Mark Abdo Kelli Allen - World Waterpark Association...Mark Abdo Mark Abdo has been the Aquatics...

WWA ShoW • west palm beach 2013

speakers

115

speakers

Kevin V. AbbateKevin V. Abbate is the Director of Parks and Recreation

for Martin County. He joined the Martin County team in February 2011. Abbate received his master’s in public admin-istration from Florida Atlantic University and his bachelor’s of science in parks and recreation management from Florida International University. His career in parks and recreation

started as a teenager in Broward County in 1986 while attending college, where he also played baseball and ran cross-country. Abbate began his professional career in 1992 for the Broward County Parks and Recreation Division. Abbate started as the Aquatics Coordinator and progressed to the administrative position as the Parks and Recreation Manager V for Broward County. He also worked overseeing two family-sized waterparks for Palm Beach County for six years. Abbate has received accolades such as Employee of the Year for Broward County and has received the County Administrators Awards for both Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Abbate has resided in south Florida for the past 40 years with his wife and two children.

Mark AbdoMark Abdo has been the Aquatics Supervisor for the

City of Largo since 2004, but has been associated with the field for 30 years. He received his master’s in public educa-tion from the University of South Florida and his bachelor’s degree in leisure recreation from Eckerd College. Abdo also received a graduate certificate in nonprofit management

from USF. He has been a Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) since 1981, and has presented at region, state and national level conferences. He is the co-founder of the Pinellas Aquatics Council and a past President of the Florida Recreation & Park Association and the FRPA Foundation.

Kelli AllenKelli Allen is the Group Sales & Admissions Coordinator

for NRH2O Family Water Park, located in North Richland Hills, Texas. Allen’s career at NRH2O started in 2002 when she was hired as lifeguard and she immediately fell in love with the waterpark industry. In 2009, she began her full-time career as sales representative and is responsible for all

group sales, consignment accounts and birthday parties. In the offseason, she is also responsible for working with marketing to create new and innovative methods to sale and promote NRH2O.

Ryan AlvinRyan Alvin, Principal and Vice President of Construction for Horizon Construction

Group, oversees all of the firm’s budgeting, pre-construction and project management services. Alvin leads the project team in attaining budget requirements, ensuring a com-petitive buyout process and supporting all of the project managers who report to him. He assists clients from the conceptual development stage with early cost-estimating, phasing and site logistics expertise, through final construction, making sure that the project gets completed on time and within budget. Prior to joining Horizon in 2004, Alvin’s experience included roles as construction project manager, project estimator and project engineer. Alvin’s presence in the industry is bolstered by his involvement in numerous national organizations, including the Design Build Institute of America, Associated Builders and Contractors, Construction Management Association and


speakers

116

the National Association of Home Builders. Alvin received his bachelor of science in construction management with a minor in business administration from the University of Wisconsin Platteville.

Craig AndersonCraig Jon Anderson draws upon more than 30 years of

private sector experience, much of it in marketing, product management and sales. During that time, he played a signifi-cant role in numerous business start-ups and product and service introductions. He holds an MBA from the University of Virginia, Darden School of Business Administration and a

B.S. in health information management from The Ohio State University. His avoca-tions include surfing, scuba diving, stand-up paddle boarding and playing guitar/singing. He aspires to be a beach-bum.

Kurt A. Anselmi, EsquireKurt A. Anselmi specializes in the defense of claims against

the amusement industry. He is a Charter Member of the Board of Directors of the International Amusement and Leisure Defense Association (IALDA), as well as a member of Amusement Industry Manufacturing & Suppliers International (AIMS)), International Recreational Go-Kart Association

(IRGA) and International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA). He has been recognized as a premier defense trial attorney by the Roller Skating Association (R.S.A.), The Roller Skating Safety Act of 1988, currently known as Michigan Compiled Laws 445.1121, et seq, effective February 1, 1989, was drafted by Anselmi in 1986 on behalf of the Michigan Chapter of the R.S.A. This Act was the first state law to recognize assumption of risk as a defense for claims filed against roller skating centers. Currently, Anselmi represents amusement parks, fam-ily entertainment centers, roller skating centers, ski resorts and waterslide/karting centers throughout Michigan. Anselmi earned his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Michigan in 1976 and his Juris Doctorate from the Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University in 1981, graduating with honors.

Jason ArthurJason Arthur is Regional Director of Aquatics for Great

Wolf Resorts. His responsibilities include development of waterpark protocols and procedures for all properties, assist-ing in the opening of new properties and recruiting and build-ing a strong leadership team company wide. Arthur is based out of the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, Ohio, where he

oversees all daily operations of the 80,000-square-foot indoor waterpark. Arthur started his career as a lifeguard in 1993 at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari. Since that time, he has worked in all facets of the industry including large and small wa-terparks, pool management companies, theme parks and indoor waterpark resorts. Arthur is currently licensed as an Instructor-Trainer for Jeff Ellis & Associates, as well as a Certified Pool Operator (CPO). Arthur is a member of the WWA Waterpark Resort Committee.


speakers

117

James BarnesJames “Jim” Barnes currently serves as Director of

Operations for the Village of Wellington. In that capacity, he oversees the Planning, Zoning & Building, Public Works, Utilities, Engineering Services and Parks & Recreation depart-ments. He first joined Wellington as Assistant Director of Community Services, and has served as Deputy Director

of Environmental and Engineering Services, Parks & Recreation Director, Deputy Director of Operations and Director of Operations. He is a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional, a certified planner with an advanced specialty certification in environmental planning from the American Institute of Certified Planners and is a credentialed manager by the International City/County Management Association.

Rick BastrupRick Bastrup is the president of R & R Creative Amusement

Designs Inc. internationally known for designing themed attrac-tions. R & R projects have won the WWA Innovation Award 3 times including for “Voyage to the Center of the Earth” and “Lost River of the Pharaohs” at Hyland Hills and the first award given for “The Crooked Creek Washout” in Houston. Bastrup

has worked with over 40 waterparks providing complete theme design services.

Michael BeachMichael Beach, Ph.D., is Associate Director for Healthy

Water in CDC’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID). He is also Chief of the Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, which oversees the Center’s waterborne disease activities including domestic and international waterborne disease outbreak investiga-

tions, national surveillance for cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis and the national Waterborne Disease and Outbreak Surveillance System. He is a strong advocate for reducing the global burden of water, sanitation and hygiene-related disease. His domestic interests include collecting and solidifying data that will better characterize the magnitude and burden of waterborne disease in the U.S. in order to increase recognition of domestic waterborne disease transmission and improve future pre-vention efforts. Dr. Beach received his Ph.D in Biochemistry from Purdue University in 1987.

Michael BeattyMichael Beatty is currently the Engineering Manager of

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach Water Parks and Miniature Golf. Beatty has been with the Walt Disney World Company for 39 years in a variety of engineer-ing roles. These roles include areas such as: Attractions Maintenance, Facility Maintenance and Engineering,

Transportation Maintenance, Resort Facility Maintenance and Engineering and Water Parks and Miniature Golf Facility Maintenance and Engineering. Beatty was most recently the Engineering Liaison for the construction and opening of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. Beatty is a voting member of numerous consensus stan-dards committees surrounding the engineering aspect of facilities and water mainte-nance. These include ASTM F24 (focuses on amusement rides including aquatic at-tractions), ASTM F15 (focuses on Aquatic Facility Standards), the International Code Council International Swimming Pool and Spa Committee and ANSI/APSP. He is also the chairman of the Facility Maintenance and Operation Technical Committee


speakers

118

and a member of the Recirculation Systems and Filtration Technical Committee for the Center for Disease Control’s Model Aquatic Health Code. Due to Beatty’s passion for innovation and new technology advancements in the water treatment processes, he was recognized by “Aquatics International” as one of the Power 25 in the aquatics field.

Tom BergmanTom Bergman is president of the Midwest Marketing

Organization Inc., based in Lake Geneva, Wis. Along with Bergman Communications, MMO specializes in the recreation, leisure, sports and tourism industries. Established in 1973, MMO has been working with waterpark industry cli-ents since 1983. For a decade, Bergman coordinated market-

ing seminars for the World Waterpark Association and wrote “Marketing Q&A” for what is now known as “World Waterpark Magazine.” The scope of MMO’s work in the waterpark industry ranges from marketing, consulting and research to advertis-ing, public relations, sponsorships, group sales, websites and e-commerce. In 2010, Bergman was a recipient of the WWA Board of Director’s Al Turner Commitment to Excellence Award.

Amy BlackmanAmy Blackman, CPRP, is currently a Supervisor for the City

of West Palm Beach. Blackman has been a full-time recreation professional since 1993, a certified professional since 1995 and is a certified AFO. Blackman has worked for agencies in Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina and Florida supervising and planning community recreation centers, grants and special

projects, special events, trails, pools, waterparks, meeting facilities and OSHA and safety standards compliance. While employed with the University of Maryland, Blackman es-tablished the department’s SCUBA program and taught Advanced Open Water Scuba and Kinesiology courses. Blackman is a contributor for Scuba Schools International education systems. She has served the American Red Cross as an Instructor Trainer for 16 years, as a contributor to the Lifeguard Management Course, as a volunteer in many chapters, as the Palm Beach County Chapter’s Aquatics Council Chair for two terms and as a mentor to Instructor Trainer candidates. Blackman is a member of the Palm Beach County Drowning Prevention Coalition and has assisted with many efforts including public education on drowning prevention and the production of public service announcements. Blackman has also served as an officer for the North Carolina and Florida Recreation and Park Associations. She is the Chair of the Treasure Coast Chapter of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance.

Adam BlackmoreAdam Blackmore is the Aquatics Manager with the

City of Henderson Department of Parks & Recreation. Blackmore has been in the aquatics industry for 9 years working in both the public and private sectors, respectively. He holds certifications as a lifeguard training instructor, CPR & First Aid instructor, CPO, AFO and is a Certified

Parks and Recreation Professional. He currently oversees all aquatic operations for the City of Henderson, Nevada including: four year-round and seven seasonal facilities, 15 splash pads, 11 full-time managers and over 200 year-round part-time staff. Previously, he held the position of Director of Water Resort Operations with


speakers

119

CoCo Key Water Resorts. Blackmore received his master of arts degree in sports management from Indiana State University and a bachelor of science in recreation administration from Missouri Western State University.

Shawn BowmanShawn Bowman is President of IdeaSeat Marketing and

Advertising and founder of Waterpark-Marketing.com. Bowman and his team create innovative designs, websites and marketing strategies for waterparks, hotels and entertainment properties. He specializes in targeted marketing, heightening waterpark/resort awareness and focused marketing strategies

and tactics. Actively involved with the industry for 16 years, Bowman and his team have received numerous awards for online and print design and he currently serves on the WWA Committee Leadership Council and as Chair of WWA’s Marketing Committee.

