special event for the
top customers of a corporate account and it was quite
special. With decades of hits in his back pocket,
Stewart has also reinvented himself with a foray
into classic crooner hits from the 30's and 40's
such as "Blue Moon" and "As Time Goes By." When it
was time to rock, Stewart delivered such favorites
as "Maggie Mae," "Hot Legs," and "Forever Young"
to name a few. Aquarian Entertainment and Production
Services handled the whole package from booking,
rider negotiation, insurance, all coordination, and
beautiful staging and production.
Aquarian rolled out the red
carpet for the American Trucking Associations
in the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA.
Creating the historical themes that Boston conjures
up, the opening session was kicked off by a Town
Crier, followed by a traditional fife and drum
corps appearing to step out of the 1700's. The
business side of things was hosted by longtime
journalist and reporter, Stuart Varney. Aquarian
created a beautiful set that was flexible to
be used as a panel discussion, speaker platform
and award groups with spectacular lighting looks
that brought freshness to the stage throughout
the three-day event. view
photos>>
Aquarian took Freightliner’s
Dealer Meeting to new levels of staging for General
Sessions, Keynotes and Breakouts. Caesar’s Palace
was the venue and the attendees needed to see actual
trucks, motors and other heavy motor carrier pieces.
Aquarian had the experience to meld the company’s
top products into sets that reflected the strength
and dramatic importance of this industry and Freightliner’s
position within it. view
photos>>
With a little finesse, Aquarian Entertainment and Production Services, added
one last show to Phil Collins farewell United States tour. Playing to a small
audience in the Four Seasons in Las Vegas, Nevada, Collins mesmerized the audience
with his endless string of hits. Filling the stage with performers and back up
singers, Aquarian kept the intimate feeling with a dramatic lighting scheme and
superior sound reinforcement. Though we all hope for his return to America, Aquarian
may have produced Collins last performance in the United States. view
photos>>
Aquarian Entertainment and Production Services produced
a Five Day series of meetings for the largest trucking
company in North America, Freightliner LLC. In the
middle of NASCAR country the weeks’ activities included
events at the Penske garage and Dale Earnhardt Jr’s
racing facility. more>>
The Town Crier welcomed attendees to ATA's Management
Conference and Exhibition (MC&E) in Boston, MA,
and the colonial setting quickly expanded with the
addition of fife and drum performers and a historically-clad
color guard. Aquarian Entertainment and Production
Services (Aquarian) created a colonial backdrop
to the entire event with an historical set design,
beautifully coordinated graphics and extensive, large-scale
staging, fully-flexible lighting instruments and design,
state-of-the-art sound mixing and reinforcement and
super-sharp video imaging. Governor Bill Graves, President
of ATA, opened with a welcoming presentation that brought
the challenges of today's trucking industry into focus.
more>>
PCI Communications turned to Aquarian
LLC when top drawer production and staging was required
for the American Society of Association Executives
annual meeting in Nashville, TN. LeAnn Rimes provided
the perfect entertainment and wrapped up an “extreme” meeting. view
photos>>
Veteran television and video director Mike Hurdelbrink
has joined Aquarian Entertainment & Production Services
(Aquarian) as the Executive Producer. Hurdelbrink brings
35 years of broadcast television, independent producing/directing
and small business experience to Aquarian. Serving as
the “live,” on-site video director for all
Aquarian shows, Hurdelbrink has a long-term relationship
with Gene Lundgren, President, CEO and owner of Aquarian.
more>>
Aquarian Entertainment & Production Services wraps
up a record-breaking year in 2004, and is ringing in
the New Year with a fresh start. The entertainment and
production service team has moved into a new high-rise
office space less than a mile from the former office.
The new space brings Aquarian a modern, technologically
advanced workspace, which will allow the company to
meet the needs of their growing client list. more>>
Aquarian Entertainment & Production Services (Aquarian)
had a banner year in 2004, producing a variety of events
for a diverse clientele. These events catered to an
array of audiences, from investors, truckers and international
guests to AIDS researchers. more>>
|
