Anyone can purchase electronic boxes and manuals, but our staff is unique in their ability to design innovative and create applications for the production and presentation media of today's world. Bowen Technovation invites you to meet some of our primary full-time staff members. These principle staff members are assisted by additional full-time, part-time, and contract programming and installation associates.

The People


Jeff Bowen
Jeff was an honors biochemistry major at the University of Illinois, and since 1985 has pioneered the concepts of time-code synchronized audio and video for sound recording, digital video, sports, planetarium, museum, and educational applications. Jeff and his staff have recently designed, installed, and operate a 400 seat event Pavilion, 100 seat team meeting room, and A/V systems for a fitness/training center for the Indianapolis Colts. Jeff has served as gameday producer for the 57,000 seat RCA Dome while producing radio and TV campaigns for other pro sports franchises. He speaks often to student groups, and conducts sound design workshops at numerous planetarium, video production, and museum conferences. August 1994 marked the release of Jeff's 400 page CD-ROM interactive book “Becoming a Computer Musician”. This book is published by Macmillan Computer Publishing in English and Spanish. Jeff also was 1994-95 President of the International Television Association, Indianapolis Chapter.

Jeff served as producer of the first three panoramic video multimedia shows to be designed for the new Spitz Electric Sky Immersive Visualization Theatre at the new Northern Lights Centre at Watson Lake in the Canadian Yukon.

Bowen Technovation awards include:

1999 Emmy Award

1998 Fellow, International Planetarium Society

1997 National 1st Place Vision Production Award

1996 Fellow, Great Lakes Planetarium Association

1994 Silver Screen (International Video and Film Festival)

1993 CINDY Gold Award

1992 CINE Golden Eagle

1991 New York Film Festival Bronze Apple

Multiple Addys

ITVA Meritorious Service Award

As a composer-producer Jeff Bowen combines years of studio and stage experience to provide a fresh resource for creative music scores and educational programs. Jeff sees his specialty as producing science education programs for young persons and is currently syndicating his “AstroNotes” astronomy series throughout school and science center planetariums. You probably are familiar with his work as he has produced or composed soundtracks for over 300 planetarium, film and video productions, including many nationally and internationally acclaimed works. Jeff is a BSS Soundweb Designer/Programmer and has programmed many Soundweb surround-sound systems.

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Diana Bowen

In 2001, Diana Bowen completed a successful 23 year career as a Vice President and Division Manager with a large banking corporation, and now manages the daily and strategic finances and contract designs of our company.  She is well-known by our vendors and clients as she handled duties for us on a part-time basis since 1985 and has attended various conferences and trade shows with Jeff.  The 1978 graduate of the School of Business and Finance at Anderson University also studied at American University in Washington, DC and worked as a researcher in the Congressional Budget Office.

Passionate about the living conditions of animals and the environment, she typically is accompanied to work by one of the Bowen family pooches.

e-mail her at:



Mark Trotter
Mark has an extensive background in museum and planetarium work that spans twenty-five years. At Louisiana Tech University in Ruston Louisiana he was a Mechanical Engineering major and began his planetarium career as a student worker and later as director of the university's planetarium. From there he returned to his hometown of Shreveport, LA to direct the city's planetarium for ten years. As the planetarium curator for the Audubon Louisiana Nature Center in New Orleans he was responsible for the programming and financial success of the planetarium as well as maintaining exhibits throughout the center. He also has worked as Operations Director for a major audio visual company where he was directly responsible for the daily operation and supervision of all technical staff, hotel audio/visual managers and scheduling for road shows. In addition to his planetarium career he has also worked on design and fabrication in the archery business including writing software for calculating energy storage efficiencies of various bow designs. Mark is also a certified Barco CRT Technician and is Certified for AMX Control System Design and Installation.

Mark's years of planetarium, museum and audio visual experience is complementary to Bowen Technovation commitment to quality equipment, design and service.

e-mail him at:



Jeff Norris
Having worked in the audio/visual industry for more than fifteen years, Jeff has done everything from starting out with hotel a/v setup through currently engineering complex integrated systems for installation.

Jeff has had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects including classrooms, training rooms, auditoriums, boardrooms, museums, and planetariums. Some of these projects include assisting Jeff Bowen with the first three productions and system installation for the first Spitz Electric Sky theater in the Canadian Yukon, systems at MOSI Tampa, Spacequest Planetarium, Fernbank Science Center, Cumberland Science Museum, and new construction at OBU Planetarium. He also worked with Jeff and other Bowen staff to direct live gameday production of NFL Indianapolis Colts in-stadium and broadcast elements including scripting, video, audio, lighting, and pyrotechnics.

Jeff is experienced in AutoCad creating architectural markups, system flow diagrams, concept design drawings, installation documentation, and as-built drawings.

He attended Butler University in Indianapolis, majoring in Radio and Television, while minoring in theater. It was during an early 90’s class visit to what was then Bowen Music Productions that he first met Jeff Bowen.

Jeff is a Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation member, Historic Landmarks Foundation member, Indiana Historical Society member, Indianapolis Museum of Art member, enjoys travel, photography, movies, mountain biking, and is a Lab retriever nut.

He holds specialized training/certifications from Extron school of AV technologies, Blonder Tongue basic training, VidCad 2000 documentation software workshop, is an ICIA certified technology specialist (CTS), and has attended the ICIA essentials of the Industry class.

e-mail him at:


Daniel Ritchie

 An Iowa native, Dan joined the staff in 2000. He attended Waldorf College while working towards a degree in general engineering, but developed a keen interest in video production and technical theater. He transferred to Middle Tennessee State University to earn a BS in Sound Engineering.

