Road Test: Strong Technobeam, page 40 - PLSN.com

VITAL STATS
PROJECTION LIGHTS & STAGING NEWS
Inner Circle Distribution
A sit down with Nick Freed, Noel Duncan, and Gary Mass
By KevinMitchell
BUSINESS
Who: Nick Freed, president; Noel Duncan,
vice president; and Gary Mass, vice president
of business development.
What: A full-service distributor of entertainment
lighting products for professionals.
Where: Sunrise, Florida
When: December 4, 2004, when Freed,
Duncan, and Mass decided to start ICD over
some beers in Duncan’s driveway
First gig: Duncan and Mass did the Boca
Pops with Garret Sound in 1987, and vaguely
remembering getting about $50 each
Current clients of note include:
Genesis, The Police, New York City’s New
42nd Street project (exterior lighting),
American Idol, Maroon 5, Martina McBride,
and Garth Brooks
I knew I wanted to do this when ….
Freed: “I saw The Song Remains the Same.
Immediately after that I begged my mom
for a Les Paul guitar. As it turns out, you
had to have a full head of hair and be able
to sing a high note! Therefore, lighting
was the next best option.”
Career Low Point: Duncan: “I was working
a show at the Miami Marine Stadium,
which was a floating barge in Biscayne
Bay. We took for granted that we were
loading in at high tide. Needless to say,
the show ended at low tide and the ramps
were then inclined at a 45-degree angle.
This presented problems, as none of the
gear had wheels! Me and the volunteer
help worked a five-hour load out trying
to heave everything up over the sea wall.
“There is nothing more satisfying than setting
out to reach a goal, then exceeding your own
expectations.”
— Gary Mass, vice president of business development
‘No-See-Em’s,’ vicious bugs, were involved.
I got paid $100, minus taxes of course.”
Career high point: Mass: “I had the chance
to start this company. There is nothing more
satisfying than setting out to reach a goal,
then exceeding your own expectations.”
Coolest New Toy: Freed: “The Infinity Wash
XL, from Coemar.”
PERSONAL
Home front: Freed: Girlfriend Sidney, daughter
Taylor, and cats Duper and Clayton
Duncan: Wife Leslie and daughters
Kristina and Brianna
Mass: Wife Emma and daughter
Isabella
Island sounds “mon:” All confirm
they are all currently on a huge
Island kick, and especially fond of
Damian Marley.
If I could be someone famous
for a day, it would be…. Freed:
“Gordie Howe. Hands down,
the greatest hockey player of
all time.”
My greatest fear is…. Mass: “Being
99.9% positive”
If I could go back in time and
tell my younger self one thing,
it would be: Duncan: “Don’t be
afraid to talk to the women that you
thought wouldn’t talk to you!”
People might be surprised to
know: “ICD has a mirror ball from
a Product of the Year Award years
ago, that each salesman covets
for the ‘Biggest P.O. of the Day.’
This award can be taken one day
for a $500,000 purchase order,
and lost for $1,000 the next. Either
way, we proudly display and
protect this object.”
Words to live by: “If you ain’t first,
you’re last!”
Noel Duncan, ICD vice president
Nick Freed, ICD president
Gary Mass, ICD vice president of business development
Garth Brooks performs The American Idol set The Police on tour
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