Equity Announces Rick Berg As Eastern Regional Director Designee

Actors' Equity Association (Equity) announced the appointment of Rick Berg to the position of Eastern Regional Director (ERD), effective February, 2010.

Mr. Berg will succeed Carol Waaser, a 27 year veteran of Equity's staff and the ERD for 13 years. Over the next several months, the two will work together in establishing a smooth transition. During this time, Mr. Berg will continue in his current position of Senior Business Rep. Ms. Waaser will retire at the end of her contract.

As the Eastern Regional Director, Mr. Berg will oversee the region's operations, collective bargaining and contracts, including the Production and LORT contracts, and lead a staff of 56. He will join the Executive Team, which is responsible for the overall direction and strategic planning for Equity.

An Equity member since 1980, Berg joined the staff in 1992, after a successful career as a stage manager for such shows as the first national tour of THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF NICHOLAS NICKLEBY, the Off Broadway and LORT tour of FROM THE MISSISSIPI DELTA and several seasons each at Northlight Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse, Cleveland Opera and Great Lakes Theater Festival. For seven (7) years, he was a Business Rep for Developing Theatre, Production, Special Tour Agreements and TYA, among others. Berg was named Senior Business Rep in 1999, supervising more than a dozen staff. During his tenure, he was responsible for the supervision and negation of 12 contracts. He was also responsible for the re-examination of promulgated contracts and codes and oversaw a number of Unfair Labor Practice cases and arbitrations.

Mr. Berg has a BA in Communications from Cleveland State University and holds certificates in Arbitrations and Negotiation from institutions such as Harvard University Law School.