6 minute read
Available Light Enters a New Era
from June 2025
Steven Rosen Guides the Firm Through a Thoughtful Leadership Transition
By Randy Reid
After more than three decades at the helm of Available Light, Steven Rosen is methodically guiding his firm into its next phase of leadership.
Founded in 1992, Available Light has grown from a small two-person operation to an internationally respected firm of 35 employees across five cities, specializing in museum exhibits, architectural lighting, location-based entertainment (LBE), and trade show design.
Steven launched Available Light with his wife, Susan, more than three decades ago. Susan, an actor and costume designer blessed with innate business, operational, and organizational skills, partnered with Steven to create a company modeled after the theater world, where an artistic director focuses on the creative side while a managing director handles business operations.
“Since that’s the world we came from, that’s what we knew,” Steven explained. Susan managed the business side while Steven focused on lighting design. Though Susan has largely retired, her foundational role remains integral to the company’s history.
“I was one of those people who thought I would never retire,” Steven admitted. “Available Light was where I’d be until I dropped.” However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to reevaluate his priorities. “It gave me the time and space to reflect on what I want to do,” he said.
During this period, Steven recognized both his desire for personal time and the readiness of his team to assume greater responsibility. “I looked around at my incredible team—the senior leadership, senior associates, and designers—and realized how fortunate we are. They’re immensely talented and ready to take on more responsibility. If I stayed at the top forever, it would limit their ability to grow.”
Several years prior, Steven had already begun selling and distributing company stock to senior leadership, with the idea that the firm could continue beyond his tenure. Over the past year, the leadership team finalized a governance structure featuring both an Executive Committee and a Board of Directors.
The Executive Committee includes Steven, along with Matt Zelkowitz, who oversees the Built Environment division (museums, LBE, and architecture), Bill Kadra, who leads the Trade Show Division, and Annette LeCompte, Executive Director of Operations, who manages the business side.
The Board of Directors is composed of the company’s eight shareholders: Steven, the Executive Committee, and senior leaders Derek Barnwell, Kate Furst, Rachel Gibney, and Ted Mather. “The structure allows the executive directors to lead their divisions while collaborating and reporting to the board,” Steven said. “It also provides flexibility for future adjustments post-my exit.”
Available Light’s unique structure supports two very different business models. The Built Environment division functions much like an architectural design firm, with similar style and operations. They handle design, documentation, specifications, calculations, attend meetings, visit sites, and oversee onsite programming and focusing.
The Trade Show Division, however, operates as a fullservice provider, handling not only lighting design but also supplying truss, rigging, motors, lighting, power distribution, and on-site supervision. “In our trade show work, we design the lighting for the booth and also provide all the equipment and supervision,” Steven explained. “While the Trade Show division represents a significantly different business model, the two divisions are constantly sharing intel on new technologies, methods, and applications— which really adds to our depth and skillset as lighting designers.”
The Trade Show division often relies on a substantial team of freelancers to execute its projects. At the time of this interview, Steven was on-site at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference in Chicago, where Available Light had assembled a 30-person team. Of those, only seven were full-time employees, while the remainder were part of a trusted group of approximately 20 freelancers who regularly support the company’s trade show operations.
Steven emphasized that collaboration has always been central to the company’s culture. “We generally operate by consensus,” he said. “I can’t recall the last time I made a unilateral decision. That’s why this team is so strong— they’ve grown into these roles and are ready to lead.”
Though Steven is preparing for eventual retirement, he stressed that the transition will be gradual over the next few years. “There’s a lot of untangling to do,” he said. “Clients, vendors, relationships—I want to ensure a smooth handoff. I’m intentionally stepping back from meetings and decisions to give the team more ownership, but I’m still here for support.” He also recognizes the emotional complexity of such transitions, noting, “Without a deadline, it’s easy to postpone these decisions indefinitely. I want this team to feel confident when I step away.”
Beyond the firm, Steven remains deeply involved in the lighting design industry. He has played a significant role in launching the professional practice group for museum exhibition design within the Society for Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD), an initiative he began working on three years ago and continues to develop today.
Steven is also closely involved with discussions on transparency within the lighting industry, particularly regarding pricing and specification data. He has moderated several industry panels organized with the IALD and IESNYC that address the growing demand for transparency.
I asked him about the importance of transparency in data, specifically specification sheets. “I think it is important for there to be consistency in the data presented,” Steven said, but emphasized that transparency in pricing is the more significant issue. “Technology and the Internet have made it increasingly difficult to hide how fixtures are priced. While better spec sheet formatting is helpful, pricing honesty is the heart of the transparency discussion.”
The firm’s name itself is rooted in Steven’s personal experiences. He first heard the term “available light” in college, used by both an architect and a photographer to describe working with existing light sources rather than introducing additional artificial lighting.
When it came time to name the company, Steven convened a dinner with friends Glenn Heinmiller, his wife Cathy, and Susan to brainstorm ideas. After several hours— and a few bottles of wine—they couldn’t agree on a name. Only then did Steven share his idea of “Available Light.” His friends immediately endorsed it as the perfect choice.
Looking ahead, Steven envisions a gradual but complete handoff. “Eventually, I’ll step back entirely,” he said. “There’s a lot that I do that others know I do, but don’t necessarily know how I do it. My role now is to help transfer that knowledge so they can ultimately improve upon it.”
For Steven, Available Light has always been about telling stories through light. “The work we do enhances the stories our clients want to tell,” he reflected. “It’s incredibly gratifying to see what our team has accomplished—and will continue to accomplish long after I’m gone.”
