Instructor Biographies
Jim Skistimas
InstructorJim Skistimas has had 40 years of creative solutions. His background and expertise in Illustration, 2 and 3-D Event Exhibits and production, team management as a business owner of Balloon House Design Studio from 199-2010 and recently Creative Design Director & Special Event Manager at Marriott/Gaylord Entertainment has kept his hands on the pulse of the industry.
He has directed concept and design for corporate and private parties and events. Coordinated and built an array of props and structures using a variety of media. Designed and developed décor in various mediums, including wire framing, welding, sculpture in wood and foam, precision foam board construction, painting, stage set design, fabric draping and balloons as an art form. He has designed more than 150 floats for parades.
He has earned Awards and Recognition for:
- Hoebener, C, and Skistimas, J., Method and Apparatus for Balloon Display, U.S. Patent # EP 0785813 B1
- Recipient of our Gala Awards from the Special Events Magazine : 1991, 1998, 1999 and 2000
- International Designer of the Year: IBAC 1991, 1998, 1999 and 2000
- Accepted into the New York Society of Illustrators 1989
Eduardo Seiti, CBA
InstructorBalloon Design and Engineering –
Balloon Decor Gateway
Eduardo hails from Brazil. He is a graduate of USP (Universidade de Sao Paulo), the most respected Brazilian university with a degree in Electrical Engineering, He spent ten years working on projects in industrial automation, specializing in generation and distribution of electric energy.
Looking for a career change, he entered the business of balloons in March 1996 as a balloon twister. In September 1996 he brought balloon décor into his business as well. Eduardo has developed a number of new techniques for balloon use: Some of his incredible innovations with balloons are his EASY System to cover building columns, the Brazilian style of centerpiece design, a special project of balloon design using Paint, 646 truss construction and creating flat balloon arches.
Eduardo is presently working on an instructional video program of balloons called ESBD in Brazil. An English Version ESBDE is being developed with the web site www.esbde.com. The series will present valuable information to balloon designers like balloon projects, tutorials and pictures.
More than 4000 balloon professionals have graduated in his the Balloon Art Program. He has produced 26 balloon tutorial magazines, presented 27 times on TV broadcast in Brazil, and has submitted hundreds of articles and tutorials in the Brazilian press.
Website: www.esbde.com / www.esbde.com.br
Ken Shute
InstructorAir Born Creations
My name is Ken, but in the balloon world, most know me as Super K. I was introduced to the balloon industry about 9 years ago and I haven’t looked back. From Décor to animal and character twisting to dresses, I love working with balloons.
I live in the Southern California Mecca of latex creation, Orange County. I have been an instructor for WEC&BAC and FABAIC in Florida, have crewed for WBC and assisted with major projects like the Up movie premier and the Universal Studios Minion Mayhem ride opening. By working along with some of the best balloon artists in the world, I’ve learned to think out of the box and I’m always eager to share my knowledge. I have taught balloon art classes at our local balloon distributor, at our local jams and I also teach private classes. My work focus is all about bringing the FUN to events of all sizes. I am looking forward to this convention and what we can learn together.
It’s all about smiles!
Francie Rosen
Director of EducationBalloons Sound Great,
Huntington Beach, CA
Francie never dreamed that her beginning would start from doing one-of-a-kind-children parties. The excitement of transforming a ballroom and producing an event with balloons is all it took to start her business, Balloons Sound Great over 20 years ago in 1988.
Francie’s talents have been seen in the Orange Coast Magazine and in Images. She has won awards for her float designs in the Huntington Beach 4th July Parade, as well as, being voted best international award winning sculpture through Balloon HQ and taking Silver Achievement for Large Sculpture at WBC 2012. She has instructed at All American Balloons Supplies, California Balloon Conference (CBC) and Fun Time.
Her over the top creative centerpieces mixing balloons with different mediums i.e. foam board and fabric, paying attention to detail, on time performance and thinking outside the box has attracted many clients.
Francie is an active member of the Orange County ISES chapter. She is a Certified Balloon Artist (CBA) and was a founding member of the SoCal QBN chapter in California. She is now in her 3rd term as Chapter President and love’n it.
Glenna Kipp, CBA
InstructorMayflower Distributing, Inc.
Glenna began her working life as a music teacher with her Bachelor of Music Education degree. Her husband in the US Air Force was transferred to Hawaii. Glenna took a position as Head Lifeguard and Instructor at the NCO Club pool at Hickam AFB. After the service they moved to California where Glenna discovered balloons. Working from her home based business, Glenna was one of the first 100 people to earn the Certified Balloon Artist designation. She has also entered balloon sculpture and table décor competitions at a variety of balloon conventions. After being runner up for Designer of the Year at the International Balloon Arts Convention, Glenna was asked to join the IBAC faculty where she taught for 5 years. She has also offered classes at Summer Balloon Camp in Las Vegas, FLOAT in St. Louis, and West Coast Event & Balloon Art Convention in Orange County, CA. as well as seminars for balloon distributors and QBN chapters.
