Leadership.

Dan Shamanski is co-founder of BrightPipe, an audio-visual services firm that helps clients create engaging marketing experiences using the latest technologies. Dan is primarily responsible for programming and developing all concepts that BrightPipe offers to clients. He makes the dreams and ideas come to life in creative and innovative ways.

Dan first met his business partner, Jeff Kidd, in the 11th grade in the first ever computer programming class offered by the school system. Dan had just moved to Augusta where his father had been appointed Asst. Chief of Staff of Ft. Gordon. Dan played soccer on the high school team and loved to work with electronics, remote control airplanes and anything to do with computers. In high school Dan won the county and state programming challenges and went on to compete nationally where he received 5th place in the nationwide competition.

Rather than join the Army, which was his father's wish, Dan went on to receive his master's degree in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Computer Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. In his spare time, he also specialized in audio speaker and amplifier design, embedded systems design, and low noise analog circuit design. He loved everything related to the field of electrical engineering and was even asked to stay at Georgia Tech to enter the doctoral program. After you have built a 6th order Chebyshev Notch Filter it is probably time to venture out into the real world.

In his early career Dan worked at Unisys, IBM and then Scientific Atlanta. He started the company with Jeff Kidd during this time and was the principal hardware and software designer of the ideas Jeff came up with to control exotic fish tanks and swimming pool installations. His ability to blend both digital and analog circuits with fuzzy logic controls created solutions that were second to none in the world of control systems.

Through a series of twists of fate, Dan and Jeff's company eventually ended up programming software for a tradeshow with a major pharmaceutical company. That program was so effective that it was eventually turned into a sales tool that was rolled out to the national sales force for the organization. Over the years BrightPipe has grown to include both software and hardware services for our clients. With each one you can rest assured that Dan's experienced eyes have checked and rechecked all the details to ensure the client's success.

Today Dan is the Chief Integrator for BrightPipe. He is responsible for bringing product concepts to life. He is also responsible for managing the tech and warehouse team so that our events are executed to perfection. He tells our team that we are not in the A/V business. We are in the detail business. The details matter and we have one opportunity to get it right. His work ensures that our equipment arrives safely and that every detail has been thought about ahead of time, along with a Plan B in the back pocket just in case.

Dan's passion outside of work is being a private pilot. He obtained his license in 2009 and instrument rating in 2010 to go along with it, granting him the ability to explore the 5000 airports that are found throughout this great country. His favorite plane is the Cirrus SR22T, which he flies often. It allows him to get above the clouds and find a peaceful layer where it is just him and the plane. He hopes to one day obtain a commercial license and then become a certified flight instructor. He has a daughter, Catherine. She graduated from Georgia Tech and hopes to one day become her own brand of a Helluva Engineer in years to come.

Jeff Kidd is co-founder of BrightPipe, an audio-visual services firm that helps clients create engaging marketing experiences using the latest technologies. Jeff has spoken at national events dedicated to helping educate marketers and exhibitors on topics ranging from technology, survey design, cost saving tips and lead retrieval systems. He also has written and been interviewed for several articles in exhibit related trade magazines.

Jeff's passion for technology can be traced back to early childhood working on electronics projects with his father, building circuits and motors on the kitchen table. He still has a scar on his hand from a soldering iron accident in the 4th grade. Needless to say, mom was not too happy about that. Jeff graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a degree in Electrical Engineering and spent his early career designing hardware and software systems for computer BIOS, modem, and cable TV set top boxes.

During those early career years Jeff started a company with his lifelong friend Dan Shamanski who he met in an 11th grade computer programming class. They were fierce competitors at the time, as both were trying to get programming assignments done faster or better than the other. At Georgia Tech, Jeff and Dan ended up being lab partners for nearly every lab. This is where it became clear that working together, we were much better at solving problems and getting things to work. They focused on control systems which involved designing circuit boards and programming firmware to control electronics in custom aquariums and swimming pools.

Then the Internet happened. The world went from being hardware focused to software focused and Jeff started to work on user interface design, graphics design and programming for web sites. One day a friend called Jeff to ask if he was able to help set up a few PCs at a tradeshow and make sure that they worked for the event. The rest, as they say, is history. Today Jeff is the chief visionary for BrightPipe. He is responsible for developing new product concepts, things that make our customers' lives easier or better in the hectic world of tradeshows and events. He also manages the project management team to ensure that every client has an outstanding customer service experience.