Utah Scientific, which specializes in routing switchers, master control switchers and related control software, announced the appointments of George Wicker and Brett Benson as U.S. Southeast regional sales managers. Wicker and Benson will team up to take charge of all direct sales activities and partner relationships throughout the eight-state Southeast region comprising Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida. Both report directly to Tom Harmon, Utah Scientific’s president and CEO.
“George and Brett are joining our team at a critical time as the industry gears up for the transition to IP and hybrid SDI/IP operations,” said Harmon. “People turn to Utah Scientific for the depth of our industry experience, trusting us to lead the way with hybrid IP routing solutions backed by the industry’s only no-fee 10-year warranty and product support. George and Brett both bring a wealth of experience and add significantly to our knowledge base.”
Wicker is returning to Utah Scientific, having previously served as the company’s Southeast regional sales manager throughout the 1990s, being named top salesperson for four of those years. During his absence from Utah Scientific, he held various sales, management, and consulting roles for companies such as ACS Solutions, ADC, Harris Broadcast, and U.S. JVC Corp. Wicker is a member of the Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE), where he is a member of the board of managers for the SMPTE Southern Region.
Benson has worked in the broadcast industry for more than 20 years — from Southeast regional sales manager for Weather Central in Madison, Wisconsin, to general manager and chief engineer for Park City Television. Benson spent the past 10-1/2 years with Salt Lake City’s local FOX affiliate, KTSU FOX 13, most recently serving as chief meteorologist. He was named Salt Lake City’s best weather reporter for three consecutive years by Salt Lake City Weekly magazine. Benson received a bachelor’s degree in broadcast communications from Brigham Young University and a certificate of broadcast meteorology from Mississippi State University.
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More