Soaring Seahawk Chad Tyner
Kate Heaton | Staff Writer
Issue date: 8/18/09 Section: Lifestyles
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This native North Carolinian is co-founder of Skypanels™, easy-to-install acrylic panels which temper the glare of florescent lights, and University Link, a 100-page subscription magazine that launched this past April. Tyner is also working with UNCW alumnus Tony McNeill, who graduated in 1997, on a product called Desk Mate—a pen and book holder that attaches to elementary school desks.
After leaving UNCW with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, Tyner journeyed to London for a year before moving to New York City where he pursued a career in acting and modeling. During this time he had television appearances for Coors Light and Mazda, among many others.
“I see acting and modeling as I do surfing; I like to do it when I can just for fun. No matter where you live, you can still act and model,” Tyner said. After battling the cold climate of New York, Tyner moved to Los Angeles in 2001, where he decided to switch career paths.
“With acting you have a lot of downtime, and having a business is something you can do on your own,” Tyner said. In 2003, Skypanels™ made its first appearance in several Wilmington-area establishments including Blair Middle School, Sahara Pita Pit restaurant and UNCW. These fluorescent light diffusers are available in an array of cloud designs that help create a more relaxing and soothing atmosphere. They are currently being researched for possible medical benefits.
“We are receiving positive results from research on the effects that Skypanels™ have on children with autism, spectrum disorders, as well as individuals who suffer from migraines while working underneath standard lights all day,” Tyner said. “Once we get scientific evidence on the effects of Skypanels™, we will be able to take it to the next level with marketing and distribution.”
They are also environmentally friendly, with a life span of 20 years compared to the standard fluorescent lighting which only lasts for a few years until replacement is needed.
Tyner’s other project, the University Link magazine, is also succeeding. With headliners like Jimmy Fallon, Kendra Wilson, and Jack Black on the cover it is sure to catch the attention of many college students. The pages are designed to be high-gloss resolution on 8”x11” paper so that students can carry it around in their pockets and not worry about spilled drinks ruining the print. He plans to expand the magazine into 10 major college markets, including North Carolina, in 2011. Tyner envisions this magazine being available to universities and junior colleges along the Raleigh/Durham and Wilmington regions. In each market the magazine will use local college students as writers to reach the demographic audience and provide them with beneficial work experience.
“It simultaneously creates unique opportunities for the next generation of great writers and journalists, while providing its college-age audience with the most compelling, entertaining, informative and thoughtful stories available in any medium,” Tyner said.
Tyner believes his psychology degree has been a great asset to his business successes.
“Everyone has different perspectives in business, and the faster you can understand someone’s perspective the better you are at negotiating and resolving any conflict,” Tyner said. “That goes a long way into creating products and creating business relationships.”
“UNCW offers small classes that you don't feel lost in. The professors are accessible and you can get to know your classmates easily,” Tyner said. He particularly appreciated Dr. James Johnson and Dr. Robert Hakan, both of whom Tyner felt impacted his life.
Although it has been 11 years since Tyner has graduated from UNCW, his ties to the community remain strong. His sister, Angela Hall, teaches in the cosmetology department at Cape Fear Community College, and his brother, Buddy Parks, runs a local antique refinishing store. All five of his nieces and nephews are enrolled in New Hanover County schools.
Tyner and his wife, Niki Bryan Tyner, who graduated in 1999, live in Pasadena, Calif., with their nine-month-old son, Tristan. Mrs. Tyner, who earned a bachelor’s degree in education, is currently working at Archstone-Smith, a rental property company. The two met in Dr. Johnson’s class while attending UNCW.
“I consider myself an extremely optimistic person even after all the challenges I have faced in my life,” Tyner said. He considers this as one of his greatest achievements thus far.
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