Introducing The Lumen Award
This honor is presented to a local industry professional whose work has made a lasting impact on Central New York and the Syracuse community, while also contributing meaningfully to the broader TV and film industry. The award celebrates someone whose talent, dedication, and spirit truly shine a light on the projects and people they touch—and you embody that perfectly.
Meet Mac Cushing 2026
Mac Cushing is the owner of Salt City Grip, Syracuse’s only full brick and mortar lighting rental house, and is also the head instructor of the WCNY Entertainment Academy. An Onondaga County native, he has worked across the country as a set lighting technician since 2006.
Meet Tom Seeley 2025
Tom Seeley is a writer with over twenty-five years of network television experience. Tom has written and produced for shows such as CHEERS, NEWHART, STATE OF GRACE, and MURPHY BROWN, and has won both an EMMY Award and the Humanitas Prize. Tom has taught screenwriting at Syracuse University and Ithaca College. He also consulted in Moscow for the Russian version of the American tv show, EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND. Tom lives in upstate New York with his family. Tom joined WCNY two years ago. He has written several documentaries for the company. He has also been an active part of WCNY’s Entertainment Academy. The Academy has trained over 70 people in the skills needed to be crew members in the growing TV and film production economy of Central New York.