The Visual Effects Society (VES), the industry's professional global honorary society, has announced the forthcoming retirement of Eric Roth, the Society's Executive Director for nearly 20 years. Roth will end his tenure as leader of the organization on September 30, 2022, amidst the Society's milestone 25th anniversary year. The VES Board's Executive Committee, under the leadership of VES Chair Lisa Cooke, has created a search committee that will soon begin the process to identify the next Executive Director.
We have been exceptionally proud and fortunate to have a leader of Eric's caliber, possessed with such passion, integrity and vision - and the unparalleled skills needed to drive this dynamic organization forward, said VES Chair Lisa Cooke. As my colleague and friend, Eric is the kind of collaborator, mentor and cheerleader you always hope to work with. Eric has done transformational work in growing the Society into this rich global community, and he leaves an enormous legacy for us to carry forward.
Following is the full text of the letter Eric Roth submitted to the VES Board of Directors:
Dear Friends and Colleagues -
For almost 19 years, it has been my privilege to serve as the Executive Director of the VES. Working with all of you - our extraordinary volunteer leaders serving on the Board to represent our worldwide membership, and certainly the six people who have held the title of Chair - has been a true honor and the pinnacle of my professional career. And now, it is with mixed emotions, that I am announcing my retirement, effective September 30 of this year.
At this time in my life, while being mindful of some underlying health issues, I am looking forward to spending more time with my family, traveling, and pursuing my next chapter. Since I'm about to turn 65 in a few weeks (time certainly does fly by!), and as we are currently celebrating the Society's milestone 25th Anniversary, this seems like the right time to make a transition and usher in the next leader who will carry us forward.
Truly, my time with VES has been filled with many points of pride and accomplishments - we rolled out our award-winning VFX Voice magazine five years ago, created three editions of the VES Handbook of Visual Effects, produced 20 years of our amazing VES Awards Show, hosted our yearly VES Honors and Hall of Fame Program and delivered a robust roster of top-notch programming and online content.
But more than that, we have created a voice for our industry and Society over these years by working together with a common purpose. Although we are an Honorary Society we have found our power - our voice - when we convene industry leaders on vital topics, or issue important whitepapers on the status of the industry or the latest technology. And when we announce the yearly winners of our fabulous VES Awards Show, the industry really takes notice! At the end of the day, I believe that VFX is the beating heart of the worldwide entertainment industry and if you want the best visuals in your show - and who doesn't? - you want to get to know the VES.
We are an organization that runs on volunteer passion. SO many extraordinarily talented people have voluntarily given up their nights and weekends in service to VES over the years. I - and the Society - know we'll never be able to fully repay or acknowledge all that you've done. Just know, you are truly appreciated in ways that are deeply felt for all the contributions you've all made. In fact, our volunteer Committees continue to do vital work in service to our members and the worldwide VFX community, including creating industry-leading mental health benefits, mentoring programs, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, forward-looking technology projects, a video archive and a soon-to-be-realized VFX digital museum, and exclusive opportunities that foster education and professional development.
To be honest, the achievement that truly stands out to me is the sheer growth of VES' membership and reach bound together in a worldwide community. Said another way, WE ARE NOW TRULY GLOBAL. When I assumed this role, we were about 750 people, mostly situated in California; now we have more than 4,400 members in 45 countries and 14 Sections worldwide. I will proudly count our global expansion and influence as the most important part of the legacy I leave behind.
This summer, I will be working with all of you to continue raising the profile and recognition of the VES and the industry, while paving the way for the leader who will succeed me and take the VES to ever-new heights.
The Board's Executive Committee, under Lisa Cooke's leadership, has just created a Search Committee that will shortly begin the process to identify the next Executive Director. I know they will share more with you as this endeavor unfolds.
In closing, it has been my highest honor to serve as your Executive Director for nearly two decades. Thank you for entrusting me with this responsibility. I am more grateful than you will ever know.
I also thank you for your leadership and integrity, your support and your friendship and look forward to hearing all about the great things yet to come for VES!
All my best - Eric Roth
North America Stories
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
25/12/2025
Holiday lights are twinkling, hot cocoa's on the stove and gamers are settling in for a well-earned break.
Whether staying in or heading on a winter getawa...
