Sally Dark Rides: VP of Technical Services John Stegall Retires
Sally Dark Rides announces the retirement of their VP of Technical Services John Stegall (l.) and welcomes Shawn Wiggins (r.) as Technical Designer.
© Photos: Courtesy of Sally Dark Rides
(eap) The US-based company Sally Dark Rides, which – as the name suggests – specializes in the development of dark ride attractions, has announced the retirement of its long-serving Vice President of Technical Services: John Stegall, who has been serving the company for 22 years, will step down and retire. Sally also announced the appointment of Shawn Wiggins as Technical Designer.
Stegall joined Sally in 2002 as Technical Services Manager and was promoted to the position of Vice President in 2015. During his tenure, he played a decisive role in the planning, specification and realization of more than 50 dark rides worldwide – beginning with “Challenge of Tutankhamon” at Walibi Belgium, which opened in 2003 and ending with “Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare”, which is supposed to open this year at Kings Island. Stegall’s responsibilities included, among others, the planning of ride infrastructure, system integration, the procurement of control systems, audio, lighting and special effects as well as interactive technologies. He also led and supervised the company’s in-house electronics production team and ensured that innovative projects were implemented precisely and reliably.
“Stegall’s influence on Sally Dark Rides and the attractions industry as a whole can hardly be overestimated,” emphasizes John Wood, President and Chairman of Sally Dark Rides. “His technical knowledge, his integrity and his commitment to excellence have left a lasting legacy in every project he was involved in and with every team member he mentored.”
New Technical Designer Shwan Wiggins has more than six years of experience in the fields of mechanical engineering, design, prototype development and project management. He is considered a specialist in problem solving, design for manufacturing, prototyping and SolidWorks modelling.
Stegall explains: “Shawn’s engineering background, his systems-oriented thinking and his hands-on experience make him a strong addition to our technical team. I am convinced that he will continue to advance Sally’s commitment to technical excellence and immersive guest experiences.” ■
