With over 25 years of rigging experience and multiple certifications, David Piccola, director of rigging strategy and key account manager at Rigging International Group, specializes in rigging design, sales strategy, labor relations, and project management, with a strong track record of delivering successful and profitable outcomes for clients and stakeholders. He brings a deep commitment to integrity and quality in every project.
Live Design: Please give a brief overview of your training/education/career path.
David Piccola: As with most of us old-schoolers, my education was obtained through hard work and dedication to the industry. I started out as a Union Stagehand in upstate New York. From there, I made my way into a few tours and a few residency shows in Las Vegas. Following my time in Las Vegas, I went into the Ironworker Union to further my knowledge of big rigging. Through a whole chain of events, I ended up landing with a rigging company out of Atlanta. They gave me the opportunity to work in the business of rigging. I started out as a project manager and then morphed into a more senior position. That’s where I discovered what would become my career path, the permanent installation world of professional sports venues.
The very first project that I did in that world was an arena for a professional sports team that was getting an audio and video upgrade. At the time, the specifications for that project didn’t call out anything very specific as it related to chain hoists. The specifications also weren’t very clear on the control system. I was able to convince the team ownership to go with a concept that I had for replacing the traditional hoists with D8 plus chain hoists and using a control system that had the ability to set presets within the software. At the time, nobody was using D8 plus hoists in the States. The team ownership agreed to go with my concept, and really the rest was history. I was able to contribute to the specifications for professional sports arenas, and the D8 Plus hoists became the standard for all permitted installations going forward. I’ve committed myself and my career to making our industry safer and adopting European standards whenever possible.
LD: Please describe your most recent project.
DP: We just finished the audio and sports lighting installation for the new Buffalo Bills stadium.
LD: What are you speaking about at LDI 2025?
DP: I’ll be speaking about European standards related to chain hoists*.
LD: What has been the biggest challenge of your career to date?
DP: There isn’t a challenge that can’t be overcome through education and persistence.
LD: What is your advice for people just getting into the industry?
DP: Stay focused, don’t get too big for your britches, always be humble, and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.
*RIGZ! – Saturday, December 6 @ LDI 2025, 12:30pm-1:50pm: Decoding European Chain Hoist Standards For The USA User: European standards and specifications are commonly referred to or quoted when talking about chain hoist design and use in the USA. This session will teach the average chain hoist user or buyer about what is what in quoted standards and why they should, and in some cases shouldn't, care. Moderator: David Bond, Liftket. Speakers include: Adam Beaumont, Chainmaster; David Piccola, RIG; Katrina Puleo, rigger.
Register for all things rigging at LDI 2025: ldishow.com