FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CONTACT: Trish Lester
(661) 294-8801

LESTER NAMED DISTINGUISHED
ALUMNUS of ALLAN HANCOCK COLLEGE

Valencia, CA - 14 September 2000 - Lawrence H. Lester, president of Lester Creative Inc. of Valencia, has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, for his accomplishments in the themed entertainment business. Lester received an AA degree from Hancock in 1965, and went on to earn a BA from Cal State University Long Beach and an MFA degree from USC. He and his company, Lester Creative Inc., have developed a number of well-known theme park and Las Vegas hotel attractions.

Lester's achievements are to be celebrated at the college's 80-year anniversary celebration on September 16. An active participant in Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA) -- Hancock's theatre program -- Lester acted in, designed, technically directed, and built a large number of stage productions for the college over many years. After continuing his education and involvement in academic theatre, he went into the themed entertainment business in 1978.
"Allan Hancock College literally changed my life," Lester told college officials, noting that he had intended to major in biology. "My experience with the theatre program at Hancock made me aware of a world I'd never imagined," he said, reflecting on his upbringing in Bakersfield, where as a teenager he had taken summer jobs at a gas station, an oil refinery, and bucking 50-pound sacks of onions and potatoes into boxcars at the packing sheds.

Today, millions of visitors to Las Vegas enjoy some of Lester's accomplishments -- attractions such as the immense bronze lion and brilliant signage at the MGM Grand front entrance; "Atlantis," a multimedia show at Caesars Forum Shops; and the Buccaneer Bay pirate ship battle at the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino. In Southern California, Lester provided the technical expertise to make Mystery Lodge at Knott's Berry Farm a success, and is well known in the industry for his contributions to Universal Studios Hollywood theme park.

During his 11 years in the Planning and Development department at MCA, Inc. (which owns Universal), he produced Earthquake: "The Big One" and oversaw all technical effects for many other notable attractions at the park, such as King Kong, Miami Vice Live Action Show, and Conan: A Sword & Sorcery Spectacular. As Vice President of Show Technical Services, Lester also assisted with many of the attractions constructed for Universal Studios Florida in Orlando. He left MCA after the Florida opening, to start his own business.

Lester founded his company in 1991. Lester Creative Inc. designs, develops and manages the technical production of larger-than-life shows using cutting-edge technology in computer-controlled projection, animation, hydraulics, pyrotechnics, lighting and other special effects.

Lester Creative's latest project, "Artist's Journey," is a 40-passenger motion base ride attraction at Experience Music Project in Seattle, a multi-million-dollar interactive rock & roll museum developed by billionaire Paul Allen. The show opened in June 2000.