Technifex, a leading concept design and engineering firm for the attractions industry, has announced the appointment of John Polk, Howard Smith and John Neilson to executive roles, following significant growth for the company.

Taking on the newly-created role of VP and senior projects director, John Polk, an industry veteran, will be responsible for supporting business development and new project acquisitions. Well known throughout the attractions industry as 'the water guy', Polk has previously held roles at Aquatic Design & Engineering and Fountain People, as well as headed up the Special Effects department at Walt Disney Imagineering. He has worked on countless award-winning experiences, providing design and production of water features and other special effects.

Named as the new VP of Production, Howard Smith will oversee all aspects of production and will manage the delivery of multiple projects, as well as all shop personnel and will expand the company's production operations. Another industry vet, Smith was a former co-owner of Mindrix, a design and production consultancy based in Burbank, California, and has worked on 13 Thea award-winning projects. Over the course of his career his career, he has worked as a fabrication project manager and technical director and has vast experience in the custom set design and construction, scenery, interactives, special effects, exhibitions, models and show control programming for a range of clientele including museums, theme parks and major sporting events. In addition, Smith has extensive R&D skills, and will be working with Technifex's engineering department as they develop new and innovative systems for the industry.

As technical project manager, John Neilson will manage technical systems development, fabrication and testing for major Technifex clients and will work closely with the company's engineering departments and fabrication shop. A talented machinist, Neilson joins the company from Rockwell Automation, where he supplied both Universal Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering with sophisticated automation control systems.

Monty Lunde, president of Technifex and founder of the TEA, said of the new appointments: "John Polk, Howard Smith and John Neilson are each incredibly talented and bring high levels of expertise that add to our ability to concieve, design and produce the highest quality technical special effects. We are absolutely thrilled to have scuh seasoned talent join our already talented team."

"We are growing and the insights and abilities these three bring to our company and our clients will help propel Techniflex to even higher levels of service, quality and execution."