Media Stage celebrates 30 year anniversary
Wilson Alers (left) & Oscar Colom, co-founder (right)
A message from our founder and CEO, Wilson Alers:
As I reflect on the last 30 years, I am filled with pride, nostalgia and some of the most cherished memories of my life. For three decades, Media Stage has expanded its footprint all over the world and I am deeply proud of every person who has been a part of it along the way.
While I may be the face of the company, we would not have been successful without my partners Oscar Colom and Jimmy Pabon (RIP). In the early years, Oscar and I did everything together; his technical knowledge and hands-on expertise are unmatched. During every load-in, every set-up and every full run of show, Oscar was there for it all as we took turns running slide shows, managing video content and mixing audio. We invested every penny we had into equipment, therefore we had to be somewhat frugal in other areas. In the beginning a typical lunch would consist of nothing more than a hot dog; we would alternate week to week on who would buy the pack of hot dogs and who would buy the buns. Ha!
One of our first clients who is still with us today, Bonnie Reiter, Director of Communications of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, was an early supporter. Bonnie, like too many to mention here, became family to us. Clients became friends, or vice versa, many of whom still rely upon us today for their audio visual services. Of course, being a techie at heart, I want to express my thanks to all of the crews, present and past for making my job of leading them an honor and mostly fun. The corporate meetings, music showcases, sports events, celebrity parties, presidential speeches, live television broadcasts, film projects, fashion shows, island concerts, endless fundraisers and the feel good/do good donations of our time and services all hold special memories and places in my heart.
Over the last 30 years, the good times have allowed us to savor and appreciate our collective successes and the challenging times have taught us irreplaceable lessons in resiliency. The key to our longevity lies within the long-term planning and business sense we gained from these challenges. There is no question that in order to thrive in this industry, you must be nimble and adaptable… no example greater than what the year 2020 has presented.
Most importantly, the people at the core of our operation make this company what it is today and always has been. The profound contributions and long hours from those in management roles, our technicians, our project managers and our freelancers behind the scenes have all enabled Media Stage to grow into the trusted AV provider that it is. The relationships we have built with our clients are our most valuable assets, and we look forward to a bright future continuing to enrich these partnerships while producing exceptional shows.
I’d like to extend the sincerest ‘thank you’ to everyone who has played a part in helping our business prosper and for the countless memories at every turn; my gratitude toward all of you is endless. Last but not least to my wife Wanda, and my kids, Michael, Alicia Maria and Willie for making it all worthwhile… and now blessing me with 3 grandchildren. To paraphrase Lou Gehrig, NY Yankee Hall of Famer, “I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.”
Cheers to 30 years!