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ROBERT
LEWIS
KNECHT,
MSU
A Brief
Background
Also
visit:
Expedition: North America
Robert Lewis Knecht first traveled extensively as part of his
family’s acrobatic health and fitness program, which was presented
at schools throughout the U.S. and Canada. During this time he
became the second (and remains the youngest person) to set the
Guinness World Push-up Record by doing 7,026 in 3 hours and 56
minutes when he was 13 years old.
He has over eight years of fire/rescue and emergency medical
service experience and is a certified explorer having been inducted
into the Explorers Club in 1994 as a Fellow National. As an
award-winning cameraman and filmmaker, his footage has appeared on
numerous network affiliates, PBS, Discovery Channel, TLC, Sci-Fi
Channel, ESPN2, Speedvision and several U.K. networks, including
SkyTV. He specializes
in remote location shoots.
PERSONAL CREDO:
"I strive to be a consistent
source of really cool ideas, without exhibiting that strange sort of
behavior normally associated with creative types."
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| PROFILE |
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· Highly
self-motivated adventurer, writer, and videographer with a diverse
background in: |
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–
TV Production |
–
Management |
–
Photography |
–
SCUBA diving |
–
Public Speaking |
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–
Videography |
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Marketing |
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Publishing |
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Exploring |
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Firefighting |
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–
Non-Linear Editing |
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Journalism |
–
Numismatics |
–
Treasure Hunting |
–
EMT/Rescue |
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· Skilled in
conceptualizing and directing projects through to successful
completion.
· Proven ability to
perform well under high stress and extreme conditions.
· Detail oriented with
strong public relations and communication skills.
·
Basic Website development skills |
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| SUMMARY |
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Experienced
author, video producer/director/editor, and
photojournalist.
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Developed
and directed the Taj Mahal Treasure Project, a multifaceted
project featuring Sir Arthur C. Clarke, 1994
Nobel Peace Prize nominee for the invention of satellite
communications and Oscar nominee for 2001: A
Space
Odyssey
(1990 – 1995). In 1994, actor Patrick Stewart agreed to host the
final docudrama (Arthur
C.
Clarke:
Return to the Reef),
and IMAX/Ridefilm Corporation began development of the first
underwater educational
ridefilm (Waves of
Silver) based on the Taj Mahal Treasure Project.
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Served
as medical officer and videographer/photographer on the Ocean
Research Center of the Arctic (ORCA) Project’s expedition, 250
miles inside the Arctic Circle (Summer, 1988).
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Member
of The Balancing Knechts, a professional acrobatic team that
traveled the United States, Canada, and Mexico for eleven years.
Set the Guinness World Record for pushups on February 2, 1976
(7,026 in 3 hours, 56 minutes) in Ripley’s Believe It or Not for
the youngest pushup record holder.
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Skilled
SCUBA diver with extensive experience with underwater equipment to
depths of 300 feet (PADI Dive Master with 900+ dives); Fellow
National, The Explorers Club (1994). |
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APPEARANCES |
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Experienced
public speaker with appearances in front of crowds of more than
3,000 people.
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Appeared
on Good Morning America,
What’s My Line, To Tell the Truth, The Tomorrow Show with Tom
Schneider, BBC’s The Record
Breakers, and more than 30 local television shows.
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Made
presentations at both the 50th and 51st World Sci-Fi Conventions
about Arthur C. Clarke.
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Spoke
at the American Numismatic Association’s 103rd Convention and the
Florida United Numismatists Convention.
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Taught
Leading Edge “mini-MBA” classes on the use of video for small
business, as well as numerous firefighting, rescue, CPR, and
fishing classes.
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Instructed
a University of Colorado class on advanced video
production.
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Performed
9,000 professional acrobatic, health, and fitness shows seen by
more than 20 million people. |
|
MANAGEMENT
&
MARKETING |
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Managed
studio production and post-production for Millennium Productions,
including producing, directing, writing, videotaping, and editing
client projects (1998 – 1999).