In 2008 Glenna came onboard as the Education Coordinator for Mayflower Distributing, Inc. in Cerritos, CA. Mayflower offers classes year round (many taught by Glenna) for balloon professionals. And she is always available in the store for ideas, production tips and design consultations.
Brian Asman
InstructorWorking with balloons since 1996, Brian’s balloon adventure began with a “How To Make Balloon Animals Kit” found in a bookstore. Building from the basics and his creative mind, he now creates his own designs that are guaranteed crowd pleasers.
Brian has been operating Balloons Equal Fun since 2003, the same year he attended his first convention. His awards and accolades span from 2003 to present, including 1st place in the David Grist Competition in 2010 at Baci, (Florence, Italy). Brian has been a featured instructor at Millennium Jam in Mol, Belgium, Twister in The Netherlands, and in 2013 at FLOAT in St. Louis, MO. You may also recognize Brian from TLC’s “The Unpoppables” on TLC!
Website: www.balloonsequalfun.com
Maribel Ulloa-Garcia, CBA – Instructor
Maribel Ulloa-Garcia, CBA – Instructor
Maribel started as an employee in 1988 at Vine American Party Store, one of the oldest party stores in Los Angeles, California. She was promoted to weekend manager and in only a short year became one of the buyers for the store.
Maribel became a partner in the Vine American Party Store where she retired after eighteen years. She was an instructor for a year at LA Balloons. She attended several IBACs and the World Balloon Convention in 2010 where she received her CBA.
Maribel has opened her own party store in Studio City, Balloons on the Run, specializing in balloon décor. She is certified in the Rouse Matrix and as a result is the only Rouse distributor in California.
Having experience in hiring employees, opening a retail store(s), training and managing employees, purchasing and the know how to retain clients, she is always happy to share ideas and experience with others who want to start in the balloon industry.
Website: www.balloonsontherun.net
Julie Reed
Julie Reed AIFD learned the art of flower arranging In the United Kingdom and took 1st place in a design competition.
Arriving in the United States in 1985, began working has a floral designer on high profile events such as The Emmy, Golden Globe Awards, Fox Movie studios, Walt Disney Productions,NBC studios, Warner Brothers Movies.Seventeen award winning Rose Parade floats for Phoenix Decorating Company, Million dollar functions at the MGM Mirage Events and the Grand opening of The Bellagio Atrium. This afforded her the opportunity for even more creative expression.
Resuming her career in 1995 after starting a family,completed the Vocational Teachers Credential at Cal State, Long Beach, enabling her employment to utilize her teaching skills through Garden Grove Unified and Coastline Regional Occupational Floral Design Programs.
Moving to Las Vegas in 2005 opened Julie Reed Events, continuing to work successfully with many satisfied clients enabled her in 2008 to purchased The Las Vegas School of Floral Design to educate the designers of tomorrow, so that through floral design, the world will know the beauty of our industry.
Her passion will always be the Art of floral design and she just release her first book Beaty of Life a full color Coffee table book of Art and the Human body adorned with Floral Couture.
Books will be available after the design show and Julie will personally sign your copy.
Website: www.JulieReedEvents.com
Eve Antonello, CBA & Silvia Santos, CBA
A Brazilian native, Eve Antonello graduated with a degree in Business Administration in 1998 and immediately started her career in balloons by opening her store Eve Balões. In 2002, Eve began teaching balloon decorating classes throughout Brazil and quickly started to be noticed as a pioneer in the Brazlian balloon community.
Eve continued to gain more experience through seminars she attended in Brazil, USA, Europe and Asia. Eve’s fascination of the “balloon universe”, which is how she likes to refer to it, continues to ignite her creativity and drives her to invent more efficient techniques to teach to her students.
Silvia Santos began working with balloons in 2003 in Philadelphia under the company So Festas. Since then Silvia has honed her craft and in 2008 united with Eve where they went into business together and created the company Party Planet; a party supply store based out of Brazil and has since moved to Pompano Beach, Florida. Their success was recognized in 2010 when they received the prestigious Brazilian Executive Award. Their status in the community quickly skyrocketed and earned them recognition in the Brazilian and Hispanic balloon communities worldwide.
Together they have received the honor of being highlighted in Qualatex’s yearly calendar, featured in Qualatex’s catalogs worldwide and the publication “Images” in both USA and Europe.
With a combined experience of 16 years in the balloon industry along with their vivacious personalities, they are on balloon decorators “must attend” lists when teaching at any convention.
Their ability to speak Portuguese (their native language), English and Spanish has only opened the gate way for their expertise and knowledge to be shared with designers around the world.
Eve Antonello, CBA and Silvia Santos, CBA: Party Planet Balloon Decor