Our team is your team.

As the founder and CEO of Bridgewater Studio, Eric Cup has spent over 25 years honing his skills in custom fabrication, project strategy, and problem-solving. Through Eric's steady guidance and a collaborative team effort, Bridgewater Studio has become a leader in fully-integrated design and fabrication, delivering high-quality results for clients across diverse industries.

What started in a small West Loop loft has grown into three locations across Chicago, with more than 70,000 square feet of production and creative space. Eric attributes the company’s growth to its talented team, a commitment to craftsmanship, and strong community partnerships.

Dedicated to workforce development, Eric works with local organizations to provide job training and create opportunities for the next generation of skilled professionals. He also serves on the board of the Greater Southwest Development Corporation, focusing on initiatives that connect creativity, technology, and meaningful impact.

Patrick is our VP of Production with a background in theatre, television and film. He took a brief 7-year hiatus to become a chef, and returned to his roots to start Bridgewater Studio.

Outside of the studio he can usually still be found in the kitchen.

Chris comes to Bridgewater Studio with more than 30 years of experience. Most recently he spent 15 years in leadership roles in the cultural sector. Prior to that, he spent his long and varied career at the intersection of storytelling, technology, art, and science, while bringing world-class experiences to audiences of all kinds. He is excited to bring that deep pool of experience to bear for Bridgewater’s clients. Outside of work he is probably renovating another room in his 120 year old house, or listening to live music - or both.

Pabel has over 25 years of finance experience focusing primarily on small and medium size companies. His ability to help businesses navigate the financial system in support of their growth through access to capital, cash management and other banking solutions makes him the ideal person for this job.

With a background in theater production and a passion for creating memorable experiences through storytelling and immersive environments, John brings a wealth of expertise to his role as Senior Vice President, Design and Development at Bridgewater Studio. Wildly imaginative, yet incredibly business-savvy, his long list of talents includes exhibit creator, producer, designer, manager, and executive.

Brian brings 30+ years of experience in creative technologies, immersive experience design, live events, and installations. His passion for blending next-level technologies and artistic content fuels a user-centric, personalized approach, making him a pioneer in interactive and immersive user experience design.

Lisa brings over 25 years of leadership experience in the experiential industry, specializing in branded entertainment, sports, retail, and cultural sectors. Before joining Bridgewater Studio, she spent 19 years at Spiro/GES, a global event agency, where she led global holiday and exhibition sales initiatives for major brands such as Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Avatar. Prior, Lisa served as Director of Sales and Marketing for the United States Olympic Committee at IMG, the world's largest sports agency. Lisa’s Olympic sponsorship experience dates back to the early '90s, and she played a key role in developing events for both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.

Lisa is based on the East Coast of the U.S. and has a rich history of international travel throughout her career.

Adam has a background in Industrial Design and has been concepting and designing a myriad of sculpture and entertainment experiences for the past 7+ years. Outside of work, he's probably disc golfing.

Having an extensive background in all types of construction, Ryan has been asked to lead several projects ranging from big to small. He draws on his years of experience to navigate the always changing conditions in custom fabrication. He is extremely grateful to be able to work in such a unique environment and mostly appreciates the relationships he has built along the way.

Kristie brings her 20+ years of experience in exhibit management to Bridgewater’s account management team.  Her background covers branded activations, holiday experiences, event logistics, and client management.  She loves a challenge and enjoys the fast pace of this industry.

Outside of Bridgewater she can usually be found driving someone to hockey practice.

With a degree in Architecture and extensive project development experience, Greg excels in creatively translating concepts into reality. He has a rigorous knowledge of design, production, and installation varying in scale from a piece of furniture to a building, highlighted through his six years as lead developer at an experiential marketing agency. While there, he worked closely with Brands such as Nike, Porsche, and Lululemon.

Prior to experiential marketing, Greg worked in exhibit design and interpretive planning with museums across the west coast. True to his polymath tendencies, he also has experience in new product research and development for consumer electronics. His unique perspective of both production and design consistently result in novel solutions for clients.

Hether has been with us from day one. With certifications in MIG and TIG she started as a welder and soon moved on to our finishing department where she excels as our resident powder coating specialist. In her spare time she searches for the perfect taco and does bad improv at Second City (mostly about tacos).

With over 30 years of fabricating and managing shops, Russ still gets a rush bringing clients ideas to life. In the past, he has worked with museums and toy companies to help make visions a reality. Given his background in design, Russ is a very detail oriented worker. His experience allows him to think quick on his feet and solve problems that arise during the creative process. Outside of the studio, you can find Russ at home creating flowerbeds for his wife and asking his kids how their days have been. He asked Aaron what he had for dinner the other night, and Aaron said he ate in Patrick’s kitchen.

Sam moved to Chicago to join the Bridgewater team after earning his degree in Industrial Design from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In addition to Industrial Design he also carries an educational background in Graphic Design and Fine Jewelry, immersing himself in the fields of design and fabrication. He has years of professional experience working in the sign and printing industry doing everything from design, vinyl application, printing and installing.

Aaron has been building things since he was a kid. He recently received his welding certification from Moraine Valley College and has been a carpenter for 16 years.

He enjoys spending time with his family, renovating his house, working on cars and cooking. If you ask Aaron what he had for dinner last night, he will tell you.

After training as a stage manager, Adeline has worked in many industries including theatre, construction, events, and experiential design before finally landing in her current position here at Bridgewater Studio. She is looking forward to applying all the tips and tricks she has learned over the years to make this team the best we can be. If you're looking to brighten Adeline's day, a Diet Coke usually does the trick.

Virgo Rising.