This May, our industry lost a valuable friend. Dave Gillette owned Charity Resource LLC, an audio-visual (AV) company, and he was highly respected in the meetings and events industry.
Missouri Meetings & Events could always count on Dave to make the stage look cool, whether it was washed in complex lasers or simple can lights. His expertise always made the AV work without a hitch. Additionally, as an accomplished musician, Dave always selected the perfect background soundtracks for events that set the perfect mood.
“I, like many others in the industry where he worked for nearly half a century, knew him as a colleague, a mentor, and above all, as a friend. Dave was a warm, welcoming, and kind person with a positive outlook on life and a fundamental faith in humanity.
Dave was a friend and mentor to many. Spending time with Dave was like visiting a barbershop. It was a sanctuary filled with conversation and laughter. I knew that I could always talk to Dave about everything and I will always miss him and keep him in my memories.” – Pat Schaumann, CEO of Schaumann Consulting Group.
In the 20-plus years Missouri Meetings & Events worked with Dave, we never once heard him speak an ill word of another person or ever lose his temper on the job. It’s amazing that he was always able to remain calm, given that the industry can be high-stress at times. His professionalism was unwavering, despite what the circumstances were.
Dave had more than 40 years of experience in audio engineering, stage management, and meeting production. His broad base of experience included over 150 concerts and 50 theatrical productions working with such legends as Tina Turner, Michael McDonald, BB King, Tom Smothers, Ray Charles, and Jay Leno. He provided meeting support for hundreds of clients including Hallmark, Sprint, Clairol, and HR Block. Most recently, he increased his efforts to provide cost-effective technical and AV support for a number of charitable events.
In closing, the Missouri Meetings and Events team would like to say thank you to Dave’s family for loaning him to our industry. For the days and nights he spent away from you, he was elevating our meetings and events with professional care, compassion, and love of his craft.
MM&E