Bob BradleyBob Bradley is the owner of Aquatic Consulting &

Educational Services (ACES), based in Raleigh, N.C. With more than three decades of experience as an advisor on aquatic facility operation, recreation risk management and safety training, Bradley was instrumental in the development of what is now the National Recreation & Park Association’s

Aquatic Facility Operator certification program. Bradley was the founding president, treasurer and served for over a decade as a board member of the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Central Arizona. Bradley was also the founding officer and board member of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance and the founding pres-ident of the NRPA’s National Aquatic Branch and was the chairman of the national board of directors for the Aquatic Facility Operator program. Bradley is a member of the WWA’s Children’s Drowning Prevention Council. Bradley was the executive director of the Arizona chapter and the southwestern region of the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (formerly the National Spa & Pool Association), where he conducted the certified pool and spa technician training program. He is also a mem-ber of Total Aquatic Management’s aquatic consulting team. Bradley holds degrees in liberal arts and recreation administration. He has been one of the most active water safety awareness advocates in the country, reaching hundreds of thousands of adults and children through public and private programs.

Mike Brown Mike Brown serves as General Manager for Dollywood’s

Splash Country. He began his career with HFE in 1992 as a lifeguard at White Water in Branson, Mo., serving in various leadership roles in the Aquatics program and working his way up while attending college, ultimately reaching Assistant Lifeguard Supervisor in 1999. In 2001, Brown relocated to

Tennessee to help open Dollywood’s Splash Country as Aquatic Supervisor. In 2003, he became Operations Manager, responsible for aquatics, safety and maintenance. Brown was promoted to Operations Director in 2008. Brown graduated from Missouri State University with a bachelor’s of science in psychology and a minor in sociology. He is a graduate of the 2002 opening class of Leadership Tomorrow in Tennessee. Brown has been involved with training and developing guards since 1996 and is CPO and AFO certified. He resides in Sevierville, Tennessee with his wife Jennifer and his two sons.


speakers

120

Joseph Brownlee, EsquireJoseph Brownlee has been an Arizona trial attorney since

1972 and has dedicated his law practice to the representation of amusement parks, waterparks, family entertainment centers, fairs, carnivals, batting cages, go-cart tracks, roller-skating rinks and other attractions throughout Arizona. Brownlee, past president of the International Amusement and Leisure

Defense Association, is a frequent lecturer in the amusement industry areas of risk management, safety, maintenance and legal defense and has tried numerous jury trials in Arizona in state and federal courts. Brownlee graduated from the Indiana University School of Law in Bloomington, Ind., and in 1980 was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court. Brownlee is a member of IALDA, IALEI, RSA, WWA and OABA. In Arizona, Brownlee is the general legal counsel for the Maricopa County Fair and the Arizona Showman’s Association and is a member of the Arizona Fairs Association.

Kim BurgessKim Burgess has been involved with drowning prevention

in the state of Florida and specifically in Broward County since the early 1990s. She developed SWIM Central, a water safety, education and awareness program targeted at the 0-5-year-old age group, their parents and caregivers. She helped write legislation that requires swim instructors who

work with children with disabilities to be certified in adapted aquatics. Burgess is currently the Drowning Prevention Coordinator for the Broward County Health Department and the Chair of the Broward County Drowning Prevention Task Force. She researched the drowning deaths in Broward County through the Child Abuse Death Review team and found that there was a correlation between abuse and neglect and drowning. This research was one of the featured topics at the World Congress on Drowning in Vietnam. Currently, she is also the Executive Director for the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA).

Cody ButcherCody Butcher, CPRP, CPOI, is the Corporate Director of

Waterpark Maintenance for Great Wolf Resorts. His respon-sibilities include planning, organizing and directing activities associated with the maintenance of waterpark attractions, mechanical rooms, buildings, structures, facilities, amenities and systems of 11 indoor waterparks. Previously, he served

as the Director of Aquatics for Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound, Wash., where he was responsible for all operations of a 56,000-square-foot indoor waterpark, including directly supervising 150 part-time employees and three full-time manag-ers. Butcher held positions as Parks and Recreation Director for City of Prossner, Wash., Aquatics Director at Highlands Ranch Community Association and worked in waterpark maintenance for Hyland Hills Water World. He is a Certified Pool Operator (CPO) Instructor and is a certified Aquatics Facility Operator (AFO). Butcher is retired from over 21 years of service in the United States Army and Army National Guard.

Jim CampbellJim Campbell has been a Cast Member with the Walt

Disney World Company for 20 years. After graduating from Florida State University with a degree in leisure services and recreation, he began his Walt Disney World career as a Food and Beverage Host at the Magic Kingdom. He has held various


speakers

121

roles throughout WDW Parks, Resorts and Downtown Disney. He is currently the Manager of Food and Beverage Operations at Disney’s Blizzard Beach, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

Andrew ChafatelliAndrew Chafatelli began his career like many other

leaders who serve the industry did--wearing a lifeguard suit and sporting a rescue tube. After graduating from college, he took on the role of Operations Director at Nashville Shores, where he fell in love with the industry. This is where he also he met and married his wife Kelly. In 2009, Chafatelli became

the General Manager of SplashDown Beach, a 15 acre waterpark located in the scenic Hudson Valley of New York. His experience lends him knowledge in water-park management, risk management, ride installation, park renovations and filtration design. He is licensed as an Ellis & Associates instructor trainer and Aquatics Facility Operator. In 2010, he became a NSPF Instructor and enjoys teaching CPO classes to local health department officials and pool operators during the off season. Chafatelli also serves on WWA’s Education Committee.

Eric ChesterEric Chester is the premier expert on the emerging work-

force. He began his career as a high school business teacher and coach. After six years in the classroom, Chester launched out as a motivational speaker for students, and in the decade that followed, he became one of America’s top speakers for youth visiting hundreds of schools throughout the U.S.

and Canada and inspiring millions of high school and college students to reach higher and work harder. Leading companies and organizations soon discovered that Chester had “cracked the code” on the emerging generation and sought out Chester’s advice on how they could better engage the under 30 workforce. With his engaging, often irreverent style, he quickly became a favorite keynote speaker for corporate meetings and events. Since 1998, Chester has been the leading voice in recruiting, training, managing, motivating, and retaining young talent. With a diminishing work ethic being a primary concern for today’s employers, Chester frequently appears on national media to provide insight and perspective to business leaders, educators and concerned adults. He’s the author of the business books “Employing Generation Why” (Tucker House Books) and “Getting Them to Give a Damn” (Kaplan). His 2012 release, “Reviving Work Ethic – A Leader’s Guide to Ending Entitlement and Restoring Pride in the Workforce,” is the first business book on work ethic since 1904.

Louis Cirigliano, Jr.Louis Cirigliano, Jr. has over 26 years experience working

in the guest services field. Cirigliano began his career with General Mills, running several of their high volume stores in 1986 after graduating from Rutgers University. In 1989, he became part of the management team at Tan Tara Country Club in North Tonawanda, N.Y. before moving back home

to the “”Jersey Shore”” (the real one, not the one you see on TV) in 1993. He then became the General Manager of the legendary Tradewinds nightclub in Sea Bright, N.J. for the Storino Family. Tradewinds was one of the largest entertainment venues on the Jersey Shore and was host to many national touring acts such as Bon Jovi, Counting Crows, Jewel, Squeeze and even local neighbor Bruce Springsteen. In 2003, after the Tradewinds was closed, he was moved to Seaside Heights to begin


speakers

122

his involvement in the amusement and waterpark industry taking over in his current position as General Manager of Breakwater Beach and Casino Pier. When not at work, Cirigliano loves to be with his daughters Taylor and Allie.

David J. Daly, EsquireDavid J. Daly is the managing partner of the law firm

of Daly Cavanaugh LLP, a defense firm in Wellesley, Mass. Daly did his undergraduate work at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., and the Institute of European Studies in Paris, France. He received his Juris Doctor from Suffolk University in Boston. His international experiences

are many having served in the U.S. Peace Corps in Afghanistan and as counsel to Triad, a group of international companies based in the Middle East. Besides the defense, corporate and legislative work which Daly and his firm do for many members of the amusement industry, Daly is Past President and a member of the Board of Directors of the New England Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, Inc. (NEAPPA); Past President and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Amusement and Leisure Defense Association (IALDA); he is also chair of the IALDA Membership Committee; Charter Board member of the National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association; and President of the Alliance of Massachusetts Amusement Businesses Association, Inc.

George DeinesGeorge Deines is the Aquatics Manager for the City of

Garland, Texas. He holds degrees from the University of North Texas and Dallas Theological Seminary, and is an Ellis & Associates lifeguard instructor. He is the Vice-Chair for the WWA’s Safety Committee, a member of the WWA’s Public Sector Committee and the president of the North Texas

Aquatics Association. He is an avid swimmer and enjoys watching Seinfeld and col-lege football and spending time with his family in his spare time.

Tanya DeMartinoTanya DeMartino is the Director of Revenue at

SplashTown Waterpark in Houston, Texas. DeMartino began her career in the theme park industry in 1990 as a Games Hostess at AstroWorld/WaterWorld. She was promoted to Games/Attractions Manager in 1996. She continued to work there for the next 10 years while simultaneously having

responsibilities at SplashTown Waterpark. In 2006, DeMartino was promoted to Director of Revenue at SplashTown Waterpark to oversee all in-park locations.

Nancy DiGiammarcoNancy DiGiammarco grew up in Southern California.

Prior to her move to Idaho, she held the position of Southern California Coastal District Manager with A.T.&T. Residential Services and Phone Centers. After moving to Idaho, she was hired as Executive Director for the newly created Coeur d’Alene & Post falls Convention and Visitor

Bureau. She left the CVB in 1998 to become the Director of Marketing, Sales and Communications for Silverwood Theme Park and later Boulder Beach Water Park. DiGiammarco lead the effort to transition the parks from regional attractions to a tourism destination, now the most attended attraction in the state of Idaho and the


speakers

123

largest theme and waterpark in the Northwest. DiGiammarco has served as board chair for several CVB’s as well as being appointed by the Governor of Idaho to serve on the Idaho Travel Council for six years.

Eric DombrowskiEric Dombrowski is the Waterpark Manager for the City

of Palmdale Department of Parks and Recreation’s DryTown Water Park. He has worked for 23 years in municipal parks and recreation programs and service delivery. His education includes a master of public administration (MPA) degree and a B.S. in recreation management from California

State University, Northridge. Dombrowski is a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional (CPRP) and a member of the California Parks and Recreation Society. Under his management, DryTown Water Park received WWA Wave Review Awards in 2009 and 2011 and he also serves as the Vice Chair on the WWA’s Public Sector Committee.

