The Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals (AOLP) has honored Jimmy Kidd, CLVLT, COLD — owner and designer of Tranquility Lighting Design in Owensboro, Ky. — with the 2025 Feature-Focused Outdoor Lighting Award at Illuminate ’25, the association’s annual conference and expo. This award recognizes outstanding lighting design that highlights an outdoor feature, such as water elements, statuary, gardens, walkways or memorials.
Kidd’s award-winning project at VFW Post 696 in Owensboro, Ky., revitalized and enhanced the visibility of a cherished veterans memorial situated along the city’s downtown riverfront.
“I knew the memorial was important to the veterans and other visitors that pass it every day,” said Kidd. “But I didn’t fully appreciate its emotional role until my first day on-site, when a group of veterans stepped out to play taps and honor the flag at sunset. That’s when I understood how personal this memorial is to them and how it serves as a daily point of reflection.”
Previously illuminated by a single spotlight, the memorial now features a sophisticated design triangulating three fixtures per flagpole and integrates linear wash lights on both sides of the monument to decrease shadows and enhance legibility. The installation includes 31 fixtures, 21 precision-drilled holes and meticulously concealed wiring to keep the site’s aesthetic integrity.
“This was a complicated and labor-intensive installation,” said Kidd. “It was my first time lighting a public monument, and we’re proud of the final product.”
The project unveiling, held in conjunction with a Veterans Day ceremony, brought the memorial’s renewed presence into full view of the community, including Post members, their families, local media and Boy Scout troops.
“The ceremony and lighting reveal were incredibly emotional,” Kidd said. “The appreciation from the community, and especially from those who’ve served, filled me with gratitude, patriotism and pride. It feels great to have this project recognized by my peers in the AOLP.”
Kidd sees this as the start of a new chapter in his work.
“I’m on the lookout for these types of opportunities now,” he added. “So many public spaces and memorials are only built for the daytime. Smart lighting gives people a chance to appreciate their meaning and beauty after dark. If my lighting helps someone pause to read a name or reflect on a sacrifice, even at night, then I consider it a win.”