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Developed
marketing concepts and public relations campaigns to reach new
markets, including press releases, brochures, video projects,
etc.
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As
a production manager, increased gross income for Affordable Video
by 30% in only 18 months (1997).
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Designed
and implemented marketing plans and phone/direct mail membership
drives for Club Nautico International’s Key Largo operations
(1996), increasing profit by 22% in six months.
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Developed
a special tackle department data entry system for the Touch ‘n Sell computer
cash register inventory system at Bluewater World, Key Largo,
Florida (1995).
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Designed
and purchased inventory for the tackle department of Bluewater
World during the first two months of the store’s operation
(1995).
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Managed
the operations of a family-owned business for eight years; fully
accountable for marketing, inventory, customer service,
controlling costs, and monitoring financial performance.
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Conceptualized,
planned, and managed the expansion of the facilities, which
increased gross income $100,000 in the first year.
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| WRITING
& EDITING |
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In
the process of writing Halfway to Nowhere: One Man’s
Journey from Existence to Awareness on the Road from Key West to
Point Barrow.
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Wrote
The Complete Guide to
Florida Keys Fishing (1988), two detailed, satirical how-to
books for fishing South Florida waters, including numerous
photographs and illustrations. South Florida book distributors
sell the guides three-to-one against other fishing guides.
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| National
Publications |
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Journalist
for Western & Eastern
Treasurers magazine: “Galle Harbor Treasure” (9/92), “World’s
First Wheelchair Treasure Hunt” (8/92), “The Faintest Glitter of
Gold” (Gold and Silver Special Edition, Summer 1992), “Gold Coin
Found off Florida Coast!” (2/92), “The Haskins Capitana Medallion” (Gold
and Silver Special Edition, Summer 1991), and “The Treasure
Experience” (5/91).
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Wrote
articles for Treasure
Magazine, including “Record Your Treasure Hunt” (7/92), “Tips
for Finding Sunken Treasure” (11/91), “Disabled Divers Find 1733
Treasure!” (9/91), and “Three Mile Limit” (4/91).
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Published
in Treasure Diver
Magazine (“Everyone’s Favorite Pirate”, 4/90), SCUBA Times Magazine (“PI
or VLFBTR? Choosing the Right Metal Detector”, 3/91), and Paraplegia News (“Where
Wheelchairs Are Not Allowed”, 5/19). |
| Regional
Publications |
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Florida
Keys Magazine:
“The Treasure Experience” (three-part series, April–June 1991); 35
PR pieces.
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The
Reporter:
16 special contributions (1988 – 1995) and numerous private PR
pieces.
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Florida
Keys Keynoter
(Knight/Ridder): Adventure Islands Special Edition (four stories),
regular Captain’s Column contribution (1992 – 1993, biweekly
1996), developed and hosted fishing seminars series (1996).
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The
Free Press:
cover stories—“Rescue at the Top of the World” (5/88, 10/88
four-part series), “Lobster Weekend Married by Fatalities” (7/88),
“Pennekamp Crawfish Spawn in Captivity” (8/88), and guest
columnist—“Of Cigars and Little Boys” (4/88), “Who is
Responsible?” (4/88).
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HUMM’s
Guide to the Florida Keys
(the official Keys tourism publication): “Blockbuster Dolphin”
(Spring 1988), “Winter Fishing Digest” (Winter 1991), “Springtime
Angling Hopefuls” (Spring 1992). |
| Editing |
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Managing
Editor, Paradise Times
(1989); Editor, Florida
Keys Boating Guide (1989 – 1990); Associate Editor, Florida Keys Angler (1988
– 1989). |
| PHOTOGRAPHY |
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Photographed
the Taj Mahal Treasure Project, with shots appearing in LIFE Magazine (6/92), Playboy (4/92), and Arthur C. Clarke: The
Authorized Biography.
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Director/photographer
for a special photo session with Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist
Dave Barry.
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Photos
and ad copy for Fisher Research Laboratory’s national advertising
campaign (1990 – 1992).