James F. DunnAs vice president of design and construction for Aquatic

Development Group, James F. Dunn’s responsibilities include conceptual design development, contract administration and project management of waterpark, aquatic center and specialty feature projects. Dunn is a registered architect in the state of New York and has more than 20 years of wa-

terpark development and construction experience with responsibilities that range from specific system design to overall project planning and management. For the past decade, Dunn has been involved with the extensive research and development program of ADG’s Whitten Filtration Division. He has helped pioneer some of the most progressive water filtration systems used in today’s waterparks and aquatic venues. He has spearheaded the implementation of safe, effective water treatment systems used in every waterpark or commercial pool project that ADG designs and builds. He has managed the development of the design of such projects as Camelbeach Waterpark; Six Flags Fiesta Texas, San Antonio; Wet ‘n Wild (Orlando, Florida and Brazil); Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, St. Louis, Mo.; Six Flags Great America, Gurnee, Ill.; Massanutten Resort, McGaheysville, Va.; and Geauga Lake, Aurora, Ohio. Dunn holds a bachelor’s degree of professional studies in architec-ture from the University of Buffalo.

Bill EllisBill Ellis is the Director of the Kinston/Lenoir County Parks & Recreation

Department. Ellis was integrally involved with the development of Lions Water Adventure, a $4.5 million waterpark project developed through contributions made by North Carolina Parks & Recreation Trust Fund, the Woodmen Foundation and the City of Kinston and Lenoir County. The waterpark, which opened this year, is the most accessible waterpark for individuals with visual impairments and is being honored by the WWA’s Board of Directors with a 2013 Leading Edge Award.

Jamie EntwistleJamie Entwistle has been a Cast Member for the Walt

Disney World Company for 19 years. After graduating from Central Michigan University, he began his Walt Disney World Career in resorts as a Food and Beverage Host. He has since worked as a manager in many facets of Walt Disney


speakers

124

World Food and Beverage including Table Service, Dinner Shows, Quick Service and Catering. He is currently the Area Manager of Food and Beverage at Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park.

Vance D. FiegelVance D. Fiegel is a cell and microbiologist and entrepre-

neur. He started his career at the University of Minnesota where he studied the basic biology of inflammation and wound healing. Upon leaving the university twenty years ago, he co-founded Embro Corporation, a privately held biomedical research and development company. Embro’s

proprietary technology portfolio includes technology in medical devices, stem cells and water treatment. He has published over 60 research articles, holds over 25 patents and is the President of Embro Corporation and the Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Creative Water Solutions, LLC.

Mike FijasMike Fijas began his career in 1986 at Darien Lake Theme

Park and Camping Resort and remained there over the next four years while moving up the ranks and completing his col-lege education. After graduating from college, he joined the team at White Water in Atlanta as the Operations Manager and remained in that position for three years. After leaving

Atlanta, he became a consultant with Coulter Consulting Group for three years and assisted parks throughout the nation in operations management and aquatic safety. From 1996 to 1999, he worked with American Specialty Risk Management Services as assistant vice president and helped them develop their loss control team and risk management services division. With a desire to return to park operations, he accepted an offer from Palace Entertainment to become the assistant general man-ager of Big Kahuna’s in Destin, Fla. In 2004, Fijas was promoted to General Manager of Wet Ôn Wild, Las Vegas. After Wet ‘n Wild closed, he filled in at Splish Splash in Long Island as GM for a summer and then left Palace Entertainment to take on new challenges in 2006. He was the General Manager of Raging Waves, a 43-acre waterpark in the southwest Chicago suburbs. In 2008, Fijas founded Waterpark Solutions Inc. with long time friend Pat Finnegan. WSI helps waterparks in the areas of planning, operations, safety and management. He is now the GM of a Palace Entertainment property, Water Country, in Portsmouth, N.H. Fijas is the 1996 recipient of the Kelly Ogle Memorial Safety Award and holds numerous industry certifications and honors. Fijas is also Chair of the WWA’s Safety Committee. Fijas was awarded a Special Recognition Award by the WWA’s Board of Directors for significant accomplishment with their volunteer committees in 2010/2011.

Peter A. FingerhutPeter A. Fingerhut is Vice President of Marketing and

Sales for Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Zoombezi Bay, Safari Golf Club and the Wilds. Fingerhut’s passion for business management and marketing has guided his 28 year career. In the six years that he has been with the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, the zoo’s attendance has grown over 25 percent

and memberships have grown over 40 percent. Prior to his time at Zoo, Fingerhut worked for the Six Flags Corporation where he spent over 20 years growing from a seasonal coordinator of promotions to General Manager. Outside of his work, Fingerhut currently serves on the board of directors for the Dublin Convention and Visitor’s Department. He is an active member of AZA and a member of the


speakers

125

American Marketing Association, in which he was voted the “Marketer of the Year” in 2008. Fingerhut attended the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo., and received his bachelor of science degree in recreation and park management. He is married with three children and enjoys a good round of golf.

Angie FletcherAngie Fletcher began her career at Hyland Hills Water

World as a lifeguard in 1987. She continued working summers in the aquatics department while attending college. Upon graduation, she was hired in the Group Sales Department with high hopes of becoming a full time employee at Hyland Hills. While this did not happen right away, she still continued to

work in sales at the Copper Mountain Ski Resort. In 1995, she took over the Group Sales Department at Water World. She is still there today managing the day-to-day sales of the department which reaches an average of 2.5 million dollars in revenue each year.

Blake FordBlake Ford is the Director of Aquatics and Safety

Coordinator for Blue Harbor Resort in Sheboygan, Wis. He has worked there since the property changed owner-ship in 2011. He has been in aquatics since 2005 and has worked around the country. He is an Ellis & Associates Instructor and previously held Instructor Certification

through American Red Cross. He is the vice-chair for the WWA’s Waterpark Resort Committee. He enjoys playing most sports and never misses a chance to play volleyball. If he has a chance to relax, you can find him on the couch watching a movie.

Mike FowlerMike Fowler is the commercial marketing and sales man-

ager for Pentair Aquatic Systems in Sanford, N.C. He has been with Pentair since 1992, starting his career in the technical services department at Purex Pool Products. Fowler has held many managerial roles within the company, including marketing, accounting and products. He can be reached via e-mail at

[email protected].

Bill FrazierBill Frazier is currently the Aquatic Operations Manager for

Massanutten Resort in Virginia. Frazier received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Ithaca College and master’s degrees in bio-inorganic chemistry and adapted physical education from the University of Virginia. In his current position of 18 years, Frazier oversees the aquatic operations for five recreational

areas with six pools and the resorts indoor/outdoor waterpark and a staff of over 150 year round and 250+ seasonal employees. Frazier is an Instructor Trainer for Lifeguarding and Water Safety for the American Red Cross and assisted in the revision of the Waterpark Lifeguarding released in 2012.


speakers

126

Rick FullerSince 1992, Rick Fuller has served as the Administrative

Counsel for Hyland Hills Park and Recreation District, own-ers and operators of Water World. During that period, and in addition to his legal duties, he has hands-on involvement with Water World’s risk management, operations, training, personnel matters, public relations and marketing. Fuller has

been a frequent speaker at WWA events and will present lessons learned by staff from 33 years of Water World operations. He is the Vice-Chair of the WWA’s Government Relations Committee and serves on WWA’s Safety Committee.

Jean GallagherJean Gallagher is the General Manager of Water Parks

and Miniature Golf for the Walt Disney World Resort. She is responsible for Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach water-parks along with Winter Summerland and Fantasia Gardens miniature golf courses. In her 25 year career at Walt Disney World, she has held positions of various levels in several

lines of business, most recent to her current position she was the General Manager of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. She has also worked in Consumer Direct Sales, Lodging Line of Business and Human Resources/Organization Development. Gallagher is serving her second term on the WWA Board of Directors and holds a bachelor’s degree in hospitality manage-ment and a master’s in business administration.

Gaylee W. Gillim, EsquireGaylee W. Gillim is general counsel for Kentucky Kingdom

and Hurricane Bay, which is being refurbished and is sched-uled to reopen in May 2014. Gillim was general counsel and an owner of Kentucky Kingdom-The Thrill Park from 1990 until its sale to Premier Parks Inc. in 1997, as well as Magic Springs & Crystal Falls in Hot Springs, Arkansas from 2000-

2008. Gillim graduated from Duke University (B.A. summa cum laude) and earned a J.D. from St. John’s University. She is admitted to practice in both New York and Kentucky. Gillim is completing her second term on the WWA Board of Directors and has been a member of IALDA’s board of directors since 1995, currently serving as secretary of the organization.

Franceen GonzalesFranceen Gonzales is Vice President of Risk Management

for Great Wolf Resorts, based in Madison, Wis. She directs operations for waterpark and resort maintenance, safety and security for 12 indoor waterpark resorts. Gonzales has spent the last 25 years working in outdoor and indoor waterparks, amusement parks and family entertainment centers. She

is an associate of Jeff Ellis & Associates and a CPO Instructor. Gonzales served as chair of the WWA’s Board of Directors, is currently the secretary for ASTM F24, the chair of the Model Aquatic Health Code Ventilation Committee and sits on the board of directors for the National Swimming Pool Foundation, IAAPA and AIMS.


speakers

127

Sandra GreinerCurrently Sun Splash Family Waterpark’s General Manager,

Sandra (or Sandie, as her colleagues know her) Greiner was hired by the City of Cape Coral, owner of Sun Splash, to utilize her prior banking, management and finance knowledge to bring the park alive, make money and bring good publicity to the City of Cape Coral. In her first year, she increased revenue by 34

percent and decreased expenses by 9 percent. Her goal is to always give the guest an “added value” experience so they keep coming back year after year.

Beth hamilBeth Hamil is the Vice President for Corporate

Compliance for Del Ozone. Hamil has been active in the swimming pool and spa industries since 1978 and active in the ozone industry since 1982. In 2000, Hamil collaborated with NSF Toxicology Group to test the efficacy of aqueous ozone against EPA sanctioned AOAC methodologies in con-

junction with NIOSH standards. She co-developed NSF P308 Protocol to deter-mine ozone’s efficacy in commercial jetted bath tubs and foot baths in 2004. Hamil is a working member of Water Quality and Disinfection Technical Committee of the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC), a project led by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). She co-wrote the ozone segment of NSF/ANSI Standard 50 for the use of ozone in commercial swimming venues and is a working member of APSP’s Water Quality Technical Committee.

Billy hamiltonBilly Hamilton has more than 37 years of experience in

the swimming pool industry with 30 of those years spent as Water Quality Manager at Wet ‘n Wild in Orlando, Fla. As Water Quality Manager, he is responsible for all pools and water, including a lake and plays a major role in the develop-ment and design of new rides. Hamilton is a CPO instructor

and enthusiastically teaches and shares his knowledge with others. Hamilton lives his passion for water quality, safety and excellence in the industry on a daily basis. He is a true water lover at work and away. Hamilton is an avid offshore fisherman and enjoys scuba diving. Hamilton has been married for 31 years to Cerinda, has one grown daughter and resides in central Florida.

