See Factor Industry Mourns Passing of Founder and CEO Bob See

Bob See, founder and CEO of See Factor Industry and one of the leading innovators in rock-and-roll tour packaging, passed away on February 10, 2015. He went peacefully in his sleep.

See changed the touring music industry in the early 1970s with his designs for building and packaging a road-worthy show, at a time when others had just begun to understand the needs of a music tour.

He began his career as technical director for the Fillmore East, witnessing acts like the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, and hundreds of others -- seeing their gear up close and determining what he could improve. He moved on to tour with acts including the James Gang and David Bowie, with whom he served as lighting designer and traveled around the world several times.

Founding See Factor Industry in the early 1970s, See designed and built road packages and toured with Aerosmith, Rod Stewart, Rush, ELO, Richie Blackmore's Rainbow, Billy Joel, Ted Nugent, and many others. He expanded See Factor into a full-service shop, creating custom lighting rigs and opening offices in Los Angeles and London.

See placed a high value on mentoring new talent, just as his own mentor, Bill Graham, had done with him. Over the four decades since See Factor Industry opened, literally hundreds of entertainment technology and lighting design professionals have come through his shop, moving on to become some of the biggest names in the industry.

See leaves behind a company with strong footing in the entertainment and production business. See Factor is the longest running independently owned and operated sound and lighting company in the United States.

"Bob was a force of nature, and we mourn the loss of our friend, mentor and leader," said Mark Friedman, executive vice president of See Factor Industry. "But we will honor his memory by continuing to operate according to the extraordinary example he set for us. Bob would want nothing more than to know that his company will continue to innovate, and to meet his high standards for serving its customers."

A wake in celebration of Bob's life will be held on Sunday and Monday, February 15 and 16, from 2:00 - 5:00pm and 7:00 - 9:00pm at Thomas M. Quinn and Sons Funeral Home, 35-20 Broadway, Long Island City, NY, 11106. For directions, see www.tmquinn.com. A private funeral service will take place on Tuesday.