Shining a Spotlight on America’s Work Force

[infobox]According to a Gallup Poll, 70% of the American work force doesn’t feel engaged in their work.[/infobox]

That is a startling number of people unfulfilled in their daily jobs, and it makes it hard to believe in the American Dream. I come from a long line of working men and women that built a legacy in their work. My ancestors came from all corners of the Earth, and they played integral parts in the growth of our nation. The bloodline of my family can be traced to branches of the military, architecture that helped build growing cities, ship captains developing trade and commerce, nurses and doctors saving people, all of them devoting their lives to serve the greater good.

They were unsung heroes, and by keeping their memories alive, I am honoring their service and their lives. The every day jobs of service are the gears of society. They turn without stopping allowing the world to keep moving forward, but we often forget about those unseen workings. We must remember the path the working class has paved, and those that still embody the American Dream. Let us take a moment to appreciate the working force that does their job every day without recognition just a strong determination and a desire to devote their life to their work. Let us find inspiration and hope in their stories so we may become engaged in our own work and carry on the torch of the working class.

We often don’t even think about the jobs that help create the experiences in our lives. When was the last time you saw a live performance and gave a thought to the lighting? It probably isn’t the first thing you discuss after a great show, but it plays a large role in the essence of a performance. Tracer Finn is a master of lighting, and his whole job is to create spectacular lighting at La Reve in Las Vegas. His highly skilled expertise makes the ting feel like an organic part of the show so audiences don’t give a second thought to the masters in the shadows. Tracer works everyday to create a magical experience without his own spotlight. He is 1 in One Hundred Million that devote their lives to their work, and make our everyday lives better. Tracer is an example of the unsung heroes in our world.

Born into the world of entertainment, Tracer’s parents had their own show in San Diego known as The Mickey Finn Show which was eventually picked up by NBC. Tracer wasn’t old enough to hanging out off stage so he often ended up in the backstage production, and he was interested in the technical work of the lighting. He began asking questions and working alongside the crew which eventually led him to his first job at 18. Tracer worked on the lighting for his parent’s show, and he began of career of challenging but fulfilling work.

As Tracer embarked on his career, it led him to work with many interesting and talented artists including Dolly Parton and Siegfried and Roy. He also worked on the lighting for Cirque du Soleil’s “O”. This extensive career led him to Assistant Head of Lighting at La Reve at The Wynn in Las Vegas where the show The Dream has performed for ten years, and it has won Show of the Year for the last five years. It is an amazing show that has a pool on the stage which creates an incredible and unique water component. Tracer helped develop the lighting system which features 300 underwater lights, 20 miles of cable, and 200 moving lights that go from the ground up reaching 110 feet. Tracer must literally go from sky high heights to scuba diving underwater to maintain the lighting system.

Lighting is a precise science, and every show must feature the same precise, seamless lighting. Tracer jokes, “It is like groundhog’s day around here.” Such an exact technical detail takes a lot of practice, and the lighting crew also participates in rehearsals so every cue, every movement, every single light is absolutely perfect from start to finish night after night. Tracer says his intense perfectionism does affect him when he watches live performances and award shows. He finds it difficult to concentrate on the show because he is forever critiquing the lighting.

Tracer is passionate about his work and eager to give a stellar performance that will highlight the show and enhance the experience for audiences. While he doesn’t get to take a bow at the end of each show, he does provide the lighting for the performers as they take a bow. Now, Tracer has the chance to step from the shadows and have his own spotlight.

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This post is written on behalf of Kronos through Find Your Influence by me. All opinions are 100% mine.