Kenny handlerKenny Handler is a senior consultant and a partner in

Profitable Food Facilities. He has been the lead consultant for waterparks across the nation for over 5 years. Handler has operated and managed some of California’s finest waterparks for the past 23 years. His road has taken him from the training supervisor for Raging Water, San Jose to the original Park

Supervisor of Six Flags Hurricane Harbor and Operation Manager for Raging Waters San Dimas. He also excelled as the General Manager of The Wave Waterpark. His ex-perience, creativity and strong work ethic have been the foundation for successful con-sulting and management in municipalities and the entertainment industry. He has won numerous safety awards through Ellis & Associates and the first ever National Title for Lifeguard Competition. Handler was honored by The City of Vista with a proclamation for turning The Wave Waterpark from a general funded facility ($300,000 support) to a facility that created a reserve of over an average of tens of thousands of dollars annually. Handler has spoken at national and regional conferences for the past decade


speakers

128

including: National Recreation & Park Association, World Waterpark Association, California Parks and Recreation Society, Illinois Parks & Recreation Association and Minnesota Parks & Recreation Association.

Tina hatcherTina Hatcher is the CEO and President of 3i Advertising/

PR. In her 25-year marketing and public relations career she has spent 23 of them working with waterparks and attraction venues. She specializes in developing brand/image campaigns, traditional media, digital and social media platforms, public relations, promotions, special events and creating revenue

generating programs for parks. Her work over the years has received WWA Wave Review awards and Addy awards for creative, campaign conception and Best of Show. Hatcher serves on the WWA’s Marketing Committee. She has also served on the Board of Directors and donated her time with Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida and Autism Speaks. Hatcher has been married for 18 years to her better half, Tom, has a 10-year-old daughter and resides in south Florida. She can be reached at [email protected].

Todd henry Todd Henry is the founder and CEO of Accidental

Creative, a company that helps creative people and teams generate brilliant ideas. He regularly speaks and consults with companies, both large and small, about how to develop practices and systems that lead to everyday brilliance. Henry’s work has been featured by “Fast Company,” “Fortune,”

“Forbes,” HBR.org, “US News & World Report” and many other major media outlets. Henry’s book, “The Accidental Creative: How To Be Brilliant at a Moment’s Notice” (July 2011) offers strategies for how to thrive in the creative marketplace. His latest book, “Die Empty: Unleash Your Best Work Every Day” (September 2013) was called “One of the best books of the year. Passionate, practical and powerful, Todd will help you do more and do it better, starting right now,” by Seth Godin.

Scott W. hester Scott W. Hester, P.E., President of Counsilman-Hunsaker, is

responsible for leading the daily operations of the Counsilman-Hunsaker team. Hester provides his comprehensive industry experiences in all aspects of Counsilman-Hunsaker including business development, design and engineering, quality control and facility operations and services. Hester is known as a high-

integrity, energetic leader having a diverse portfolio of experience in aquatic facilities spanning all market sectors. As a licensed professional engineer in 30 states, he pro-vides leadership and support in developing schematic and design development draw-ings; completing construction documents and technical specifications; assisting project bidding, construction administration and owner start-up operation phases. In addition, Hester has led industry research regarding industry trends and technical design.

Ron hinesRon Hines began his career in the themed entertainment

industry in 1983, as a 16-year-old line employee at a small theme park in Houston, Texas. In the following thirty years, Hines completed his BFA and MA in theatrical design and set off on a winding career path. Beginning as a scenic artist in television production, Hines’ first met his future home at


speakers

129

Nickelodeon. Along the way, he had the good fortune to work with several world class brands such as Universal, Hard Rock and Coca-Cola to name a few. Once settling down as Sr. Studio Director at Nickelodeon Recreation, Hines has worked on a wide variety of projects ranging from theme parks, waterparks, resorts, cruises, live theatricals, exhibits, corporate events, and more. Some notable projects include Nickelodeon Universe Mall of America and Nickelodeon Suites Resort Orlando, as well as theme park lands and waterpark attractions in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Although the projects can range from modest to extravagant in scope, Hines continually looks for those critical guest touch points in the original “blue sky” concepts, and makes it his primary goal to maintain the creative integrity of that guest experience all the way through to opening day.

Mick hintzAs Project Executive for Horizon Construction Group, Hintz manages the

project from start to finish. He is responsible for the budget, contract, shop drawings, payment application and daily coordination of the project responsibilities. Some of Hintz’s waterpark experience includes: Wyndham Vacation Ownership at The Wilderness, Phase I & II, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin; Wyndham Vacation Ownership at The Wilderness in Sevierville, Tennessee; Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort Glacier Canyon expansion, including the addition of the Wild Waterdome Indoor Waterpark, Wilderness at the Smokies in Sevierville, Tennessee, a waterpark resort that included a 234 unit hotel, 189 luxury timeshare units, a 65,000-sq.-ft. indoor waterpark and a 3-acre outdoor waterpark.

Jimmy holmesJimmy Holmes is founder and president of H-Two

Marketing, a firm providing marketing management and con-sulting services for the waterpark and amusement industry. Holmes got his feet wet in 1996 at Wild Adventures Theme Park, where he led marketing efforts that transformed the regional animal park into the 32nd largest amusement park in

North America. As Vice President of Marketing & Sales for Adventure Parks Group, Holmes spearheaded the rebranding of historic Cypress Gardens, launched two Splash Adventure Waterparks and promoted hundreds of national concerts. Later, he was recruited by Herschend Family Entertainment to lead marketing and sales efforts at Wild Adventures Water & Theme Park.

Michael holtzmanMichael Holtzman received his B.S. in restaurant manage-

ment from California Polytechnic University in Pomona, California, and now has over 33 years of restaurant industry experience. Holtzman is President of Profitable Food Facilities, a company specializing in captive market restaurant locations including hotels, golf resorts, private clubs, theme

parks, ski resorts, aquatic centers, wellness centers and day spas. With successful results, Holtzman has worked with more than 370 facilities in 48 states, Canada, England and the Middle East. In addition to running PFF, Holtzman is an accomplished and very popular guest speaker. Over the past 20 years, his invitational speaking engagements include the following organizations: the PGA of America (PGA), the Club Managers Association (CMAA), the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), the World Waterpark Association (WWA), the Athletic Business Conference (AB), the International Health Racquet & Sports Association (IHRSA), among others.


speakers

130

Lee hovisLee Hovis is the Director of Recreation and Operation

for the Tolomato Community Development District and is responsible for the operation of all Nocatee amenities and programs. He has served as a member of the WWA’s Board of Directors and served as the chair from 2002-2005. Hovis has been working in the waterpark industry since

1984 and has served on the WWA Safety Committee and teaches the National Swimming Pool Foundation’s Certified Pool Operator Courses for the Association. He serves on the APSP-9 committee for waterpark safety standards, works with the International Code Council on swimming pool codes and is an Instructor-Trainer for the American Red Cross. Prior to joining the district, Hovis has held top management positions with Adventure Landing, Roaring Springs Waterpark, Water Country USA, Emerald Pointe Waterpark and Summer Waves Waterpark. WWA inducted Hovis into the Hall of Fame in 2011. When not working on waterpark issues, Hovis enjoys watching football and spending time with his family.

Dr. John hunsuckerDr. John Hunsucker is known for his innovative work in wa-

terpark safety and management. He holds four college degrees including the Ph.D., is a registered engineer in the state of Texas and is a member of the World Waterpark Association’s Hall of Fame. He has authored over 60 peer-reviewed papers and is noted for his research in the aquatics industry.

Mike JaroszewskiMike Jaroszewski has been involved in the development

and operations of themed entertainment projects around the world and is an industry veteran who is qualified to provide expertise in all stages of projects from planning through construction, equipment procurement and opera-tions startup. He has worked with many top theme park

companies including Six Flags, Universal Studios and NBGS International and has been involved in numerous waterpark projects including Wild Wadi, Dubai; Loret Waterworld, Spain and Gaylord Palms Resort, Florida, U.S.A.

Robert KappelRobert Kappel is the Regional Manager of the aquatics

division for ProMinent USA. For the past 52 years, ProMinent has been the global leader in the design and manufacturing of dosing pumps, chemical controllers, ultraviolet systems and chlorine generators. Specializing in water disinfection, Kappel has 18 years experience in the design, construction, instal-

lation, maintenance and operation of commercial swimming pools. Kappel is also a frequent contributor to “Aquatics International” and “Athletic Business” magazines, past co-chair of the Wisconsin HFS 172 swimming pool code revision committee, an AFO instructor and Executive Board Chairperson for the Professional Pool Operators of America.


speakers

131

Dustin KauffmanDustin Kauffman is a Regional Manager for the aquatics di-

vision of ProMinent USA. Kauffman has been with ProMinent for 2+ years and has had extensive exposure to metering pump systems, including controllers, used in drinker water and waste water applications. Kauffman recently had his first article published in “World Waterpark Magazine” and

looks to contribute further to all aquatics-oriented publications. Kauffman has also received his CPO & RWI certifications.

Karol KomarKarol Komar is the Facilities Manager for the Tinley Park-

Park District. She has been active in the pool industry for 18 years. Komar’s career began with the district as the fitness center manager, managing their center, which includes the indoor pool. In 2001, Komar was placed in the position of Facilities Manager, responsible for the new 70,000-square-

foot Bettenhausen Recreation Center, White Water Canyon, the new 5-acre waterpark and also in charge of overseeing the fitness center. Komar is involved in all aspects of these properties including marketing, sales, maintenance, lifeguard and staff training and also their in-house concessions. Under Komar’s direction, the lifeguard team at White Water Canyon has earned numerous 4- and 5-star awards from Starfish Aquatics and earlier this year the staff was presented with the Executive Directors Award from the National Drowning Prevention Alliance. In 2013, the Tinley Park-Park District achieved the prestigious title of Distinguished Accredited Agency awarded by The Illinois Association of Park Districts & the Illinois Park and Recreation Associations. The Tinley Park-Park District is one of only 45 agencies in the state of Illinois who have earned this award.

Kevin KopenyKevin Kopeny is currently the VP in charge of develop-

ment for Wild Rivers. Wild Rivers is in the process of relocating and expanding its operation. The first 20-acre project will be open to the public in 2013 and the second 35-acre project will be ready for operation in 2014. Kopeny has worked for more than 20 years operating waterparks. From

2007 to 2012, Kopeny served as the General Manager for Wild Rivers Waterpark, which had an annual attendance of 500,000, in Irvine, Calif. Kopeny began working at Wild Rivers in 1988 and possesses years of experience in the waterpark industry. In 1997, Kopeny assumed the position of Admissions Manager at Wild Rivers. He was promoted to Operations Director in 1998 and to Assistant General Manager in 2003. During Kopeny’s tenure as the Operations Director, he was the primary per-son responsible for overseeing all elements of park safety. Kopeny was a member of American Red Cross Lifeguard advisory board that helped develop lifeguarding pro-grams focused on lifeguarding in a waterpark. Kopeny has consulted on a number projects, in both the public and private sectors and has always accepted requests to lend his experience to the industry.