Also an avid photographer with a high level of experience in Photoshop, he has a keen interest in, and skill set for, creation and troubleshooting of electronics software and hardware. Dan worked extensively with development of our new incandescent and LED lighting systems, and commonly is an on-site project manager and trainer for corporate, exhibit, museum, and planetarium clients. Dan is also a cerfified AMX programmer, a BSS Soundweb Designer/Programmer, and a certified Barco CRT Technician.

e-mail him at:

Mike Grznar

Mike fits right in at BT as he is an accomplished keyboard artist with degrees in Astronomy and Physics from Ohio Wesleyan University. He came to us after a great stint at Center of Science and Industry in Columbus (COSI), Ohio where he kept busy with public speaking and performance, Spitz and Digistar planetarium/theater operation, SPICE automation programming, Digistar programming, script composition and production, electronic repair and large telescope operation.

At BT he is one of our certified Barco CRT specialists, programs show control systems for clients, and provides a high level of technical and creative support for show production and systems. Mike holds certifications with Barco, Medialon, Dataton, and AMX. 

e-mail him at:

Michael Phillips

At an early age Michael was introduced to the innovative ways of thinking and problem solving that allow him to excel at every task. From 1973 until 1983 he developed as a general machinist and machined parts for the General Electric Turbo Shaft 300 & 350 Turbine Helicopter Engine. During 1977 the family owned machine shop took on a springboard project from an investment group of designers and mechanical engineers. They helped develop a hybrid electric/gasoline powered car shown for the first time at the Indianapolis Auto Show, which also drew local news coverage. Since 1985 he has held an Associates Degree in Electronics Engineering from ITT Technical Institute and is currently our Service Department Manager. He is also our primary AutoCAD draftsman and holds the highest level of Barco Certification available, as well as having earned other important equipment design and support certifications.

Michael also has a strong background in the design and operation of analog and digital lighting systems and comes in quite handy as an occasional installer.

Like everyone else at Bowen Technovation, Michael Phillips has varied skill and education levels that culminate in the addition of another flexible, helpful, and valued employee for the Bowen Technovation team.


e-mail him at:


Brien Barr
Brien very well may be the person who has configured and tested your new Bowen FXCreator audio/video editing system. His solid education in audio and video production began with chasing and receiving a BA in Telecommunications/Minor Studies in Film at Ball State University. He is also a holder of multiple Advanced Master Class Certifications from the well-known Recording Workshop (Chillicothe, OH) including Recording Engineering & Music Production Program, Studio Maintenance & Troubleshooting Program, and Advanced Recording Engineering & Music Production Program.

His knowledge of digital production software is extensive and includes the Adobe Digital Video Suite Pro (Photoshop, Premier, Audition), Illustrator, Media 100, Vegas, ProTools, Avid, 3D Max, Digital Performer, Peak, and Spark. Brien is also a certified Barco Technician, a Soundweb Designer, and Xantech Design certified.

Brien also is experienced in wiring, installation, and programming of our most advanced surround audio systems.

e-mail him at:


Jason Umbreit
Jason Umbreit joined us after a stint with a well-known, Indianapolis-based company that focuses on lighting, audio, and video for scholastic and theater applications.

He earned a BS in Communications with emphasis on Electronic Media from the University of Indianapolis and has experience installing and maintaining dimming racks, consoles, and stations, installing audio, video, and television editing equipment, installing, servicing, and setting up computer networks. He served as a factory representative for Leviton Lighting Corporation on final installation of lighting systems.

Jason worked with an Indianapolis radio station, maintained the station's audio chain, surveyed sites for remote broadcast, engineered remote broadcasts, and maintained production and on-air studios.

Jason has also completed the Leviton Service Sominar for certification to work on Leviton products and installations, and completed Cisco Networking Academy II (semesters I and II).

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Jon Harp
Jon graduated from Ball State University with a degree in Telecommunications. He has experience in writing, shooting, and editing digital video, as well as a background in computer troubleshooting and networking in a college setting as a system maintenance staffer at BSU. At BT he works with client training, workstation setup, and configuring, general system wiring and content development for our print promotions, Web site, and client interactives.

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Paul Drenth
Paul comes to us from the world of live sound reinforcement where he spent more than five years working as a freelance FOH and monitor engineer. Integrating this with recent experience in the field of A/V and Electro-Acoustics consulting, Paul looks forward to playing an integral role at BT. He understands the importance of detailed system design to assure problem free integration and implementation. If a problem should arise, Paul has an excellent problem solving skill set developed over years of live events and event-critical situations. He also has professional experience in CCTV, access control, and alarm systems as well as construction, mechanical fabrication and repair.

Paul earned an Associates of Science Degree in Show Production and Touring from Full Sail University and eagerly awaits the chance to pursue further education.

He enjoys weekends spent in the elements fishing, camping, mountain biking, and eating trail mix whenever possible.


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Jamie Hibbs
Jamie is the Bowen Technovation traffic cop. He manages all the incoming and outgoing shipments and inventory.

Before joining BT, he spent several years at the nation's one and only mammoth Guitar Center Distribution Center. His work included monitoring accuracy of incoming product orders, managing inventory with custom, self-made spread sheets, while assisting in time assessment studies to improve product efficiency, and flow through the facility,

Jamie also worked as lighting technician & crew chief for touring music acts and is experienced in operation and programming of digital lighting controllers, stage lighting design, follow spot operation, managing the stage crew, scheduling travel itineraries, and tracking expenses.

He is a drummer and is the proud owner of a custom finished Pearl drum kit.

e-mail him at:

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