We all start somewhere...
In early 2016, Thom Tanner was working for a medical device manufacturer in Northern California when he received a call from his younger brother Neil, who owned a film production company. An upcoming shoot at Lucasfilm required teleprompting for people who were both very tall and very short! The event would certainly require a stage hand to adjust the teleprompting screen, which calls attention to their height differences and add delays.
Time was limited, but within a week Thom designed a working prototype, welded from scrap metal and constructed with spare electronics- except the film shoot was in two days! At 3am the next morning, the prototype was sprayed in black Krylon, and Neil picked it up for an 8am start at Skywalker Ranch in Marin County. Thom held his breath…
At 11am, Thom received a call from Neil- it had worked perfectly, and Lucasfilm loved it! Even better, the director of special effects was impressed with the design (a true compliment, indeed!).
Soon after, Thom realized there was a real need for robotic teleprompters that could be remotely raised and lowered, matching a speaker’s line of sight with the audience. He had just turned 50, and after working for 20 years at the same company, it was time for a leap of faith. Tanner and his future business partner Steve McNerney began TeleStepper in mid-2016, selling their robotic teleprompters by word of mouth. A month later, Thom received the break he was looking for when staff members at the White House discovered their product at a convention and placed an order, helping launch the business. PresenterTek is now an official supplier of teleprompters to the White House, Pentagon, United Nations, Apple and many others!
For 2025, Thom’s lofty two-year goal is called “7 and 7”, which requires TeleSteppers to be installed on all 7 continents, and used by the world’s G7 leaders.
This way of thinking won many clients by providing for their success.
Today, after many hours of engineering, design validation and practical testing we offer products which are rugged enough to use daily, in a variety of situations and in permanent installations.
Our Values
Our products are designed and manufactured in Grass Valley, CA which provides good-paying jobs that support American families.
We are willing to accept a lower profit margin by choosing not to outsource overseas. Having our engineers close ensures the highest quality of product. In addition, our US-based customer service enables us to have a reliable support team that not only understands how to troubleshoot technology, but who can also relate with our customers’ needs.
WHEN YOU CHOOSE PRESENTERTEK, YOU’RE HELPING KEEP AMERICA’S ECONOMY STRONG.
Steve McNerney
Steve’s experience as a firmware and senior systems engineer is unique, having worked in industrial automation, motion control, GUI development, embedded software and with medical devices. As such, he’s a valuable asset to PresenterTek, contributing both towards the leadership and all electronics architecture. In a previous role with a medical device manufacturer which offered season concert tickets to Shoreline Amphitheater, he developed an affinity towards music and is now an accomplished guitarist helping to mentor younger adults in learning to play the acoustic, bass and electric guitar. His favorite guitar is electric…go figure! Steve also spends much of his leisure time travelling and on a pontoon boat owned with his wife Grace.
Thom Tanner
Away from PresenterTek, Thom can be found rock climbing, backcountry skiing, paddle boarding, cycling and travelling. He enjoys Spartan races and alpine mountaineering, with a planned visit to Everest base camp in spring 2025. At a young age, he realized his heroes were inventors and responsible people everywhere. He’s been a volunteer in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program for 10+ years, and also donates his time as a licensed medic for the Special Olympics. An avid supporter of US Veterans, he will always stand for the national anthem to honor those who sacrificed their lives so that we may be free.
LeeAnn Smith
LeeAnn brings many years of design and manufacturing engineering to PresenterTek, and is now currently managing all efforts to optimize current products, transfer new designs into manufacturing and ensure quality products. Her experience includes over 24 years of engineering experience as seasoned Engineer for an In-Vitro diagnostics medical device manufacturer, where her emphasis was placed upon quality products and proper documentation. LeeAnn enjoys travelling, 4-wheeling and spending time with family and friends.
Rachel Belendez
Rachel’s experience in product manufacturing spans over 20 years, working formerly at a medical device company. She brings a strong commitment towards ensuring quality and documentation to PresenterTek. As one of the company’s greatest strengths, she arrives every day with a smile on her face. Rachel enjoys spending time with her 5 sons and grandson, and can frequently be found at the ocean, river or lake. A proud mom of a son in the US Army, she possesses a keen ability to identify any music artist in any genre. Her favorite saying? “Integrity is doing the right thing- even when no one is watching.”
Sean Smith
Sean assists PresenterTek with his ability to connect with customers and understand their requirements. In his spare time, Sean enjoys anything outdoors especially snowboarding, motorcycle riding, hiking, and camping. He loves spending time with family, especially his niece, nephew and his mother.
Jori Stevian Delaney
Jori is the Website Designer & Webmaster for PresenterTek. She is also the Owner of Bee Seen Marketing, a website design company. With a degree in commercial photography from Columbia College Chicago and 15+ years in the design and marketing industry, she is responsible for all things website related. She is eager to keep our website looking fresh and updated.