Jim KunauJim Kunau is a twenty year veteran of the theme and wa-

terpark industry. Prior to working for Six Flags, Kunau was the Assistant General Manager at Kentucky Kingdom Amusement Park, the fastest growing theme park in North America. During his tenure with Six Flags, he worked in various


speakers

132

park-level management positions including Waterpark and Marketing Directors. He completed his Six Flag career as Corporate Director of Entertainment and Marketing. Since leaving Six Flags, Kunau has remained in the industry as a consultant work-ing with parks in Hot Springs, Birmingham, and is currently the General Manager at Hurricane Alley Waterpark in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Chris LandgraveChris Landgrave has been the General Manager of Deep

River Waterpark for the past nine years. Prior to assuming his current position at Deep River, Landgrave was waterfront supervisor at Whihala Beach County Park on Lake Michigan in Lake County, Ind. Landgrave graduated from Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Ind., with a degree in sports man-

agement. He currently lives with his wife and daughter in Crown Point, Ind. Landgrave serves as the Chair of the WWA’s Education Committee. Landgrave was awarded a Special Recognition Award by the WWA’s Board of Directors for significant accom-plishment with their volunteer committees in 2010/2011.

Judith Leblein JosephsJudith Leblein Josephs, CPRA, RA, has been a featured

speaker at conferences and training seminars across the United States for many years. After 20 years in the public sec-tor, Leblein Josephs was with the firm of Water Technology Inc. for 12 years as a marketing and operations consultant. She has served as an operations coach for facilities of all sizes.

She is now the president of Judith Leblein Josephs Enterprises LLC and has clients across the country. Known internationally as a speaker and author, her specialty in marketing, promotions, television and radio production has proven valuable to her clients. Her novel approach to marketing has won her numerous state, national and international awards. She has repeatedly won speaker of the year distinction from the World Waterpark Association and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003. Her work both in front of and behind the television camera is seen throughout her home state of New Jersey. She has also had a career on the radio and was a talk jock on Central Jersey 1450 WCTC for more than 10 years. Leblein Josephs has a knack for making learning a memorable and enjoyable event. WWA’s Board of Directors honored Leblein Josephs with the Executive Board Award in 2011.

Bill LentzBill Lentz has been involved in the retail business for over

thirty years. He owned and operated a nationwide souvenir and tour merchandising business focused on entertainment, sporting and special events. Lentz worked in merchandise at Knott’s Berry Farm for sixteen years, over half of that time as the Director of Merchandise. He served as the VP & General

Manager of Knott’s Soak City Water Park for six years and the VP & General Manager of California’s Great America Amusement Park for over two years. Currently, Lentz is the Vice President of Water Parks for Palace Entertainment.

John LinnJohn Linn is a registered engineer with an extensive back-

ground in water treatment systems, having spent his early years designing marine aquatic animal life support systems for major zoos and aquariums. Currently, Linn is responsible for capital execution across all SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment


speakers

133

facilities. In addition, he has corporate responsibility for all water systems, including those at their five waterparks. Linn is an original member of the Model Aquatic Health Code steering committee, having now served in that capacity for the past six years.

Bob MartinBob Martin has been the General Manager of Wild

Water Adventure Park in Clovis, Calif., since 2004. Before joining the amusement industry, Martin played college foot-ball and basketball from 1974-1977. In 1988, he was the head coach for the first American football game played in Hong Kong, as well as being a grand prize winner on “Wheel of

Fortune.” In 1989, Martin developed the first John Madden video game with Worlds Of Wonder Toys and was inducted into the American Football Association Hall Of Fame in 1991. From 1992 to 2002, Martin worked as an NFL Scout for Ourlads Scouting Service. Martin enjoys spending time with his wife of 31 years, Blanche and their two daughters and 11 grandchildren.

Dan MartinDan Martin has directed and assisted on over four hundred

feasibility, economic impact and master plan studies during his 25+ years with Economic Research Associates (ERA), RERC and Cornerstone Development. His forte is projecting detailed market demand and financial outcomes. During his career, including his tenure as a Vice President of ERA, Martin

developed re-development strategies, feasibility and economic impact studies and master plans to help determine demand and the best mix of elements for existing facilities and new developments. He always kept an eye on incorporating revenue-producing activities into high-quality facilities and operations. Martin’s rich portfolio includes museums, zoos, theme parks, waterparks, resorts, aquariums, destination retail developments, sports facilities, theaters, visitor centers and public parks and recreation facilities in almost thirty states and provinces across North America and in Asia and the Middle East. Martin has an MBA from the University of Texas-Red McCombs School of Business in Austin, Texas and a B.S. in architecture from the Catholic University of America School of Architecture and Planning in Washington, D.C.

Sasha MateerSasha Mateer is the operations manager at Lake County’s

Deep River Waterpark in Crown Point, Ind. She began her career with Deep River when she joined the team in 2000 as a lifeguard and was later promoted to water safety supervi-sor. Mateer is responsible for admissions, guest services, merchandise and a staff of approximately 70 employees. She

is a certified American Red Cross lifeguard instructor and holds an AFO certifica-tion. She graduated from DePaul University in 2003 with a degree in biology. She serves on the WWA’s Education Committee and leads the Committee’s How-To Task Group.

Jason McCollimJason McCollim has worked as an On-Air Radio

Personality since 2001 and has been a fixture on local radio for over a decade. In 2003, McCollim began his own public relations and advertising agency, serving as a consultant, publicist, graphic designer, audio designer and videographer


speakers

134

for several multi-million dollar businesses throughout Washington, Idaho and Montana. In 2012, Triple Play Family Fun Park & Raptor Reef enlisted McCollim to their advertising and marketing team as a Social Media Consultant and Creative Services Producer.

Dale McFarlandDale McFarland has been responsible for the success-

ful operation of the 414 room KeyLime Cove Waterpark Resort located in Gurnee, Illinois since October 2008. Prior to his current position, he served as general manager of Great Wolf Lodge in the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania, where he managed the pre-opening plans as well as the

day-to-day operations for one of the highest grossing indoor waterpark resorts in the industry. Prior to that, he was the district manager of ARAMARK Corporation’s (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) largest account, Lake Powell Resorts & Marinas in Page, Arizona, and is also the former vice president of ARAMARK Parks West. In addition, McFarland has held various management level positions at DoubleTree Hotels in Denver, Colorado; Austin, Texas; Yakima and Seattle, Washington. In 2009, McFarland was honored by the Illinois Lodging Associations esteemed “Hotelier of the Year” award as well as the “Corporate Award” from the Illinois Fire Department for his involvement in community outreach and fire safety educa-tion. His passion for community service has allowed KeyLime Cove to contribute more than $173,000 to United Way of Lake County and the Gurnee police and fire departments since he started this partnership program. McFarland continually gives back to the hospitality industry and serves on the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors, the Lake County Visitors Bureau Board of Directors, as well as being the Chair of the WWA’s Government Relations Committee. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in criminal justice and certification in hospitality management & professional development from Washington State University.

Zack McIntyreZack McIntyre is the Director of Magic Waters Waterpark

and the Aquatics Department for the Rockford Park District. He graduated from Western Illinois University with a degree in biology and education and holds a current teaching cer-tificate, EMT-B license and E&A Instructor License. McIntyre has been involved with aquatics for over 10 years. Prior to his

current position, McIntyre worked as an Operations Manager, where he oversaw all lifeguards for the Rockford Park District, as well as all Aquatic risk Management, the EMT department at Magic Waters and all Aquatic Programming for the Rockford Park District, which includes four facilities. Under McIntyre’s leadership, Magic Waters and the Aquatics Department have received multiple gold and platinum awards from Ellis & Associates for their excellence in Aquatic Safety, as well as several awards from the WWA. McIntyre is the Secretary for the WWA’s Public Sector Committee.

Steve MiklosiSteve Miklosi began his career in 1975 designing food

outlets for theme parks. In 1978, he managed his first amuse-ment park, Bertrand Island in Lake Hopatcong, N.J. In 1981, he moved to Maggie Valley, N.C., to become a member of the management team at Ghost Town in the Sky. In 1990, he managed his first waterpark in Wichita, Kan., Barnacle


speakers

135

Bills Fantasea. In 2001, he became a managing partner in Breakers Water Park in Marana, Ariz., a suburb of Tucson. Actively involved in the community and the WWA, Miklosi is Vice Chair of the WWA’s Education Committee, sits on the board of Directors of the Marana Chamber of Commerce and is on the Planning and Zoning commission for the town of Marana.

Robert Molleda Robert Molleda has worked for the National Weather

Service (NWS) since 1991, and has served as the Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the NWS’s Weather Forecast Office in Miami, Florida since 2005. Molleda has worked as a marine forecaster and Hurricane Support Meteorologist at the National Hurricane Center. Molleda’s career has taken

him through many South Florida tropical cyclones, from Hurricane Andrew in 1992 to Hurricane Wilma in 2005 and every other hit and near-miss during and since that time period. He has worked in every aspect of hurricane forecasting, from assisting hurricane forecasters with data collection to writing forecasts and conducting local and national media interviews, as well as briefing local officials on expected storm impacts. As Warning Coordination Meteorologist, Molleda is responsible for overseeing the NWS warning program in South Florida, which requires frequent interaction with key partners such as emergency management officials and media representatives. He is also in charge of the local NWS public awareness and out-reach program; conducting weather-related information and safety presentations to many entities including local and regional government, civic organizations, business groups and schools. Molleda holds a bachelor’s degree in meteorology from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida.

hank MontzHank Montz brings more that 25 years of sales and

marketing experience to the recreation industry. He is responsible for research, business strategy, media buying and promotions with two companies. First, Montz Marketing Associates, a full service agency founded in 1998 which manages marketing activities in the recreational industry

(including ski resorts, amusement parks, waterparks and ice skating arenas) nation-wide, along with a diverse clientele in the business and retail arenas. Montz is also a founding member of WaterPark Marketing, an agency founded to specifically focus on the full service advertising needs related to the waterpark industry. Prior to the formation of both companies, Montz served as Director of Marketing for Montage Ski Resort in Northeast Pennsylvania, managing all marketing aspects within a 5 state region. During his tenure, visitation increased 76 percent. The resort also featured a waterpark and performing arts center featuring national acts such as Bob Dylan, Dave Matthews Band and Rush.

Tim MorrowTim Morrow is currently the Vice President of Aquatica

San Antonio (SeaWorld’s Waterpark). During his 16-year SeaWorld career, Morrow has had many responsibilities including the Front Gate, Rides, Waterpark, Landscaping, Warehouses, Anheuser-Busch properties, the opening of Discovery Cove in Orlando and more. Past endeavors out-

side of SeaWorld Entertainment have included assisting with the opening of Parque Plaza Sesame in Monterrey, Mexico, as well four years at Fiesta, Texas. In his current role, Morrow is responsible for all aspects of Aquatica San Antonio. When


speakers

136

Morrow is not at SeaWorld/Aquatica, he can often be found working courtside with the San Antonio Spurs and Silver Stars as part of the Stat Crew. Morrow is also a volunteer on the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross, and serves on the WWA’s Safety Committee.

