By Jennifer Corriea
Often times some of the most important roles in the successful completion of a project, performance or event are played out behind the scenes, performed so seamlessly that they are taken for granted.
And whether we realize it or not, anyone who has ever attended the Sonoma County Farm Bureau’s Crab Feed or Love of the Land festivities has experienced that exact synergetic effect due in large part to the efforts of ATL Events and its CEO, Sylvia Parkinson.
Providing light and sound, both essential functions in the way we as people convey and receive communication, is part of ATL events repertoire as is audio visual, stagging and draping which are also critical to a production.
As such, ATL is a one-stop shop with a proven record of transforming spaces, having enhanced the ambiance, functionality and aesthetics at significant events in Sonoma County and beyond for more than 40 years.
Even so, the story of the company’s perseverance over those four decades is one built upon not only hard work, but additionally is about a family, connection and a desire to promote community.
Started in 1982 by Parkinson’s father, Russ Mitchell, a projectionist by trade, the company was originally based in his garage and had only the two spotlights needed for its first gig, the Sonoma County Junior Miss Pageant, as it was known at the time.
Recognizing the need to invest in more equipment if his business was going to thrive, Mitchell partnered with Parkinson’s grandfather, Don Okeson, who provided the financial capital for Academy Theatrical Lighting to expand.
As the story goes, the name, which was shortened to ATL in the early 2000s, was selected by Mitchell primarily so it would be listed first in the phone directory.
Parkinson took over the business when her dad, who has since passed, stepped back during COVID then bought the company in 2023, making her one of just a handful of female AV company CEOs on the West Coast.
However, while being a part of the family business was not something that Parkinson initially planned on, life as the adage goes is not a straight line and it eventually drew her in, as she explained.
“I was hesitant to join the company at first. I had done some other things, but it offered me some flexibility because working for family has its perks. I was a single mom and this allowed me not only to raise my son, but to form a close bond with my dad as well. I will have worked here for 24 years in March and have taken breaks from time to time, but I’ve always come back. It was difficult for me to find creativity in a 9-to-5 job and this one, while sometimes excruciating, is fun and exciting because every event is unique.”
With three full-time and two part-time employees along with a 5,000-square foot warehouse packed with equipment, ATL is perhaps smaller than most think given the scope of the events it puts on, but Parkinson also employs the help of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local #16 to help her work her magic.
Known to some as “The Boss Lady”, and with the business cards that prove it, Parkinson, who exudes energy and has an ability to make people comfortable, is not involved as much in the actual installation of the services her company provides, instead focusing more on designing, doing estimates and purchasing, although she also she handles her own payroll and still spends her weekends washing and folding the drapes that ATL uses.
And while ATL has remained a constant, Parkinson says that technology without question impacts the industry both positively and negatively, but also that its continual evolution always keeps things interesting.
“This industry is ever changing. Trade shows are dying. People now want to order online because they want things fast and easy although sometimes, they don’t know what they are getting themselves into. They also want the newest thing, so we have ventured into incorporating animatronics as well.”
Still, one thing that has remained unchanged over the years is ATL’s unwavering support for non-profits and the connections Parkinson has fostered, building upon those her dad established, but also forging new ones she has made through her own endeavors as head of the company.
“I love the non-profits and giving back,” said Parkinson. “I enjoy knowing that what I created makes a difference, but the best thing is the relationships I have developed. I have met some of my best friends that way.”
Parkinson’s ties to the Farm Bureau date back to the early 2000s and has always been a cause close to heart.
“I grew up on a small farm in Penngrove where we raised cows and pigs for meat and milked goats. It was a small, tight-knit town and my parents were very community oriented with my mom organizing events. The Farm Bureau reminds me of that. It reminds me of Sonoma County in the past.”
As an example of that connection and the community feel, Parkinson recalled the time she had bought a cord of wood as a silent auction item that had been donated by SCFB Board Member Doug Beretta.
Her neighbor, Ronda Eisenhauer, who at the time worked for the Farm Bureau, introduced her to Beretta to see if he would deliver the wood, then when he obliged, he and Parkinson realized that they had many of the same friends in common and that she had connections to various Farm Bureau members as well.
From there, the two have remained friends with Beretta being appreciative of how much Parkinson has contributed to the Farm Bureau saying, “Over the years Sylvia has been a big supporter both through her business and her personal investment. She has brought in new members as well as auction items and is always at our drive-thru barbeques and annual dinners.”
Although Parkinson is involved with various non-profits, she says that the SCFB Crab Feed, which she calls a “holiday party for farmers” is one of her most favorite.
“It has the best vibe. Of course we do the light, sound and all that, but I also buy a table and bring my friends. You see everyone, your teachers, your neighbors. I love it.”
And the Farm Bureau loves having her involved as Executive Director Dayna Ghirardelli shared, “ATL Events has been our trusty, go-to company for all things AV when it comes to our spectacular events. Sylvia has been a steadfast supporter of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau with not only her guidance through the events, but also in her unsolicited contributions to our organization. She is always seeking to find new ways to help us fill auction items and bring on new members. Her staff is amazing and we know that we never have to worry about that part of the event because they are flexible, adaptable and pure professionals. We value Sylvia’s membership and partnership.”
In addition to her affiliation with the Farm Bureau, another activity that brings Parkinson back to her agricultural roots is the Jr. Livestock Auction at the Sonoma County Fair, where each year she purchases a pig which she likes to share with her Coffey Park neighbors, another integral part of her circle given that they endured the Tubbs Fire of 2017 together.
Her involvement in raising money especially for kids and the elderly is a labor of love and makes it all worthwhile for the self-described homebody, who somewhat ironically is a part of so many groups and helps create some of area’s liveliest events.
“This is a hard business and I will never leave here rich, but it’s the nicest feeling to be appreciated, and giving back is a job I could never get tired of.”
At some point in the future, Parkinson hopes to write a book detailing her experiences but, in the meantime, she says she will continue to “plug away” supporting the non-profit causes and helping them turn dreams into action.