UNION

In January, David was appointed by President Phil Jaynes and approved by the Local 720 Executive Board to serve Local 720 as the Interim Secretary-Treasurer. He spent ten weeks learning how things need to work at the Hall while in that position.

But David’s experience in the Union began long before that. He joined Local 190, Wichita, Kansas, in February of 1999. In that Local, he served as a Steward and a Convention Delegate. David even spent some time between tours serving the members of that Local as the Recording Secretary and helping Local 190 deal with some serious internal problems.

While touring, David spent time working for the union and union members. He served the show crew as the Steward for two tours. Those shows, and touring in general, put him in frequent contact with the Stagecraft Office in New York City and helped develop working relationships with many Special Representatives, and members of the General Executive Board of the International Alliance. Touring helped David learn a lot of lessons about how unions can work for their members.

Since moving to Las Vegas, David has spent a lot of time volunteering for Local 720. He served on the Election Committee and accepted the job of Committee Chair. David was proud to serve the members of Local 720 as a delegate to the AFL-CIO and learned a lot about our interactions with the other Unions in our valley. He was appointed the second chair of the Education Committee and has been working to get those efforts restarted despite the current pandemic.

When the pandemic first shut down our industry, David turned his garage into a supply depot for the Mask Posse efforts. When the Food Bank Committee asked for volunteers to start that effort, David immediately signed up to help. By the end of his first day of helping, David was asked to join the committee and take on the role of Warehouse Coordinator. Just recently, President Jaynes appointed David to serve as a Trustee on the Training Trust. David accepted the appointment and is looking forward to attending the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans this Fall to start his training.

PROFESSIONAL

David’s career after college began with working on Broadway tours as an A2. He learned a lot while traveling all over the United States and Canada and meeting people in every tour stop.

When on a show site here in Las Vegas, he regularly works general sessions and other large meetings as an A2 and Systems Tech. David works with sound specialists and A1s to make sure pull lists have the items needed to ensure shows load in efficiently and run smoothly. David can also be found working as an AV Tech, projectionist, and rigger at many properties, but is regularly at the Bellagio or the Sands.

EDUCATION

ABA: Business Management - Labor Studies
Eastern Gateway Community College (2021)

David earned an Associate of Business Management - Labor Studies Degree with the assistance of the Free College program from Union Plus. He took many classes that he thought would be interesting and might be good for class topics to bring to others through the Education Committee. During his studies he learned valuable skills and knowledge that he was able to use in his role as the Interim Secretary-Treasurer for Local 720.

BFA: Theater Design & Production - Sound Design, Lighting Design, Lighting Technology
University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music (2001)

David earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from CCM as a triple major by earning the credits for a degree in the Sound Design, Lighting Design, and Lighting Technology tracks. The experiences and lessons learned while seeking this degree gave David a solid footing for his career as a theater professional and a touring stagehand.

PERSONAL

David is a single father who takes the opportunity for quality time with his daughter, Edith. Together, they enjoy many of the kid-friendlier activities around the valley. When his daughter is with her mother, David enjoys soccer and can often be heard discussing the US National Teams, the Las Vegas Lights, and Manchester United. He also enjoys spending downtime with friends, watching movies, and taking classes to further his education and training.