Kristie MosesKristie Moses is the Assistant General Manager for CoCo

Key Hotel and Water Resort in Orlando, Fla. and Sage Hospitality property. Moses also served in the position of Global Director of Operations for Sage Hospitality for three years. In that role, she was responsible for all aspects of water resort operations for the 10 CoCo Key Water Resort

locations. Prior to accepting her position with CoCo Key, Moses opened and oper-ated Six Flags’ Hurricane Harbor Waterpark at Great America in Gurnee, Ill., which opened in 2005 and served more than one million guests in its first season. Moses has been in the aquatics industry for more than 16 years from her start in the early days as a lifeguard at her local park district. She has also previously held manage-ment positions with Jeff Ellis & Associates and Lifetime Fitness. Moses serves as the Chair of the WWA’s Waterpark Resort Committee.

Bryan NadeauBryan Nadeau is currently Vice President of Aquatica

Orlando (SeaWorld’s Waterpark). Nadeau started his water-park career in 1995 at Water Country USA in Williamsburg, Va. He had oversight in various operational disciplines includ-ing Culinary, Merchandise, Guest Arrival, Water Safety, Park Quality. From 2004 to 2007, he was based out of St. Louis in

a corporate IT role overseeing the Guest Arrival Business Processes for the parks. In 2007, Nadeau relocated to Orlando and opened the first Aquatica in March of 2008 as the Director of Operations. In his current role since 2011, Nadeau is responsible for all aspects of Aquatica Orlando. Nadeau has served on the American Red Cross Lifeguard Advisory Committee, IAAPA’s waterpark committee and is currently on the Board of Directors of the Gift of Swimming.

Chris NaniaChris Nania has an extensive background in the creative

industry and the arts. He holds a bachelor of fine arts from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago with additional training in graphic design and visual communication. WTI benefits from the fine arts training from time that Nania spent abroad at the Liceo Artistico of Cuneo, Italy. He has

experience working with creative teams in television production, advertising, comic book design, fashion, print and radio.

Nicholas NeumanNicholas Neuman, Principal and Project Development, is

responsible for Project Development at WTI and his primary role is to develop and expand the commercial, entertainment and design/build sectors of the business. His experience working internationally with developers, architects and design teams for large water-entertainment projects gives WTI a

solid understanding of cultural influences on concept development, design/engineer-ing, project management, on-site construction and operations of waterpark facilities.


speakers

137

Neuman has spoken at various industry events, including the WWA’s regional symposia. In 2012, he was named one of “Aquatics International’s” Power 25, as one of the industry’s most influential people in the waterpark and aquatics industry.

Chris o’MearaChris O’Meara has over 15 years of experience directing

small and medium-sized businesses in the areas of account-ing, IT infrastructure and web development. He spent 13 years with Wild Rivers Waterpark in Irvine, Calif., as the Admissions Director, IT Manager and Controller. After Wild Rivers, he spent another 2 years with Splash Kingdom

Waterpark in Redlands, Calif., in the same capacity. Subsequently, he formed his own consulting firm for other local businesses focusing on affordably and effectively bringing large scale accounting analysis and IT systems to small businesses. Due to his time spent with Wild Rivers and Splash Kingdom, O’Meara has developed an acute understanding of the amusement and waterpark industry. O’Meara holds a bachelor of arts degree from California State University, Fullerton.

Bob owensBob Owens is a Manager at Hyland Hills Water World

and has been with the park since 1984. Water World is the largest publically-owned waterpark in the United States and is located Denver, Colorado. Owens has overseen guest services, revenue and IT programs for the park since 1993.

Paula PantonPaula Panton is President and owner of Water Safety

Products Inc., a Florida corporation and international supplier of lifeguard uniforms and lifeguard safety equipment since 1989. Panton has been a member of the World Waterpark Association for more than twenty years. She is an active participant in the industry, including attendance at numerous

aquatic safety schools and workshops and has training in CPR, lifeguard instruction and management development. She also has volunteered time and sponsorship to lifeguard competitions on the local, regional and national level. She received the “Gold Medal Award” from Jeff Ellis & Associates for outstanding contribu-tions in 1996. Panton was also the recipient of many industry awards: 1994 WWA Leadership Award for Supplier, 1999 IAAPA Impact Award for Suppliers, 1999 IAAPA Best New Products, Equipment and Supplies Award, 2001 IAAPA Best New Products, Equipment and Supplies Award, 2002 WWA Hall of Fame, 2010 WWA Leadership Award for Suppliers and the 2011 WWA Innovation Award, for the 20-riser thermoplastic stair unit. Panton and her staff routinely provide support and consultation to first-year facilities to help ensure that their initial lifeguard uniform needs, training supplies and safety equipment requirements are met.

Penny PeavlerPenny Peavler has over 20 years of attractions experi-

ence in the amusement, waterpark and museum industries. She has project managed award-winning interactive museum experiences and a variety of projects. As Director of Brand Development, Peavler is the keeper of the Weber Group brand and assists in bringing clients’ brands to life in ways

that are imaginative and experiential. She has served on the Personnel and Training Committee of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions and


speakers

138

the Marketing Committee for the South Eastern Museums Conference. Peavler is an adjunct professor in the art department at Bellarmine University and is featured in the book, “Diversity Among Non-Profit Arts Organizations” by the Cultural Policy Center at the University of Chicago.

Timothy PetschTimothy Petsch is Managing Director of TMI Salt Pure

Corp and co-founder of TMI. He is a strong advocate for sustainable aquatic practices and believes that education is the key to success. Petsch is a CPO instructor and his entire staff at TMI are CPO-certified. Petsch is regarded as a leading expert in the commercial salt industry in the United

States and has been one of the driving forces in the advancements made in this industry. He receives many speaking requests, and has written numerous articles on pool safety and sanitization. There are few that rival his knowledge base on Commercial Salt Water Chlorinators in the U.S. Under Petsch’s innovative leader-ship, TMI has pioneered the integration of commercial salt systems and chemistry controllers in the U.S. and are the leading experts in this field.

R. Wayne Pierce, EsquireR. Wayne Pierce is the “adventure lawyer.” Pierce is the

only lawyer elected to the World Waterpark Association’s Hall of Fame, a recognition of his accomplishments as a “pioneer or innovator who played an integral role in the development of the water leisure industry and the WWA.” He served on the WWA’s Board of Directors and

chaired its Strategic Planning Committee from 2003-2010, and is a contributing author to the WWA’s Development & Expansion Guide. He was selected for “Aquatic International’s” Power 25 as one of the most powerful professionals in the entire waterpark field and the only lawyer who represents operators. He is the only lawyer to receive the World Waterpark Association’s 1995 Best Speaker Award and the coveted 1997 Kelly Ogle Memorial Safety Award. He served as legal counsel for, and a principal force behind, some of industry’s most critical initiatives, including the Waterpark Best Practices Council, the Waterpark Safety Forum, the Children’s Drowning Prevention Council and the World Waterpark Association’s insurance program.

Jerald “Jerry” PierrottieJerry Pierrottie is an Environmental, Health and Safety

Manager for Arch Chemicals, Inc. a part of Lonza. His educational background includes an associate’s degree in fire science from LSUE, as well as a bachelor’s of science in fire & safety engineering technology from the University of Cincinnati. His 36 year career has included positions in

the field of health, safety and emergency response such as: Chemical Shift Safety Technician, Fire Fighter, Paramedic, Safety Officer and Incident Commander. In 2008, Pierrottie started working in the Arch Chemical Water business, which changed his focus to the safe use, storage, handling and transportation of pool, spa and water treatment chemicals.


speakers

139

Jim ProbusWhen Jim Probus founded Fiberglass Systems in 1988 he

was specifically catering to the marine industry and specialized in mold making and boat restorations. In 1995, the company relocated to Orlando, Florida, and for the next six years, was involved in numerous projects varying from the development and fabrication of Parabolic Antennas and Doppler Radars to

architectural design and fabrication for major theme parks. In 2001, Probus combined efforts with ProSlide Technology Inc. to re-gel coat two of the waterslides at Wet ‘n Wild Orlando. Based upon results at that project, it was determined that the gel coat developed for the marine industry was excellent for the restoration of waterslides. This discovery and the large demand for skilled composite specialists in the slide industry launched Fiberglass Systems and the expertise of its technicians into the waterslide restoration industry. Since 2001, Fiberglass Systems has been exclusively dedicated to the restoration and installation of waterslides and has successfully completed hundreds of projects inside and outside of the U.S.

Lisa B. RauWith a background of investigative television news re-

porting, Lisa Rau, Director of Publicity and Public Relations for Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation, Silver Dollar City Attractions is an avid news critic who has prac-ticed on both sides of the media fence. Throughout the past two decades with Herschend Family Entertainment, Rau has

handled a number of serious incidents, all the while collecting real-life materials that prove the need for media management training for all levels of leadership. She has taught seminars for various state agencies, businesses, chambers of com-merce, WWA and IAAPA. As a news reporter, she received numerous awards for investigative journalism

Joel RoderickJoel Roderick draws on over 15 years of industry experi-

ence to translate client ideas into award winning, sustainable aquatic designs. His focus is on continually developing innova-tive and creative solutions for clients worldwide. His educa-tional background includes commercial arts, industrial design and technical illustration, in addition to mastering Autodesk.

His strong understanding of project programming together with his knowledge of design for operations has led to many repeat clients throughout his career.

Charlie RoguskieSince 1994, Charlie Roguskie has been the Creative

Director of three diverse advertising agencies. Today, he is a partner in OnePlace Media, a full service marketing firm that combines strategic planning, hands-on account supervi-sion, national media placement and standout creative in all mediums. Roguskie has supervised hundreds of campaigns

and produced thousands of radio and TV commercials, as well print, direct mail, outdoor and digital projects. In addition to OnePlace Media, he is also part of the management team at WaterPark Marketing, a new agency founded to specifically focus on the full service advertising needs related to the waterpark industry.


speakers

140

Jennifer RossJennifer Ross has worked in marketing and public relations

for over 28 years, the past 8 years as the Marketing and Sales Director for Triple Play Family Fun Park. During her time at Triple Play Family Fun Park, they have been awarded the 2010 Top Family Entertainment Center in the World from IAAPA, as well as receiving the 2012 Marketing Excellence

awards for their TV and radio commercials and the 2012 World Waterpark Association Wave Review Award for best radio commercial, as well as many local awards. Ross lives in Hayden, Idaho with her husband Scott and together they have 4 grown children and 4 grandchildren.

Bill RyanBill Ryan is a Project Manager with 20 years of professional

experience. He provides office and field management for Architectural Design Consultants, Inc.’s construction projects. Projects have included churches, corporate offices, manufactur-ing plants, medical, educational, retail establishments, hotels, federal army installations and bank facilities. Ryan has dealt

in detail with clients and design professionals offering value engineering and project management from conceptual budgets through project completion.