24/12/2025
What is AI good for? Posted by MTI Film on December 24, 2025
What is AI good for?
What is AI good for?
It's been three years since ChatGPT first cap...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
The Boyfriend' Season 2 Unveils Heartwarming Trailer, Key...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
Love, Fights, and Everything in Between: Badly in Love' Returns for Season 2
Entertainment
24 December 2025
GlobalJapan
Link copied t...
24/12/2025
Scripps Research study links sleep variability with sleep apnea and hypertension How consumers' digital activity trackers could enable personalized health s...
23/12/2025
How guilas Cibae as Dominican Winter League Games Are Locally Produced for Glob...
23/12/2025
BitFire's Jim Akimchuk on Supplying Scalability and Customization in the Clo...
23/12/2025
CAMB.AI Enables European Athletics to Offer Multi-Language SupportPlan is to eventually offer translation into all languages spoken in EuropeBy Ken Kerschbaumer...
23/12/2025
Analysis: As sports media values trend negative, scarcity and quality are king By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Monday, December 22, 2025 - 14:08
Print ...
23/12/2025
ESPN, Disney, and NBA Return to the Animated Altcast Fray With Second Edition of...
23/12/2025
End the Year on a High Note and Donate to the Sports Broadcasting Fund Today! By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:25 pm
...
23/12/2025
A Zeus motor is hot fire tested at L3Harris' Camden, Arkansas, solid rocket ...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Lightware will exhibit several major product innovations at ISE 2026, including the new USB-C BOOSTER-V1, Google Meet. integration for various Taurus UCX models...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Taking the Stage at Carnegie Hall-On a Global Scale Boston Conservatory Orchestra students reflect on their epic concert marking the 80th session of the UN Gene...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's The Great Flood and Culinary Class Wars 2 Top Gl...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things By the Numbers: How the Global Phenomenon Shap...
23/12/2025
Experience the power of WO Automation for Radio's newest service, the System Effectiveness Review. Designed to help you achieve more, a System Effectiveness...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
How Steamy Can It Get? Single's Inferno' Season 5 Pre...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
33 Million Global Viewers on Netflix Watched Jake Paul vs. Ant...
23/12/2025
New technique lights up where drugs go in the body, cell by cell Scripps Research scientists developed a technique that maps drug binding in individual cells th...
22/12/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Presidio's Neerav Shah on the Role of Its Captiva...
22/12/2025
Hitting the bullseye: Sky Sports readies itself for the biggest PDC World Darts ...
22/12/2025
Unique skillset: Bringing new directors to the world of darts at The Worlds with...
22/12/2025
Gravity Media prepares for a flight of fancy with the PDC World Darts Championsh...
22/12/2025
One hundred and eighty: Gravity Media on hitting the production bullseye at the ...
22/12/2025
The Famous Group's Jon Slusser on Fascinating Fans Through Immersive Content...
22/12/2025
ESPN's Meg Aronowitz on Continuing High-Quality Broadcasts of Collegiate Spo...
22/12/2025
ESPN Takes Data-Driven Storytelling to New Heights with MNF Playbook with Next ...
22/12/2025
Paramount Scores Largest Share Increase Among Distributors as Paramount and CBS...
22/12/2025
New multi-year deal integrates Roku's data to fuel Nielsen's measurement suite
Roku gains access to Nielsen's streaming ratings, showing The Roku C...
22/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
22/12/2025
Berklee Wrapped 2025: Our Top News and Stories A look back at a year highlighted by faculty milestones, major film and television projects, Bob Dylan's ho...
22/12/2025
The works of Plato state that when humans have an experience, some level of change occurs in their brain, which is powered by memory - specifically long-term me...
22/12/2025
Workflows allow you to create a sequence of planned events which may be added to your template(s) or inserted directly into your sequential or background playli...
The Visual Effects Society (VES), the industry's professional global honorary society, has announced the forthcoming retirement of Eric Roth, the Society's Executive Director for nearly 20 years. Roth will end his tenure as leader of the organization on September 30, 2022, amidst the Society's milestone 25th anniversary year. The VES Board's Executive Committee, under the leadership of VES Chair Lisa Cooke, has created a search committee that will soon begin the process to identify the next Executive Director.
