There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes of events at the Hawaii Convention Center, and helping put it all together is Chris Patrinos, the center's director of audio-visual services. Above, Patrinos checks sound levels from the stage of the center's Lili'u Theater prior to an event.
Show time!
Chris Patrinos blends his business
and entertainment backgrounds for
the benefit of visiting conventioneers
CHRIS PATRINOS is a former "rock 'n' roll guy" who later got "bit by the theatre bug," but who also has experience in the corporate world. So when the opportunity arose to work as director of audio-visual for the Hawaii Convention Center, it was a perfect fit.
Patrinos' employer is Projection Presentation Technology, based in Virginia, which provides services to the convention center under a bid contract.
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Who: Chris Patrinos Title: Director of audio-visual for the Hawaii Convention Center Job: Responsible for facility audio-visual operations, as well as administrative and other duties.
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Patrinos, 35, has a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Rhode Island. He is single but engaged to be married next year to fiance Pam Silva. He lives in Pauoa Valley.
Question: How long have you been director of audiovisual at the Hawaii Convention Center?
Answer: I've been the director here for three years.
Q: What were you doing before that?
A: I was the marketing programs project manager for Xerox Corp. in Hawaii.
Q: What drew you away?
A: While I was there, I actually went back to school at Leeward Community College in theatre arts, for fun. And from there, after taking a few classes, I was afforded a couple of freelance opportunities at the Hawaii Theatre, and I got bit by the theater bug -- being behind the scenes, working shows and concerts and so forth.
Once I left Xerox, I was afforded a position over here, and it was a good fit, because I was able to put together my two strengths -- the corporate world and theater arts. It's basically show business here, like when Vice President Cheney when came through (just before the latest presidential election).
Q: What did you do for the Cheney appearance?
A: I was the technical director for the show. I coordinated all the efforts of the sound technicians, screen technicians, and all the press. At same time, I was also going over schedules with the Secret Service, background checks for all my staff. It was pretty wacky. I'm glad it's over.
Chris Patrinos works at the Hawaii Convention Center, but his actual employer is Project Presentation Technology, which also serves convention centers throughout the mainland.
A: I have a pool of about 25 technicians, all contract labor, that comes in on an as-needed basis. It's actually a two-man operation here -- myself and Newton Koshi. He's the audio-visual operations manager.
Q: Do you have regular hours?
A: You know what? As far as hours are concerned, someone's always got to answer the phone, and that's an 8-to-5 job. But our job is show business, so we're here when the customer is here. For example, we just had the Société Internationale d'Urologie convention, and for that I worked an 85-hour week.
Q: How many people attended that?
A: About 5,000.
A: How did you learn so much about audio visual equipment and theory?
Q: There's three ways I learned this stuff. First, there was Xerox Corp., where I learned about business machines and business networking systems.
The next step was going to Leeward (Community College) and taking theater arts and learning about sound and lights. The third facet is my hobby as a musician. I was a rock 'n' roll guy.
All three of those things helped tie everything back together for me, and I'm probably in the best situation I could be for employment.
Remington College had a graduation ceremony at the Hawaii Convention Center last week, and Chris Patrinos was on hand to make sure the required audio-visual services worked properly, adjusting a speaker during the rehearsal.
A: I played guitar and piano and I was a singer.
Don' forget, I do rock 'n' roll shows. Our rig was just up on Journey (at the Neal Blaisdell Center).
I also was Jim Nabors' stage manager for his Christmas shows at Hawaii Theatre for four years. I was stage manager for the national broadcast of "Songs of Aloha" for PBS television. And the last big one I had was public radio; I run all of their national broadcasts out of Hawaii, like the Garrison Keiler shows.
I'm basically a roadie, is what I am, but I have the tie on and can type faster than anybody.
Q: So, I suppose you have a killer home entertainment center?
A: You know? I do. Because it's really important to me.
Q: What do you do for fun when you're not on the job?
A: I am a staunch UH sports supporter -- football, women's and men's volleyball, basketball and baseball. I am all over their stuff. I go to as many games as I can.
I don't go to many concerts any more, because I'm running them. I do the block parties for Murphy's (Bar & Grill). That's how I got hooked up with all the sports guys.