Doug SackettDoug Sackett worked for the New York State

Department of Health for 31 years. Since 1987, he was involved in the management of the statewide swimming pool and bathing beach regulatory program including the coordination of investigations of illnesses associated with recreational water and drownings at regulated swimming

pools and beaches throughout the state and for the analysis of the data from these epidemiological investigations. Sackett is the Director of CDC’s project to develop a national Model Aquatic Health Code and Risk Reduction Plan. Sackett is a member of the Board of Directors for the National Swimming Pool Foundation, served as a member of the National Swimming Pool Foundation Technical Advisory Committee for the Certified Public Pool Inspector Training Program and as a member of the American Red Cross Technical Advisory Team for the Lifeguard Management Program (2002).

Cheryl SalazarCheryl Salazar is the Aquatics Coordinator at the

Riverside County Regional Parks and Open Space District in California. She joined the RivCo Parks team in February 2011. Salazar received her bachelor’s of science degree in kinesiol-ogy with a concentration in exercise science from California State University-San Bernardino. She is currently pursuing a

master’s in public administration from California Baptist University. Salazar began her professional career with the City of Fontana in 2004, where she had a large part in opening and managing one of their newest facilities. Since beginning with RivCo Parks, Salazar has helped to open The Cove Waterpark and has overseen the inception of all programming and events at this facility. Her new venture will be overseeing the newest addition to the parks district, DropZone Waterpark, which is set to open Summer 2014.


speakers

141

David J. SangreeDavid J. Sangree, MAI, CPA, ISHC, is the President of

Hotel & Leisure Advisors based in Cleveland, Ohio. He is a hospitality consultant and appraiser specializing in hotels, resorts, waterparks, golf courses, conference centers, casinos, ski resorts and other leisure properties. He is a graduate of Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and

a member of the Appraisal Institute, a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants. He has performed studies on more than 2,000 existing and proposed hotels, waterparks and other leisure properties in more than 46 states and internationally. He has been an active ap-praiser/consultant since 1987 and also has 10 years of work experience in the hotel/restaurant industry including management positions with four Westin Hotels proper-ties. Sangree has appeared on Good Morning America and CNBC on special reports concerning resorts and waterparks. He has written numerous articles and been quoted in a wide range of publications including “Aquatics International,” “Columbus Dispatch,” “Cleveland Plain Dealer,” “Cincinnati Business Courier,” “Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Quarterly,” “New York Times,” “Wall Street Journal,” “World Waterpark Magazine” and “Funworld Magazine.” Sangree was named in 2008 one of”Aquatics International’s” Power 25, an annual list of professionals it deems the most powerful people in the aquatics industry.

Tom SchaeferOver the last fifteen years, Tom Schaefer has presented

on UV technology at state, regional and national confer-ences for the aquatics and environmental health industry. Reviews of his presentations are often positive for both technical merit and in engaging the audience. Schaefer works for ETS, the industry leader in supplying UV for com-

mercial aquatics in North America.

Chris ShillcuttChris Shillcutt is currently the Owner/GM of Wild River

Country. He was the Director of Aquatics and Safety for the Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos Mountains. Shillcutt has been in the aquatics industry for over 20 years and is an as-sociate with Jeff Ellis & Associates. He has taught for WWA, IAAPA and NASS and served as the waterpark education

committee chair for AIMS International. Shillcutt has coached and taught at the university level, worked in parks and recreation and worked for Six Flags at the park and corporate levels for their waterparks and risk management areas. His goal every year is to help his staff be better and better and take pride in the park where they work. His industry goal is to continue to find ways to educate the newer members in the industry and support its professional associations. He is married to Collette and they have eight children.

Eric SolisEric Solis has been with Raging Waters San Dimas,

California’s largest waterpark, for 8 successful years. Solis first joined Raging Waters in 2005, while simultaneously earning his bachelor’s degree at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Through hard work and dedication, Solis was promoted to Section Manager of Food & Beverage

by the time he graduated from college. Since then, Solis has pursued his passion in


speakers

142

the food & beverage industry, becoming the full-time Manager of Food & Beverage in 2011. In this position, Solis has successfully opened the first Carl’s Jr. established within a waterpark, as well as another franchise in San Antonio, Texas. In addition to Carl’s Jr., Solis has also aided in the opening of Pink’s Hollywood Hot Dogs and Jamba Juice. Solis is loved by all his employees and owes much of his success as man-ager to the relationships he has built with each team member and to his family.

Jason SorciJason Sorci, PE, SE, is the Chief Financial Officer and a

partner at Architectural Design Consultants, Inc. (ADCI), an architectural firm internationally recognized for its work in the design of hotel resorts and indoor waterparks headquartered in Lake Delton, Wis. In addition to his CFO duties, Sorci is actively involved in both new client development and project

management. Sorci received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and master’s de-gree in structural engineering from Marquette University and a master of business ad-ministration from University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. Prior to joining ADCI in 2006, Sorci managed a structural consulting firm in Madison, Wis., working with a variety of clients designing and managing the design of several significant indoor waterparks, re-sorts and high-rise buildings. At ADCI, Sorci uses his background in engineering to help guide project conceptual design, manage key engineering consultants and provide an additional layer of quality control, constructability review and construction cost control.

Scott StefancAs a Programmer, Designer, and Project Manager for Vortex

Aquatic Structures International, Scott Stefanc, ASLA, has been involved with the design and development of waterparks since 1996. His experience covers a variety of aquatic venues which include waterparks, splashpads, aquatic centers and resort facili-ties. Stefanc has worked on many projects of an international

scale, stretching from Australia to Europe, including traditional and design-build delivery methods. Some of his clients include Walt Disney World Resorts, Great Wolf Resorts, Cedar Fair, Busch Entertainment, Universal, Village Roadshow and numerous city and county parks departments. Stefanc is a NSPF Certified Pool/Spa Operator and holds a bachelor’s degree of landscape architecture from Iowa State University.

David SteinDavid Stein has worked with Wet ‘n Wild Orlando in sev-

eral roles over the past 25 years. He is currently the Director of Operations, where he oversees maintenance, water quality, lifeguards, merchandise, admissions, park service, security and in- park promotions.

Jessica SteinbergJessica Steinberg is the Senior Manager of Operations for

the Rockford Park District in Rockford, Ill. In this capacity she oversees district-wide revenue, the Ice Facilities, the Aquatics Facilities, Magic Waters Waterpark, Windsor Lake, Alpine Hills Adventure Park, the riverboat and trolley operation and the District’s food and beverage contract. She is also

Chair of the WWA’s Public Sector Committee. Steinberg is a graduate of Marquette University and has worked for the park district for 15 years, serving in a variety of positions. She began her career as the operations manager of aquatics, tennis and ice facilities. She was later promoted to operations manager of aquatics, which


speakers

143

included four facilities, as well as the aquatics and risk management departments of Magic Waters Waterpark. After two years, she was promoted to the Director of Magic Waters Waterpark and the Aquatic Facilities. Steinberg was recognized in the spring of 2009 as one of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce’s Top 40 Leaders Under 40. Steinberg is a graduate of the National Recreation & Park Association Revenue Development and Management School. She holds a certificate from Rockford College in nonprofit leadership and has been recognized with the Rockford Park District’s quarterly employee excellence award three times. Since 2004, her lifeguard staff has been honored with numerous gold and platinum awards for safety excellence from E&A. Steinberg was awarded a Special Recognition Award by the WWA’s Board of Directors for significant accomplishment with their volunteer com-mittees in 2010/2011.

Brett SteinbrueckBrett Steinbrueck is president of BECS Technology, Inc. in

St. Louis, Missouri. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in computer science from Washington University in St. Louis. Since 1985, Steinbrueck has been designing and implementing embedded software for digital water chemistry controllers. In 1991, he was one of four founders of BECS Technology.

BECS employs a multi-discipline engineering and product development team, dedi-cated to developing reliable and innovative automated water chemistry and filtra-tion controls. All products are manufactured in the U.S. at BECS’ plant in St. Louis.

Chris StuartAfter graduating from Brigham Young University in 1979,

Chris Stuart started in the waterpark industry at Oakwood Lake Resort in Manteca, Calif. He worked there until 1990 as Waterpark Manager, Assistant Park Manager and General Manager. In 1990, Stuart moved to Kansas City to work at Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun as Park Manager of Oceans

of Fun and then Director of Operations over both parks. Six years later he took a job with NBGS as Director of International Management Services and worked mostly in Asia. During this time, he had the opportunity to participate in the start-up of the Pearl River Waterpark in Guang Zhou, Peoples Republic of China. In 1997, Stuart moved to south Texas to start up SuperSplash, in Edinburgh, Texas and two years later went north to start-up and operate Six Flags Hurricane Harbor in Jackson, N.J. Williamsburg, Virginia was his next stop as Aquatics Director for the Great Wolf Lodge-Williamsburg and Corporate Director of Aquatic Safety and Risk Management. Stuart traveled to Kellogg, Idaho to work for Silver Mountain Resort to facilitate start up and then manage. He has been involved for twenty years with Ellis & Associates as a Senior Associate and has been on staff with the National Aquatic Safety School for 12 years. Stuart was lucky enough to attend the first waterpark convention/meeting many years ago in Kansas City and has been involved with WWA and attended most of the conventions since then. Stuart and his wife have eight wonderful children, six of which are married. No stranger to start up projects, Stuart lived in Thailand from December 2009 until October 2010. He was a consulting General Manager for Splash Jungle in Phuket and at Amazon Falls in Najomtien. In 2010, he worked at Jay Peak in northern Vermont starting up and managing the Pump House Indoor Waterpark, which opened in December 2011. He is currently with Dreampark International working on a project in China.


speakers

144

Rafael SuarezRafael Suarez is a creative, energetic leader and problem

solver with a strong and diverse operational background with a proven record comprised of 25 years in the waterpark, zoo and hospitality industries. He started his career in the industry from a summer job in the construction of Plaza Acuatica Water Park in Puerto Rico and moved through the

ranks to the Operations Manager position. Suarez then moved to the Philippines to take over the Director of Operations position for Splash Island Waterpark a new waterpark being developed. After five years in the Philippines, Suarez returned to the United States and took over Director of Operations position and then the Executive Director/CEO for Elmwood Park Zoo in Pennsylvania. After seven years in the zoo industry, Suarez accepted an opportunity to join Kalahari Resorts Waterpark in Ohio as Director of Operations; and he was rapidly promoted to Corporate Water Park Director overseeing the two largest waterparks in America. Suarez then took the opportunity to work in the hospitality industry; he joined Rocking Horse Ranch Resort and SplashDown Beach Water Park in N.Y. as Operations Director for both facilities. Recently, Suarez returned to Kalahari Resorts as Corporate Director for Water Park Maintenance overseeing the mainte-nance for the two waterparks.

