ROOKIES AND NEWCOMERS: FEC 101
2015 Teaching Faculty
Douglas W. Wilkerson
Facility Design and Trends
Principal, Dynamic Designs & Associates, Studio 41b
Doug Wilkerson has spent over 20 years of his life in the FEC
and amusement industry designing entertainment venues and
immersive environments all over the world. Wilkerson started
his career designing restaurant interiors before eventually
graduating to full scale entertainment and amusement design.
With over a 100 FEC and entertainment center designs under
his belt, Wilkerson is nationally recognized as one of the
preeminent planners of large scale indoor entertainment
venues and is often called on to reinvent existing industries by
creatively blending immersive environments around new
experiential profit centers. He is a partner in DYNAMIC
DESIGNS & ASSOCIATES, (a full service architectural firm
specializing in entertainment design) as well as STUDIO 41b (a scenic design and
attraction fabrication company near Orlando, FL). His portfolio includes a variety of
projects with some of the most prominent companies in World including the likes of
Wilderness Resorts, Legoland, Cabela’s, Namco, Emagine Theaters, Main Event
Entertainment, Bowl New England, Cinema World, Rain Forest Cafe, and Orange
Counter Choppers to name a few.
Jerry Merola
Feasibility Plans
CFO, Amusement Entertainment Management, LLC
Jerry Merola serves as Chief Financial Officer and Managing Partner
of Amusement Entertainment Management, L.L.C. He has focused
much of his efforts on analyzing and enhancing the performance of
the firm's client portfolio, which includes owners of entertainment
venues, new developers, industry manufacturers, and financial
institutions. He has developed feasibility studies, marketing plans,
operations manuals, business and asset valuations, and funding
programs for some of the most notable names in the entertainment
industry and performed business audits in almost all markets and
sectors. Jerry and the firm have developed one of the most
comprehensive attractions databases available, allowing its clients to
obtain "real world" performance results and earnings capability for virtually any
entertainment component.
David S. Cohen
Business Plannning
President and C.E.O., Firestone Financial
David Cohen has been affiliated with Fireston Financial Corp.
since 1986. He directs the management of all aaspects of the
business. He participates in the generation of new business,
maintenance of key customer relationships, serves as a
member of the Credit Committee and leads the planning and
policy-making functions of the company. He was Chairman of
the Board of the AAMA (American Amusement Machine
Association) and currrently serves on the Board.
On a local level, he previously has served on various non-profit
comunity boards. He is presently a member of the Board of
Directors and Audito Committee of Holbrook Cooperative
Bank. From September 1998 until September of 2000, Mr. Cohen was President and
member of the Board of UST Leasing Corporation which provided equipment leasing
services to bank and non-bank customers. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Cohen was
a Divisional Controller for XTRA, Inc. a transporttion leasing company and he started his
career in 1978 at Coopers & Lybrand as a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Cohen
received a BA in Business Administration from Rutgers University.
Richard Sanfilippo
Moderator / Facility Operations / Attractions Mix
Owner, Sam’s Fun City, Pensacola, Florida
Richard Sanfilippo is a 19 year veteran owner/operator who still
considers himself an industry rookie. Coming from a 25 year
career as an executive in the environmental engineering and
construction industry Richard had a unique skill set upon which
to draw when in 1996 he planned and built from the ground up
Sam’s Fun City, a 20 acre award winning hybrid FEC in
Pensacola, Florida. From his very first IAAPA trade Expo he
became dedicated to an active participation in the FEC
industry. For six years Richard was a member of the IALEI
board of directors and as chairman was instrumental in giving
its members the option to merge with IAAPA which they chose
to do in 2009. He is a former member of the FEC committee
and concentrates his efforts on membership issues. He
currently serves as the Chair of the IAAPA North American Advisory Committee, and the
Board of Directors for IAAPA.
Dorothy Lewis
Moderator / Sales & Marketing
Director of Marketing, Family Entertainment Properties Group
Dorothy Lewis counts over twenty years of hands on
experience in the Family Entertainment Industry. Ms. Lewis
is the Director of Marketing for Family Entertainment
Properties Group. During her industry career she has been
responsible for the marketing and operational direction of
multiple centers ranging in size from 24,000 to 85,000
square feet. She has been instrumental in the restructuring
and implementation of programs and party operations of
various locations in the U.S. to increase gross sales. She
is also experienced in all aspects of the hiring and training
process with her own unique incentive and motivational
programs geared for today’s youth.
Recently she has taken on the role of GM of a growing FEC where she is working to
restructure and develop its management and group sales department to meet the
demands of their consistent growth. Her work and involvement in the public and private
educational system has earned her and her company many accolades including the 2008
Prestigious Partner of the Year for her service and unique educational programming at
entertainment facilities.
She is also proud to add author to her resume as her recently published industry book,
“The FUNdamentals of the Party Business” is selling through industry suppliers,
conventions and various association bookstores in the U.S. and internationally. Her latest
accomplishment is the production of her own DIY Group Interview Kit, “Casting Call”.
A six time Golden Token Award winner for industry excellence, Ms. Lewis has been a
feature writer for PlayMeter Magazine along with several publications over the course of
her career. A highly rated speaker in the industry she has been involved in educational
seminars and programming since 1997. Ms. Lewis has been an active member of the
IAAPA Family Entertainment Committee and Education Committee. This will be the 13th
year she has been active in Rookies and Newcomers.
