Rob Ludwig founded Five Lakes Marketing in 2003 with the mission of providing highly technical sales support for manufacturers of theatrical lighting equipment.

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After working for an industry-leading supplier of control and dimming equipment, Ludwig was made Sales Manager for a manufacturer that used rep firms and was at the forefront of control, dimming, and power distribution. It was during his travels managing rep firms that Ludwig realized the need for what some might have considered a niche rep agency at the time—one that was solely focused on professional-grade entertainment and theatrical lighting, atmospheric effects, rigging, power distribution, and control. At the time, most rep firms were primarily audio-focused, with a lighting line or two, or they were architectural lighting firms that often had over 50 lines and were more focused on architectural project work, rather than building and supporting a dealer network—which Ludwig felt was key to growing theatrical lighting sales and essential to supporting those sales.

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In 2014, Ludwig further expanded Five Lakes Marketing by adding industry veteran Ed Cheeseman, who at the time was West Coast Regional Manager for another lighting fixture manufacturer. In 2024, he added a control and network specialist, Griffin Kirby. In addition to working with various manufacturers, Five Lakes personnel use their combined 50-plus years of experience to pen articles in publications like PLSN and ESTA’s Protocol, often covering stories about Lighting Designers and how they approach their designs.

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Working with some of the most respected brands in the industry, Five Lakes Marketing offers product demonstrations for rigging, power distribution systems, and lighting fixtures using their Obsidian control and Netron networking solutions, while building show files for high-profile clients. Their specialties include teaching users how to set up a lighting network and operate Obsidian lighting controllers. In addition, they can provide pre-visualization and on-site programming assistance, as needed, as well as project commissioning—all through their dealer network as value-added services to their clients. Their technical skill set and creative background allow them to partner with designers, dealers, and production companies to help specify the proper gear for projects of any size.

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Rob Ludwig

Western Michigan

Illinois

Wisconsin

Western Pennsylvania​​​​​

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​​​Ed Cheeseman​​

Southeastern Michigan

Ohio

Indiana

Minnesota

Kentucky

Iowa

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Griffin Kirby​

Control & Network Specialist

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