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Numerous
cover photos for such magazines as Western & Eastern
Treasures, Paraplegia News, and Treasure Magazine.
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Photo
credits in Shipwrecks of
the Florida Keys by Daniel Berg. |
| VIDEOGRAPHY |
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Video
work has been seen on all major U.S. networks, PBS, The Discovery
Channel, The Learning Channel, The Sci-Fi Channel, ESPN-2,
Speedvision, NYC Channel 17, numerous local origination stations,
and several U.K. networks, including Sky TV.
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Operated
and maintained video and 35mm SLR equipment under sub-zero Arctic
conditions and the remote tropical climates of Central America and
Sri Lanka.
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Served
as producer/director on 50+ projects; as writer, cameraman, or
editor on more than 150 others. |
| Documentaries |
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Video
documentation: ORCA Project in Arctic Alaska, 1733 Spanish
treasure fleet galleons (Almiranta El Infante, Capitana El Rubi, Chavez, El Lerri,
and Herrera), 1823
U.S.S. Alligator
warship, 1618 Spanish galleon wreck site off Sebastian, Florida,
and numerous 1715 fleet galleon sites.
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Producer/director/cameraman/co-writer
with Arthur C. Clarke: In
Search of Weightlessness and Arthur C. Clarke: Before
2001.
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Director/cameraman:
three episodes of Rare Coin
Magazine for The Learning Channel.
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Director/cameraman/writer:
The Treasure
Experience, a 37-minute documentary for Spanish Main Treasure
Company.
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Producer/director/cameraman/writer:
Where Wheelchairs Are Not
Allowed, a 22-minute documentary about the Houston Disabled
SCUBA Divers Association.
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Producer/director/co-writer/editor/cameraman:
eight episodes and television commercials for Colorado Wide Open!
motorsports TV magazine.
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Producer/director/co-writer/cameraman/editor:
Pikes Peak Regional Building Department’s Passing Inspection: Single
Family Dwellings.
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Field
producer/cameraman/writer: ESPN-2 and Speedvision’s coverage of
the 1998 National Enduro series (nine remote location shoots from
Rhode Island to Washington state).
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Producer/director/writer/cameraman/editor:
KTM’s How to Win an
Enduro, hosted by national enduro champion, Mike
Lafferty.
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Producer/director/writer:
The Treasure Experience:
Busch Gardens.
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Principal
videographer for the pilot episode of Fishing Savvy.
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| International |
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Coordinated
and directed international and remote location video projects in Sri Lanka,
England, Mexico, Belize, and Barrow, Alaska (250 miles inside the
Arctic Circle).
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Principal
videographer for the pilot episode of This Week in Fishing,
Belize, Central America.
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Director/cameraman:
Project Orizaba and Project Paso de Macho,
remote Vera Cruz, Mexico. |
| Drama |
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Co-producer/director/writer/cameraman:
Colorado J.O.U., an
educational video police drama series trailer for junior and
senior high school students.
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Director/cameraman:
five episodes of Off Broadway Presents Positively Lynn, NYC
Channel 17. |
| Commercial
Promos |
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Producer/director/editor/cameraman
for KTM’s Ultimate Ride
national television commercial.
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Producer/director/writer:
Future Moves of America (FMA) promo, which increased their
business 600% in the first eighteen months.
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Producer/director/cameraman/editor:
promotional video for author Pat Criscito that increased her
number of speaking engagements by 500% (including Harvard, Yale,
Columbia Business School, etc.) and resulted in her selection as
international spokesperson for CareerMosaic.
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Producer/director/writer:
Contemporary Apostles,
the Nazarene Bible College promo.
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Producer/director/cameraman/co-writer:
Young Entrepreneurs Association promotional video.
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Director/cameraman:
promotional video for Fisher Research Laboratory, Texas Council of
Treasurer Hunters, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Trikes-for-Tikes, and
Star Strider.
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Producer/director/writer:
60 second television commercial for the Taj Mahal Treasure
Project.
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Producer/director/co-writer/cameraman/editor:
Colorado National Speedway’s 1999 Edge of Your Seat
promo.
