Industry Veteran Anne Johnston Joins Pete's Big TVs

	Anne Johnston, Pete's Big TVs

Industry veteran Anne Johnston has joined Pete's Big TVs as an account rep. Based in the New York/Tri-State area, Johnston will serve the company's video equipment rental clients in the concert touring, TV, and special/corporate events market. Her start date is January 6, 2014.

Johnston has worked in these same markets most recently as VP of marketing at Production Resource Group (PRG). Her role since 2007 was over the "big picture," which encompassed lighting, video, audio, LEDs, rigging, and automation. Previous roles at PRG were VP systems installation and prior to that, VP and sales manager.

Johnston came to PRG via Production Arts Lighting in the late 1980s. In 1990 she took on the role of VP image systems -- a title she held through 2002, even while PRG acquired the company in 1999.

For Johnston, the move to Pete's Big TVs takes her full circle back to her early days in projection, when friendships were formed with Peter Daniel and Guy Benjamin, she said.

"I've known both Pete and Guy since we worked together on the Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels tour in 1989 and then Guy and I worked together for several years at Production Arts. I've always admired the way Pete ran his business and it is great to be working with friends," she said.

Her "big picture" now will focus on the new LED video technology she will be involved in serving clients' needs. Pete's Big TVs constantly upgrades its product inventory, with nothing in the warehouse older than two years. This year has been non-stop for the company with no lulls in business, Benjamin said. Highlights have included Bruce Springsteen's Wrecking Ball and Pearl Jam's tours, TV game shows such as The Million Second Quiz, corporate events including Twitter's IPO on the New York Stock Exchange, and annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies, among many others.

VP Guy Benjamin said, "The past couple of years we've been busier than ever. We're constantly upgrading our inventory with new products, and our new LED panels -- which we've reconfigured for no radio frequency interference -- are tremendously popular on tour and in TV shows. So we are glad for Anne's help and we're pleased to be working with her again. I worked with her for 12 years before I joined Peter so it should be easy for us to get into our working rhythm pretty quickly."

President Peter Daniel agreed, saying, "We have a long history of working with Anne on many projects while she was with Production Arts and later PRG. That history, along with her reputation in the industry, made this opportunity an easy choice. We definitely need the help and are thrilled to have her as an integral part of our team."

Anne has a bachelor of fine arts from the University of South Florida in Tampa, and one her early industry gigs was as stage manager for the local ballet company.

She may be contacted by email at anne@petesbigtvs.com.