July 2010
Hail to the ChiefRePlay: Tell us about plans for the upcoming midyear board meeting. How did you go about deciding to host the meeting in August in Nashville? What are the big issues on the agenda?
Gary: As you know, for many years AMOA conducted what we call our midyear board meeting annually in the spring and another annual board meeting in the fall. With the merger of our fall show with AAMA into the springtime slot, it basically reversed that traditional schedule, so now our annual meeting is conducted in the spring around the annual tradeshow, and our midyear shifted to the late summer/fall timeframe.
Donna and I have lived and worked near Nashville virtually all of our lives. We know it well and appreciate all it has to offer. And also there is a longtime, close connection between our industry and music, and since Nashville is Music City USA it seemed like a natural and comfortable fit for our group to be there for our program this year.
Finally and totally by coincidence, the recent flooding experienced in the city was devastating, and holding our meeting in Nashville gives us the opportunity to demonstrate AMOA’s strong support to the recovery efforts. While we will not likely see much evidence of the disaster when we are together in August, our presence will be noticed and appreciated.
As far as the major issues right now, the list would likely include topics such as the 2011 Amusement Expo, various legislative initiatives affecting our industry, our continuing education program at the University of Notre Dame, and new and ongoing member service programs.
You are well into your term as president. Can you provide us with a state of the association summary? What are AMOA’s biggest strengths and challenges at this moment in history?
From a performance perspective, we are on target as far as membership and tradeshow revenues. We forecasted slight declines given the softness in the overall economy and our industry specifically.
I would say our biggest strengths would center on our ability to focus, unite and work through obstacles. AMOA continues to be blessed in having active, dedicated volunteer leaders backed by a solid core of engaged, entrepreneurial members.
Our biggest challenges are how to help our members grow during this prolonged period of sub-par business conditions and how to stay relevant and valuable to our constituents.
What can you tell us about the future of Fun Expo of which AMOA owns 25 percent?
At this writing, negotiations are ongoing between the three partners — AMOA, AAMA and IAAPA — to determine how best to proceed with this event. These discussions are confidential, but let’s revisit this next month, and I believe there will be much more clarity on this by then.
We would enjoy some highlights from your spring and early summer presidential travel. Tell us what has surprised you most in visiting operators around the country?
Honestly, I feel like the travel part of my term is just getting ramped up. From the start last September, most of my focus and energies have been directed to the planning and execution of the inaugural Amusement Expo this past March.
Besides a few quick trips to Chicago for more show-related meetings, there has not been a heavy travel load. That changed, starting last month, when I began the summer state association circuit. By the time RePlay publishes this issue, I will have been in Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin. My First VP Donovan Fremin was kind enough to attend the Ohio meeting on my behalf, and this month I will be going to the Texas meeting and possibly one or two others that have yet to be finalized at this time.
As far as what has surprised me most during my travels is how much the operators I meet care about their business and this industry. To coin machine operators, this is not a hobby or just a job. It’s a livelihood and way of life. While I can’t really say I’m that surprised when I encounter that mindset during my visits, it certainly validates my view of how deeply vested most operators are in our trade, which makes me proud to be a part of it and humbled to be elected president of this special group.
In your opinion, what is the single biggest challenge operators around the country are facing?
For most, the short answer is preserving profits. There are so many factors that have made this a tough task: competition; fewer locations; local, state and federal laws; taxes, fees and reporting requirements; changing customer mix; technology and access to low-cost entertainment alternatives. The list goes on.
For some, it’s more dire, and survival is the biggest challenge. And yet, depending on whom you talk with, what they’re operating and where they are located in the country, there are a lot of operators who are doing quite well.
So while there is no one-size-fits-all answer, there is no disputing the fact that our business — like most — is struggling. Business could always be better, but I’m confident the operator community will continue to adapt, change and find a way to get through these challenging times.
As the CD jukebox fades with just over 20,000 JLO licenses on the street, how is AMOA working to retain value and relevance with members?
The discount members received for licensing their CD jukeboxes through the JLO was a compelling benefit that continues today for a sizeable group of operators. We saw the handwriting on the wall and recognized that benefit, which has been eroded by the advancing market penetration of the digital jukebox, would not lead AMOA into the future.
We continue to investigate and introduce new member benefit programs to compliment our existing core of offerings to, in your words, “retain value and relevance to members.”
While the ROI on many of these are much less tangible and measurable than the JLO license discount, we feel that our membership is receiving considerable value for their dues investment, and as I said, AMOA — led by the efforts of our Membership Committee — is focused on producing more in the way of programs and services for members.
Gary Brewer's business, Brewer Amusement Co., operates corporate and street locations in Tennessee and surrounding states. Brewer says he relishes the daily challenges that all operators face and looks forward to coming to work each and every day.
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