ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION BUZZ
Wishing You the Merriest of Holidays and a Happy New Year! Bob Johnson, OABA President
G
reat to see many of you at recent IAAPA and IAFE conventions in Orlando and San Antonio. Kudos to all for getting through this past year’s hurricanes, flooding and fires, which plagued the outdoor amusement in- dustry once again. I am continually amazed at the resilience of carnivals, circuses, food/game concessionaires and independent ride owners as you fulfill your contracts. While each season flies by with incredible speed, this past year had its challenges. In my opinion, IAFE CEO Marla Calico and her staff gave us all a great new convention in San Antonio, their new venue. As their leadership and board changed, as does ours in February, congratulations to IAFE’s new Chair, Jessica Underberg from the Erie County Fair in Hamburg, NY. The OABA chair’s carni- val, Strates Shows, has played this event for almost 95 years and the fair held its 178th event this past year! OABA’s 2019 edition of the annual Midway Marquee, our member directory and planner will be mailed early in January. Our staff works hard to give you this great publication, reviewing key articles published in
ShowTime this past year and highlights of the many members programs and services. This past year, we are especially proud of our on-line training program, “VOLT” and the board’s ef- forts to improve the mobile sleeping accommodations with our new guidelines, also in this publication. OABA Government Relations Chair Michael Wood also highlights the challenges we face with our seasonal H-2B visa program and its heavy burden and costs to this industry.
Don’t forget to make your hotel reservations for the IISA trade show, Fare Foods/NICA trade show and OABA’s 54th Annual Meeting on February 8th starting at 6 PM at the Sheraton Tampa Hotel in Sable Park. See details in this magazine to do so. OABA Director Andy Deggeller once again has BIG plans for an- other exciting event at TopGolf on Thursday night, February 7. Reminder: For those students applying for OABA-Duke Smith Memorial Scholarships, your applications must be postmarked by December 31. “May the joys and glad tidings of this Holiday Season bring us all closer together as a family, sharing in this celebration and may its blessings continue into 2019 for a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year!
6 OABA ShowTime Magazine | DECEMBER 2018
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