Ron SutulaRon Sutula has more than 34 years of management

experience in the waterpark and theme park entertainment industry. He has directed the opening of six successful parks, including two Wet ‘n Wild waterparks and Schlitterbahn Galveston Island. Sutula began his career at Marriott’s Great America Theme Park in Illinois. He rose through the

ranks to become Director of Park Operation at Marriott’s Playland Park in New York State. He joined the Funtime Inc. organization in the early 1980s, working at Darien Lake and Wyandot Lake theme parks as Operations Director. In 1985, he embarked on a 12-year stint as Vice President of Operations at Wet ‘n Wild, Orlando, Fla. When Wet ‘n Wild expanded to Brazil, Sutula opened the park and served as Vice President and General Manager for the first two years in Sao Paulo. He returned to the United States to manage the construction and operation of Wet ‘n Wild in Broward County, Fla. As part of the Ogden Entertainment Parks Group, he also formulated standards, policies and procedures for 13 Ogden proper-ties located in the United States, Brazil and Mexico. Sutula served as Director of Resort Operations for Universal Studios in Orlando for five years, where he was responsible for the overall operation of the 840-acre facility and the supervision of more than 1,200 employees. He joined the Schlitterbahn family in 2005 as General Manager to oversee all operations of the Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark, which received the Golden Ticket award as the world’s best indoor waterpark for the past six years. He is responsible for development, direction and management of the waterpark. Sutula served on the Board of Directors for the World Waterpark Association for eight years, received the Executive Board Award in 2008 and is a Hall of Fame member.

Chris SwartzChris Swartz has over 20 years of experience working in

the waterpark industry and is currently employed as the Park Manager for NRH2O Family Water Park located in North Richland Hills, Texas. NRH2O Family Water Park is the largest municipally-owned and operated park in the United


speakers

145

States and has garnered numerous awards and recognition over its operating his-tory. He joined the City of North Richland Hills team from White Water/American Adventures in Marietta, GA., where he worked as Operations Manager. Prior to this, he worked for Wet ‘n Wild Orlando starting as a lifeguard and was promoted up to Operations Training Supervisor. He has presented at numerous local, state, national and international conferences. In 2010, “Aquatics International” featured him as one of the “Power 25 Reinventors” in the aquatics industry. Swartz served on the WWA’s Board of Directors as chair. His prior offices throughout his tenure include Secretary, Treasurer, Vice Chair and Chair.

Debbie SweeneyDebbie Sweeney is a Vice President at Hays Companies,

the 19th largest risk management consulting and insurance brokerage firm in the country. Hays has very defined ex-pertise in working with a wide variety of industries including hospitality, waterparks and entertainment venues. Sweeney has more than 26 years of industry experience and is the

leader of this specialty practice group. Her experience includes working with the risk management programs for Kalahari Resorts and Great Wolf Resorts. Sweeney sits on a National Broker Advisory Counsel as a hospitality/waterpark expert for a major insurer. Sweeney is a member of WWA and IAAPA.

Jim Tanner Jim Tanner is Director of Sales of the aquatic division

for ProMinent USA and a licensed NSPF instructor. His background consists of 23 years’ experience in the design and construction of commercial swimming pools, waterparks, spray pad / interactive features, aquarium/mammal exhibits, drinking water systems and their related mechanical and

disinfection systems. Tanner started his career in the commercial aquatic industry in 1988 with Recreonics Corporation. In 1991, he joined Lincoln Equipment and worked as a regional manager and a Sales Manager. He commissioned many new projects, provided operations training and consultation to customers, as well as troubleshooting issues with filtration and chemical feed systems. In 2001, Tanner joined Stranco / Siemens Water Technologies as regional sales manager and then became director of sales for the disinfection division for aquatics and industrial. Tanner was active in the global markets and was directly responsible for the importing ultraviolet technologies and on-site chlorination systems for the North American market while at Siemens.

Kari TjaderKari Tjader began in the industry as a lifeguard in 2005

where she worked for Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Gurnee, Ill., and moved up the ranks into a Training Supervisor. In 2008, she was hired as the Corporate Training Manager for CoCo Key Water Resorts, where she helped develop standard operating procedures, assisted with planning and

facilitating hiring events and four grand openings and provided assistance in many management positions. Her most recent promotion was becoming the Director of Water Resort Operations for CoCo Key Hotel and Water Resort’s newest property in Orlando, Fla., where she is responsible for recruiting, hiring, training, staffing and managing day-to-day operations. Tjader recently became an Instructor


speakers

146

Trainer for Ellis & Associates and has been certified as a Jeff Ellis Swimming Program Coordinator and current CPO. She hopes to one day have a community, donation-based swim program to help support safe swimming in her community.

Nicole Van WinkleNicole Van Winkle, Aquatics Coordinator for Riverside

County Regional Park and Open-Space District, holds a master’s degree in recreation and tourism management from California State University, Northridge, where she focused her studies on experiential aquatics training and staff development/leadership. Throughout her career, Van Winkle

has supervised the operations and development of several new aquatic facilities in Southern California. Currently, Van Winkle is responsible for the operations, programming, marketing and budgeting for The Cove Watepark’s 7-acre waterpark and competition pool. She also serves as the Vice President for the Southern California Public Pool Operators’ Association, an association of over 84 municipal aquatic agencies throughout Southern California. Van Winkle enjoys presenting on leadership, staff development and training.

Louis VicicAs a Forrec Director and head of the Waterparks sector,

Louis Vicic’s responsibilities include leading teams and oversee-ing an extremely active project portfolio. In his 13 years with the firm, he has been able to assume an extremely broad range of professional roles in the design and implementation of theme parks, waterparks and mixed-use developments.

Prior to joining Forrec, Vicic’s background included design and production drawing in a landscape architecture office, and a considerable amount of site work in North America and Europe. At Forrec, Vicic’s very first assignment was with the develop-ment of Legoland Deutschland, a two and a half year undertaking that has resulted in one of the brand’s most important parks. More recently, he has served as Area Development lead for Legoland Florida and Legoland Malaysia. A particularly signifi-cant contribution was his recent participation as Project Manager of the award-win-ning Happy Magic Watercube in Beijing. Vicic holds a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Toronto. In his leisure time, Vicic collects and plays guitar, skis, cycles and golfs.

Ralph J. Vilardo, Jr.Ralph Vilardo, Jr. is an experienced waterpark operator

who has overseen the aquatics, safety and groups sales departments. Before joining the waterpark industry, Vilardo had a long career as a professional firefighter/paramedic. In July 2012, Vilardo became General Manager of The Beach Waterpark, and oversaw a $5 million renovation and grand

re-opening of the park in May 2013. Before becoming the GM of the Beach, he worked in the waterpark business for over twelve years; five years were spent as the director of group sales. Vilardo served 8 years as a council member and 2 years as mayor in his hometown of Milford, Ohio.


speakers

147

Kevin WencelKevin Wencel has been in the food and beverage

industry for the past 18 years. After a career as a chef with various Minneapolis/St Paul restaurants in the early ‘90s, including Culinary School Director at Cooks of Crocus Hill and Corporate Executive Chef with Blue Plate Restaurant Company in the Twin Cities, Wencel now applies his F&B/

Operations experience on the foodservice distribution side with US Foods. Currently a Business Develop Manager handling national lodging and recreation business under Premier, USF’s largest GPO partner, Wencel travels the country working with national and regional lodging and recreation customer partners on purchasing, distribution and operational solutions.

James “Jim” WheelerJim Wheeler is known as one of the aquatic industry’s

most entertaining and informative speakers on the subjects of aquatic risk management, safety training and operations. Wheeler is currently Leisure and Aquatic Services Manager for the City and County of San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department. Wheeler’s background includes working

at waterfronts, beaches, pools and waterparks and it’s this extraordinary blend of hands-on experience that gives him a unique and innovative perspective on aquatic operational safety, training and programming. Wheeler is also the owner of Total Aquatic Management, an aquatic safety training and consulting firm based in Alameda, California.

Lake WhiteLake White has extensive experience in all aspects of

the aquatics industry. He is a national staff member for the Starfish Aquatics Institute, serving as Director of Training. He travels around the world educating instructors on how to teach lifeguard training, providing emergency care instructor training and providing on-site risk management and safety

evaluation audits for waterparks, swimming pools and beach fronts. He has served on industry leadership committees including the Lifeguard Standards Coalition and the WWA’s Children’s Drowning Prevention Council. He is a member of the National Recreation & Park Association and has completed the National Aquatics Management School program. Under his leadership, his aquatic facilities have earned a “best in aquatics” award numerous times from “Aquatics International.” He holds a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts.

Tiffany WoodwardTiffany Woodward is the Director of Sales and Marketing

for Jackson Street Holdings LLC and Wave Renovations LLC. In her role, she has been involved with the development, opening and operations of twelve water resort properties in nine states. In addition to her background in the water-park industry, through her work with Wave Renovations,

Woodward has worked on numerous hotel renovation projects across the United States. Prior to her current position, she worked as the Special Events and Waterpark Sales Manager at Country Springs Hotel in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Woodward is a member of the WWA’s Marketing Committee, WWA Committee


speakers

148

Leadership Council; and in 2011, she was awarded a Special Recognition Award by the WWA’s Board of Directors for significant accomplishment with their volunteer committees in 2010/2011.

Rich YoungRich Young has over 30 years of municipal, public pool

and waterpark experience, including operating and maintain-ing many public and commercial pools in addition to several waterpark facilities with maintenance, operations and pro-gramming responsibilities. In addition, he has been a sales and service representative for several major manufacturers of

commercial pool equipment and distributors. For the past 20 years, he has worked as a licensed contractor and consultant having worked on many public/commercial facilities and waterparks throughout the western United States and abroad. Young has taught CPO for the National Swimming Pool Foundation for over 14 years and has been an AFO instructor for the National Recreation and Park Association since its conception and recently was the managing editor for the 6th Edition of the AFO manual. He is the technical advisor and a board member for the Professional Pool Operators of America.

Diane ZanotelliDiane Zanotelli is the Director of Revenue at Aquatica

and oversees both Culinary and Merchandise opera-tions. She started her career with the SeaWorld Parks 23 years ago. After moving to Florida, she began her career at SeaWorld as a catering host. Zanotelli has held various roles throughout the SeaWorld parks including Discovery Cove

and the opening of the first Aquatica park in Orlando in 2008. She relocated to San Antonio, Texas to open the 2nd Aquatica park in 2012. Since Texas is home for her, this was a great opportunity.

Lary Zucker, EsquireLary Zucker is Senior Counsel at Marshall Dennehey

Warner Coleman and Coggin LLC where he is the Chair of the Amusement Sports and Recreation Practice Group. Zucker also serves as Counsel to the New Jersey Amusement Association and is a founding member and Director of IALDA. Zucker represents many aquatic facilities

and waterparks as a defense attorney and risk management consultant. A member of the bar in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Zucker has been designated by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a Certified Civil Trial attorney for more than 25 years.

Mark Abdo Kelli Allen - World Waterpark Association...Mark Abdo Mark Abdo has been the Aquatics...

Documents

Transcript of Mark Abdo Kelli Allen - World Waterpark Association...Mark Abdo Mark Abdo has been the Aquatics...