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Camera/editor:
P.R.I.D.E. presentation to the National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration.
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| Conferences
&
Concerts |
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Filmed
more than 500 seminars and interviews.
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Roving
cameraman: America in
concert.
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Cameraman:
Florida United Numismatists Convention, Orlando (1992 –
1994).
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Director/cameraman:
Buick Product Knowledge Convention, Ocean Reef Club, Key Largo,
Florida.
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Official
video crew for the American Numismatic Association’s 101st, 102nd,
and 103rd Conventions. |
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Completed
Productions
Since 2001 |
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Edited 12 recruiting
videos for Arizona school systems
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Produced, directed and
edited 6 training and motivational pieces (6 to 18 minutes) for
Scottsdale Insurance (owned by Nationwide Insurance)
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Edited 4 corporate info and training pieces for
AdvancePCS , Scottsdale, AZ, the 4th largest
pharmaceutical services company in the US.
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Produced, shot and edited over 20 news highlights
(3-8
minutes)
for Tempe Channel 11 and
Tempe Town Lake
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Co-wrote, directed and
edited: Too Good to be True: Predatory Lending in Arizona
for the Attorney General's Office
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Co-wrote, directed, shot
and edited a seven minute fundraising video for the Association
of Supportive Child Care
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Produced, directed and
edited over 25 infomercials for the Cable Shopping Network (3
camera, live switch production). These shows run weekly on
most major cable channels, including Discovery, History, TLC,
Sci-Fi, Hallmark, and numerous broadcast affiliates nationwide
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Co-wrote, produced,
directed, shot, and edited a 28 minute infomercial for Super
Silver Solution.
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Produced, directed,
co-shot, edited Janice-Marie's (1979 Grammy nomination and
winner) latest music video Until the Eagle Falls
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Produced, directed,
co-shot, edited Until the Eagle Falls EPK
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As of June 6th, 2005,
completed 30 days (during a nine month period) of documentary
style shooting deep in the Superstition Wilderness, documenting
The
Lost Spanish Mine Expedition: the Search for Geronimo's Ransom
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| WORK
HISTORY |
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Owner, My
Horizon Pictures, Phoenix, AZ |
2001 - present |
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Self-employed
Independent Video Producer,
Castle Rock, CO |
1999
– 2000 |
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Senior
Producer/Production Manager,
Millennium Productions, Colorado Springs, CO |
1997
– 1999 |
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Production
Manager,
Affordable Video, Colorado Springs, CO |
1996 – 1997 |
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President,
Southern Cross Entertainment Group, Key Largo, FL |
1989
– 1995 |
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Publicist/Videographer/Diver,
Spanish Main Treasure Company, Key Largo, FL |
1988
– 1994 |
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EMT/Firefighter/Lieutenant,
Key Largo Fire Rescue, Key Largo, FL |
1980
– 1989 |
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Medical
Officer/Videographer/Photographer,
ORCA Project, Arctic Expedition |
1988 |
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Store
co-Owner/Manager,
Key Largo Bait and Tackle, Key Largo, FL |
1979
– 1987 |
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Firefighter/EMT/Driver/Engineer,
Brevard County Fire Rescue, Brevard County, FL |
1987 |
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EMT,
Randle Eastern Ambulance Service, Miami, FL |
1983 |
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| HONORS
& AWARDS |
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Colorado
Springs Film Commission’s 1997 Great Shorts Festival
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Colorado
Springs Professional Film and Video Guild’s 1997 Production
Competition
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Colorado
Springs Professional Film and Video Guild’s 1998 Production
Competition
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Best
Corporate Demo: Future
Moves of America’s Custom Syntel Pitch
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Best
Cinematography: Colorado
J.O.U.
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Best
Wedding: Merry Christmas,
Tina |
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Media Communications
Association International 2002 International and Regional Awards
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Indian Summer 2003
1st Annual Native
American Film Festival Awards
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Other
Honors
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INTRO
LETTER
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