The American Amusement Machine Association brought industry leaders to Dallas, Texas, from Aug. 31-Sept. 3 for the 2026 AAMA All Access: Annual Meeting & Celebration. The four-day gathering brought together manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, FEC and location owner-operators and other industry professionals for leadership meetings, education, networking, recognition and charitable giving.
“True to its All Access name, the Annual Meeting was designed around something at the heart of AAMA – creating meaningful access to people, ideas, conversations and experiences that help strengthen relationships and move the industry forward,” the association said.
The week kicked off with a VIP Reception event, providing event sponsors an opportunity to build deeper relationships with their customers and industry partners.
The first full day began with the AAMCF Board of Directors Meeting. Holly Hampton of Bay Tek Entertainment was re-elected to the charity board as its president. Two newly elected board members included Barb Peltz of Bowling Center Management Magazine and Denise Secia of Rhode Island Novelty.
Re-elected to the board were: Jeff Blair (Sureway Games), Amy Hedrick (Cleanbox Technologies), John Keys (CenterEdge Software), Sara Paz (Embed) and Paula Rinker (Pixel Plush & Prizes).
Following lunch, the group held their AAMA Board and Members Meeting, which saw the election of Howard McAuliffe (Pinnacle Entertainment Group) as president. AAMA also recognized Beth Standlee (TrainerTainment/GrowthPro Group) for her two-year service as president.
Three first-time directors elected to the board were: Shelley Fernandez-Katz of BMI Entertainment, John Keys and Nate McQuillen of WTI Wireless. Britannie Betti (Betson Enterprises) and Jon Brady (Sports Connection) were re-elected to the board.
The first full day concluded with the All Access Welcome Dinner and Fireside Chat, which featured Eddie Hamann and Michael Morales of Andretti Indoor Karting & Games. The chat was moderated by Beth Standlee and Jon Brady and gave attendees a “candid look inside Andretti’s story, growth and evolution and provided insight into operating and expanding one of the industry’s leading location-based entertainment brands.”
The next day began with breakfast and a “Coffee Talk” that featured Pete Stearns and Michael Wren of Dave & Buster’s, moderated by Keitha McBride of A&A Global. There was also a session with Bart Burger of QubicaAMF called “From Record Years to Real Strategy: Building the Next Wave of Growth” and a panel called “FEC of the Year Superstars,” which brought together leaders from four AAMA FEC of the Year-winning locations – Star Lanes Polaris, Elev8, Xtreme Action Park and Pinstack.
Following this was the D.C. Insights & AAMA Awards Luncheon, which combined an update on regulatory and legislative issues and recognition of industry leaders.
Brian Cohen of Entertainment Properties Group was presented with the 2026 Joe Robbins Award, which goes to someone whose “leadership, dedication and service over the past year embodies a deep commitment to AAMA and the amusement industry.” Cohen has recently served as chair of the Annual Meeting Committee and has helped drive the vision behind the association’s All Access experience.
Sara Paz of Embed was honored with the 2026 Shining Star Award, which recognizes an individual who “consistently goes above and beyond in support of AAMA, its staff, members and the industry.”
Additional educational sessions at the Annual Meeting included “AI Business Intelligence” with Laura Zorn of Branz Entertainment and “Becoming an Opportunist” with Renee Welsh of Embed.
The last full day of the event concluded with the AAMCF Celebration Dinner, which included the presentation of the AAMCF Lifetime Achievement Award to Eugene Jarvis of Raw Thrills.
“A legendary game designer and industry innovator, Jarvis has had an extraordinary influence on the amusement and video game industries,” AAMA lauded. “His career has spanned generations of entertainment, from creating some of gaming’s most iconic titles to continuing to push the boundaries of out-of-home entertainment through Raw Thrills. The evening celebrated Jarvis’ professional achievements, innovation, influence and lasting contributions to the amusement industry.”
It also helped to raise more than $80,000 through AAMCF’s Text-to-Give campaign. AAMCF also presented $305,000 in donations to its charitable partners – KEEN USA, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Sunrise Association. The money was collected throughout the year.
The Annual Meeting wrapped up the following day with the All Access FEC Tour at Grandscape in The Colony, Texas. Attendees visited four venues there – The Escape Game, Puttery, PopStroke and Fritz’s Adventure.