The Visual Effects Society (VES) has appointed Eric Roth as the organization's new exec director to replace founding exec director Tom Atkin. Roth brings more than 15 years of strategic management, communications and public affairs experience to his new position. Through his work as the former executive director of L.A. Works, Los Angeles' premier volunteer action center, Roth also gained critical working knowledge of the non-profit sector. Prior to joining VES, Roth was extensively involved in local government politics as a former chief of staff at Los Angeles City Hall, in addition to managing the Government Affairs Department for the Southern California Assn. of Governments.
"We are very excited to bring Eric into the organization," said Carl Rosendahl, chair of the VES board of directors. "His experience with non-profit organizations will be of great benefit in helping VES to continue its growth as a society to honor, advance and promote visual effects for the VES membership and the industry. Eric has a great passion for the work we are doing, and is an excellent fit for VES."
"The Visual Effects Society is a dynamic organization that is poised for growth and development, and I'm eager to start working with the board and the extraordinarily talented VES membership in order to take the organization to the next level," Roth said. "When it comes to using creativity and innovation to enhance the art of storytelling, VES is the gold standard and I look forward to a long and productive partnership."
Atkin announced last October that he would be stepping down from his position this year. Atkin will work together with Roth during the transition, and will continue to run the VES 2004 Festival of Visual Effects (June 18-20 in San Rafael) and the eDIT/VES Festival in Frankfurt, Germany, in September.
"In eight short years VES has developed into a world class organization for visual effects professionals," said Atkin. "The foundation is in place and, under Eric's leadership, the continued growth of VES is in good hands. I know that he will perform with the honor and integrity that is required to advance the visual effects industry and the lives of the VES membership who comprise it."
The Visual Effects Society, founded in 1997, is comprised of distinguished visual effects artists and technologists who are professionally committed to the specialized industry of visual effects. The society provides its members with a platform for communication, education and recognition of the current and future state of the visual effects industry. Society headquarters are located in Los Angeles, with approximately 1,000 global members. For more information about VES, please visit
www.visualeffectssociety.com or call 310-822-9181.