Scott Brown
Director, Business Development - We Do Digital
Social Media
Scott Brown is an author, educator and veteran operator with
the Family Entertainment Industry. Scott's tenure in the FEC
business began more than 20 years ago and continues
uninterrupted today. Having navigated every job offering in the
entertainment and services economy, he has a unique and
hands-on perspective of the entrepreneurial side of business
ownership and the day-to-day nuances of operational
management.
He currently operates Great Service Lives, a company whose
mission is to help businesses and individuals alike reach their
true service potential. Through Great Service Lives, Scott provides a variety of leadership,
coaching and service focused management training to businesses within the
entertainment, recreation and hospitality industries.
Scott is a graduate of the College of Journalism at the University of Florida, and as an
author and management guru, has published numerous articles on customer service, the
role of leaders and human resource management. His latest book is Who Cares?
Creating a Culture of Service in your Business. Scott grew up near Cleveland, Ohio and
currently lives in Ohio with his wife and two daughters.
Dave Wallace
Food and Beverage
President, Turfway Entertainment
As the President and Founder of Turfway Entertainment
Management Group, Dave Wallace leads a wellexperienced team in consultation of design, build and
operational needs to bars, restaurants and entertainment
centers across the United States. With over 29 years in the
hospitality industry, Dave has been fortunate to grow and
understand the intricacies of operating all aspects of
entertainment facilities. As the company's motto and core
competency is defined, "Understanding Needs.. Delivering
Results!" Dave leads his team to work hard to deliver the
highest quality work at a reasonable price.
Dave, a graduate of the University of Kentucky in Finance,
has been a contributor to many trade magazines and is an
active participant and speaker in several industry specific
workshops and conferences.
As a previous successful executive manager of multiple-venue entertainment facilities for
over 17 years, Dave offers assistance to clients through true operational experiences that
have given much needed insight to new and experience operators alike.
Christine Buhr
Financial Management
Owner, Shaker’s Family Fun Centre
Christine’s entrepreneurial spirit emerged at a young age
as she grew up in multiple family business ventures from
Northland Ford, Auto dealership; The Body Shop
TM, Health and Beauty to J Commerce, Inventory
Management Computer Software company. These
experiences led her to co -found a family business
in 2006 in the Family Entertainment sector. Shakers
Family Fun Centre contributed to Christine’s desire
to build an exciting business, add value to people’s
lives and have an impact on the community around
her.
Christine also sits as a Board Member for
Entrepreneurial Organization a worldwide group that
focuses on small to medium businesses. Sitting on this board has ignited her
desire for continued learning, leadership and the importance of building a
network of colleges to achieve business success.
Beth Standlee
Human Resources
CEO and Owner, TrainterTainment
Beth Standlee is the CEO and Owner of TrainerTainment,
the fastest growing training company in the family
entertainment business. Beth and her company help the
businesses they serve make more money by doing what
comes naturally-they have fun selling!
With energy and enthusiasm, Beth and her team deliver
the kind of sales and customer service training for family
entertainment centers that is based on more than 15
years of hands on experience in the industry. Whether you’re reading an article or
attending a seminar you’ll be sure to walk away with real world methods that are easy to
implement and the motivation to do it now!
Since 2005 Beth has spoken at more than 100 education events like Bowl Expo, Fun
Expo, IAAPA, the National RSA event, IAAPA Europe, and multiple times for the
international DEAL show.
Mike Abecassis
Redemption and Game Room Layout
Chief Executive Officer – Game Time
Mike Abecassis is the CEO of GameTime and is a 22
year veteran in the amusement industry. He has built
over 70 Family Entertainment Centers covering all of
the Americas.
He is currently involved in 160 partnered locations and
6 GameTime FECs.
Mike currently serves on the Family Entertainment
Center Committee for IAAPA, and has been actively
involved in the Florida State Legislation grass roots
campaign for the amendment of a very significant
redemption games bill
Drew Tewksbury
Facility Insurance & Risk Management
Vice-President, Britton Gallagher Insurance
Drew Tewksbury is the Senior Vice President of Britton Gallagher
Insurance, from Cleveland, Ohio. He represents an exclusive product
line developed specifically for IAAPA FEC members – AIR Elite. As an
IAAPA’s endorsed insurance supplier, he partners with us to help
educate and inform our constituency on risk management.
Drew brings over 17 years of risk management and insurance industry experience to this
webinar program. . He holds a National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials
(NAARSO) Level 1 Amusement Ride Inspection License and is a licensed amusement
ride inspector in multiple states.
Drew is a nationally recognized speaker on safety and risk management for the
amusement industry. He was ranked one of the top five speakers at the IAAPA Attractions
Expo last November in Orlando, and has presented Risk Management sessions FEC Las
Vegas, FEC Dallas and our Rookies & Newcomers session in Orlando the past two years.
He has presented at the Fun Academy at Fun Expo, The American Inflatable Roadshow,
and is a regular instructor at the semi-annual Commonwealth of Pennsylvania State Ride
Inspection Safety Training Program and NAARSO Schools.
Drew is an active member of the International Association of Amusement Parks and
Attractions (IAAPA), Safe Inflatable Operators Training Organization (SIOTO),
Responsible Operators of Amusement Rides (ROAR) and is a participating member of
the American Society for Testing and Materials F24 (ASTM) committee for Amusement
Rides and Devices, Outdoor Amusement Business Association (OABA) and The
Showman’s League of America (SLA).
He is a contributor to The Inflatable Bootcamp, a “how to manual” on the successful
creation, operation and management of an inflatable amusement company.
Drew has been interviewed and cited regularly in amusement and insurance industry
trade journals and nationally published news magazines.