Ken founded this company over 30 years ago. He graduated with a BA in Technical Theater from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and an MFA in Theater Design from Ohio State University. Ken is a talented designer and artist himself. He founded Gelbach Designs to design, build, and install trade show booths, television studio sets, and custom projects all over the United States and other places around the world. Eventually, those projects morphed into what is now TVSetDesigns.com where the focus is on broadcast news sets and desks, as well as custom projects. His secret weapon? He has brought together an impressive array of designers, artists, and craftspeople who bring their extensive experience and talent.

Tonya is a co-owner at TVSetDesigns.com. After working for Belk Store Services heading up special events, she took a break from the corporate world to raise her children. Now she is back working with us (lucky us!). Not only does Tonya bring her laughter and sunny disposition, but most importantly, at staff meetings she brings donuts. If she cannot be there with the donuts, then we simply do not meet.
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Tonya’s style and artistic decisions are visible in the beauty and simplicity of our sets. However, her work really shines in the details. From coordinating freight logistics to polishing desks before they glide out the door, she doesn’t miss a beat.

Myles oversees procurement and coordinates installations. His responsibilities extend to managing prepress and printing operations. In addition to being our in-house photographer, one of his hobbies is drone photography and capturing shimmering skylines. On weekends you’ll find him trying to guide his Jeep through treacherous terrain.

Taylor is from southern Louisiana and attended Louisiana State University where he earned a bachelor's in marketing. He helps manage the production floor of TVSetDesigns.com by coordinating the manufacturing and assembling of sets and desks that are displayed across the globe. An avid hiker, Taylor can be found most weekends honing his photography skills in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Anna has worked for TV Set Designs since it was first opened but became a permanent fixture in 2020. She handles anything from painting and cleaning to building and packing in the back of the shop. Outside of work, Anna runs a successful art and design business, Anna Gelbach Designs, and coaches track and field at Myers Park High School. She chauffeurs Chewy, the resident snooperviser, to work every morning. In her free time, she loves to read, cook, watch TV with her husband, Taylor, and hike!

After earning a degree in Theatre Arts from Penn State, Gillian worked as a Prop Master and Production Designer in theater, film, and TV. During her decades of freelance work, she accumulated many useful and unusual skills.
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During her 3 seasons on Homeland, she learned how to make suicide vests and create “conspiracy walls.” Working on Magic Mike XXL taught her how to “make it rain,” among other things that she’s not allowed to talk about. With 24 episodes of The Walking Dead under her belt, she could be a first-round pick for your Apocalypse team. With all of the strange Google searches she has done while researching props, she’s quite certain she must be on a watch list somewhere!
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If you reach out to TVSetDesigns.com by phone or email, your first contact will likely be with Gillian. She enjoys guiding clients through our process and helping them make their plans a reality.

Nic graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture. Their architectural background has led them into various design fields throughout their career, including architectural, exhibit, graphic, web, and now set design. Nic brings this diverse experience together in their role as Marketing Manager and Set Designer

Shannon Russell is our resident genius. As Technical Director he delights in figuring out how to design and build our most difficult projects. He attended the North Carolina School of the Arts and is an expert in woodworking, mechanics, metals, electronics, CNC routers, drafting, and more. He has installed theatrical sets in cruise ships all over the world. These days he has reverted to being a landlubber, but we call him Captain CAD for how well he navigates design files. A concise list of his full accomplishments and experience is beyond the scope of this document.

In addition to all these skills, he is a taciturn curmudgeon with a dry sense of humor.

Ben Ross is a Master Carpenter with a BFA in Art with a concentration in painting from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. He excels in CAD and is highly accomplished in fabrication with plastics, metal, and wood. Sustainability is very important to Ben and he constantly works toward maximum efficiency in his projects. Ben’s work ethic, creativity, and versatility are evident in every project he undertakes. His favorite jobs have been sets for NASCAR, NASA, and ESPN.

Prior to joining us, Ricky worked for Retail Store Fixtures for 35 years. He’s one of those people that knows a lot about everything and can find a way to improve any situation or project. He’s been a big part of our company’s team for years as our resident Master Craftsman.
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Ricky’s handiness is not limited to the shop. He has a collection of Ford Mustangs that he keeps running like a dream. 

Greg Weston has a BFA in Art with a concentration in Sculpture from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. While there, he specialized in bronze casting. Now, he excels in every imaginable area of the metal shop: drafting, MIG and TIG welding, plasma cutting, and steel bending. Greg is comfortable working with steel, aluminum, stainless, bronze, and copper. He is also a gifted artist creating impressive pieces in wood and metal. His fastidious attention to detail ensures that everything he does is pretty much perfect. A few of Greg’s favorite projects have been for Dell Computers, NASA, and Redd's Apple Ale. He has been with us for over 15 years.

Chewy is Taylor’s right-hand dog with a passion for walks and supervising, she has spent her career working alongside fabricators to ensure the smooth operation of the fabrication shop. As assistant to the shop manager, Chewy has extensive knowledge of a wide range of processes and equipment, including fetch, barking, and begging. She works closely with the fabrication team to identify and address any bottlenecks or inefficiencies and is always on the lookout for ways to improve scritches and increase treat supply.

Captain’s zeal in our Salesperson Outreach Program is unparalleled. He greets unannounced salespeople with gruff barks, a mildly uncomfortable stare, and plenty of unwanted attention. This starts as soon as they approach the front porch.

However, when appointments are scheduled, there is no need for Captain’s welcome wagon. Instead, salespeople can meet directly with our designers, fabricators, and purchasers. If you are a client touring the shop, even better! Captain will lead the way. He even accepts tasty treats as a tip for his tailor-made tour services.

If you said, “That cross between a muppet and a toilet brush looks too big to be a lap dog,” you would be correct.  However, as the facility manager in charge of alarm oversight and troubleshooting, you’ll find he prefers a pre-emptive and very large-sound approach. As a company, we have accepted that this will most likely never change.

Ralphie is photographed in front of our logo Wall of Fame while guarding one of our CNCs.