Our Roots
We thought long and hard about putting our mission statement on our web site. We wanted to make it "pretty" and sound just great, maybe even throw in a few buzzwords. But we wondered just how many people really care about the words in the formal statement. So we thought we'd just tell you a little bit of who we are and what we're about.
Our Mission: To support your next masterpiece.
Mid America is truly a family company, but the term "family" extends beyond genetic ties. The Mid America Family is made up of everyone who is a part of our organization. Some of us are related, and some of us are extended family. The point is, we're a bunch of people dedicated to making things work for you. If you look good, we look good.
Doug Wandrei
Our history is pretty interesting (at least we think so). The Wandrei family has been lighting masterpieces for over 100 years! The company was founded by Doug Wandrei, who followed in the footsteps of his ancestors and made a significant impact on the stage and lighting industry. Sadly, Doug passed away in April, 1998.
It all began with Gus...
It seems that the members of the Wandrei family have the entertainment industry in their blood. The Wandrei family has been in show business for over 100 years! Mid America's forebears were some of the founding fathers of stage lighting. |
Doug Wandrei , Mid America's founder, inherited his love of the business from his father and grandfather. Gustave "Gus" Wandrei, Doug's grandfather, managed the monumental task of erecting, razing, transporting, and storing the largest piece of canvas on earth – the "Big Top" which housed the Barnum and Bailey Circus. |
Today, the family tradition continues. Owner, Cheryl Wandrei Larner runs Mid America with a dedication to supreme customer service and support. Cheryl's daughters, Shannon and Teresa are also on staff at Mid America making it FIVE generations deep.