The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers has hired two new staff members for key leadership positions. Industry veteran Peter Symes joins SMPTE as director of Standards and Engineering at the end of June. Heather Tomko recently joined as director of marketing.
Symes, who has nearly 40 years experience in broadcast television, began his television career in the planning and installation department of the British Broadcasting Corp. He has also worked in product management roles in Philips and at Central Dynamics Limited in Montreal.
He moved to the United States in 1983, joining Grass Valley Group as a product manager responsible for products including the 300-series production switcher and the Kaleidoscope digital effects system. During his 23+ years with the company he has represented Grass Valley in a number of organizations including ATSC and SMPTE. He is currently manager of advanced technology for Grass Valley Inc. In this role, he is the liaison among many groups on a range of technology topics with emphasis on issues related to industry standards and patents.
He has been a member of SMPTE for about 30 years and is a Fellow of the Society. He is also the author of "Digital Video Compression," published by McGraw-Hill.
Heather Tomko comes to SMPTE with a creative and marketing background, having recently served as director of creative services for the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers. During her eight-years at SCTE, she received three promotions for her outstanding service to the organization, increasingly giving her more responsibility in the marketing and communications department. Tomko graduated cum laude from Salisbury University.
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