Stonington Pyro-technician's Stories Are Illuminating

By Ellyn Santiago

Jeff Schneider didn’t play with matches as a kid. Never had any real interest in things that went boom.

That was until in 1979, as a member of the Marine Commerce and Development Committee, he began working with Grucci fireworks handling the logistics of Sailfest’s fireworks display. A few years later, after having worked with the ‘first family of fireworks’, he’d become a part of the Grucci team. It wasn’t his day job. In fact, fireworks look better at night; it was his night job.  

Schneider, who by day is  VP of Marketing & Sales at ASA Environmental Products in Stonington, said the largest and most dramatic of all fireworks displays he’s been part of was the opening of the Atlantis and Palm Jumeirah-Dubai, UAE in 2008.

But he’s also been part of what he calls the most quintessentially ‘Americana’ pyrotechnic display ever, and one of which he is most proud, the (Westerly) Summer Pops fireworks show.  

“I’ve been all over the world and the Pops show” is a favorite, he said. “It’s a big show for what it is and has so much meaning.”  

Schneider has myriad exciting stories to tell about his decades of making people go ‘ahh,’ and ‘whoa,’ and ‘oooh.’  

So, without giving too much more away, make sure to attend his “The Man Behind the Curtain" lecture Sunday June 9 at 5 p.m. at the La Grua Center, 32 Water Street in Stonington. Schneider will share stories about the behind-the-scenes as a professional pyro-technician with Grucci including his experiences and adventures with a number of projects he's worked on, including four presidential inaugurations, three Olympics, and numerous programs in China, Macau, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, as well as Sailfest and Summer Pops.

The lecture is free and open to the public.   For more information visit the LaGrua website.