RePlay Staff
Eddie Adlum has been covering the coin-op amusement industry almost as long as there have been coin machines. Actually, not quite that long, but he has been writing about this business for over 50 years –– since 1975 within his own RePlay Magazine –– and brings his unique perspective to everything he covers. The “patriarch” of the magazine, has also made records (Castle Kings) and cult-favorite horror movies (Shriek of the Mutilated and Invasion of the Blood Farmers). A bit of trivia: He’s the one who actually coined (pun intended) the term “video game.”
Ingrid Adlum Milkes grew up in the coin machine business as daughter of RePlay founder Eddie Adlum, surrounded by tradesters during her father’s tenure at Cash Box magazine. When he left that publication and started RePlay in 1975, it was only natural that it was all-family-hands-on-deck. Back in the day, Ingrid helped get magazines in the mail by gluing special ad pieces inside and stuffing envelopes, and getting the magazine out to its readers as the Circulation Director is still her main task. As the person in charge of Business Administration, Ingrid also surveys the trade and prepares the Players’ Choice game rating process, delivering what we believe is the industry’s most-accurate chart of the nation’s top-earning equipment.
Barry Zweben is the RePlay Advertising Director and leaves no stone unturned when it comes to generating revenue for the magazine. All the while, Barry does much more, cultivating true friendships with many he’s met along the way. He’s got a firm grip on what’s happening in the trade and is happy to provide guidance on everything ad related, but is also a key liaison with the editorial department in helping RePlay’s customers get the most from all parts of the magazine.
Key Snodgress, RePlay’s Editorial Director, helps steer the content and also drives the magazine’s production engine with graphic design, print traffic and the like. Most often, you’ll find her in her home office with her four-legged “co-worker” (a black lab named Libby). Her passion aside from family, it’s the continual improvement of RePlay in terms of its relevance to its readers, effectiveness for its advertisers and an appearance that is clean, easy to read and functional.
Matt Harding has been the assistant editor at RePlay since February 2019. Previously, he freelanced for the magazine and worked for the Yuma Sun as a business and city government reporter. A 2015 graduate of Wayne State University in his hometown of Detroit, Matt is now based in Los Angeles. To keep up with Harding’s newsy “biz bites,” subscribe to Instant RePlay, our three-times-a-week, free email newsletter, by scrolling down to the bottom of our homepage at www.replaymag.com or going to this abbreviated link: bit.ly/2N2ac9E.
Regular Contributors & Columnists
Bob Cooney is a global speaker, moderator, and futurist covering extended realities and the metaverse. Widely considered the leading expert on location-based virtual reality, his mission is to prepare the industry for the change coming as these and other emerging technologies begin impacting every aspect of our business and lives. He runs the VR Arcade Game Summit at Amusement Expo and the VR Collective as manifestations of that mission. Follow him at www.bobcooney.com.
Gary Flower is the U.K.’s premier writer on the subject of
pinball. Well-traveled, he enjoys an international reputation as a result of articles
published throughout the world, his book Pinball: The Lure of the Silverball,
and his frequent contributions at pinball events in Europe and the United States.
Attorney Tom Fricke specializes in the law of redemption. He has served the amusement game trade for more than three decades in various roles including in-house counsel for a national FEC chain, trial and transactional attorney for many businesses and as an expert witness on the law of redemption. Tom has also penned hundreds of articles on the subject of redemption regulation, legislation and compliance. Redemption and the Law is commentary. It is not legal advice. It is intended only to provide useful information on the subject matter covered with the understanding that neither the publisher nor the author is engaged in rendering legal services. If legal advice or other professional or expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. The views expressed in Redemption and the Law are solely those of the author and not the publisher. Author Tom Fricke claims an exclusive trademark in the phrase Redemption and the Law. He can be reached by email at [email protected]; phone 314/322-9526. (His pieces remain under his ownership: © Copyright, Thomas F. Fricke 2016, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. All rights reserved worldwide.)
Jack Guarnieri started servicing electro-mechanical pinball machines in 1975 and has been involved in every phase of the amusement game business since then. He was an operator in NYC, then began a distributorship in 1999, PinballSales.com, selling coin-op to the consumer market. In January of 2011 he founded Jersey Jack Pinball, which builds full-featured, coin-op pinball machines.
Steven L. Kent is the author of many books but readers will recognize him from his self-published The First Quarter: A 25-Year History of Video Games. A publishing house then took it on, retitling it The Ulitmate History of Video Games. That first volume, published in 2000, was joined in 2021 by Volume Two. He writes the Kent Chronicles column for RePlay which touches on the historic and current state of the video game industry.
George McAuliffe has helped hundreds of business large and small develop and execute arcades and FECs. He has personally operated family entertainment centers from 2,000 to 150,000 square feet as a corporate executive, entrepreneur and consultant. He is the owner, with his partner and son Howard, of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. George lives on the Jersey Shore with his wife, Julie. They have three sons, two daughters-in-law and a grandson. Readers can learn more about Pinnacle at grouppinnacle.com or contact George at [email protected]; phone: 314-422-7197.
Howard McAuliffe loves to imagine and implement new products, business models, and ideas, and is a partner in Pinnacle Entertainment Group Inc. He’s an industry veteran who got his start in the business when he was just 16 and has decades of expertise in product development, as well as FEC and route operations. Visit www.grouppinnacle.com for more information or contact Howard by emailing [email protected]. He welcomes positive as well as constructive feedback and counterpoints.
Adam Pratt is the owner and operator of Arcade Galactic near Salt Lake City, Utah. His columns run the gamut from networking at trade events, game selection, emerging technologies and the life of the mall arcade operator. He also publishes the Arcade Heroes blog site. Adam can be reached at [email protected].
Beth Standlee is the CEO of TrainerTainment LLC, a training company devoted to the family entertainment and hospitality industries. Beth and her team are focused on helping the companies they serve make more money through sales, guest service, leadership and social media marketing training. Training products and services are delivered in person, through books and DVDs, and virtually with e-learning courses, webinar development and 24/7 online access. Visit her company’s website at www.trainertainment.com.
Dustin Wilcox, owner of the Wilcox Arcade industry blog, is passionate about the games business and says he’s dedicated to making the player’s voice heard. A prolific writer, Dustin is also a recent graduate of Murray State University in Murray, Ky., with a major in journalism and a minor in media production, as well as the summa cum laude designation. In his first post-college gig, he is the Creative Services Associate Producer for WISN-TV, the ABC affiliate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He pens the regular column, Players’ Perspective, for RePlay.
Kevin Williams: With as sharp an eye on the international scene as he has on all things “new tech,” Kevin has an extensive background in the development and sales of the latest amusement and attraction applications and technologies. The U.K.-born specialist in the pay-to-play scene is well-known and respected as a specialist on entertainment and technology. He is a frequent presenter and speaker at international conferences and events for those the FEC and LBE entertainment business. Kevin’s consultancy, KWP Ltd., helps international clients develop immersive and interactive entertainment. He now combines his services as co-owner and technology director of Spider Entertainment and holds advisory positions with other entrants into the market. Kevin is publisher of the Stinger Report for those working or investing in the amusement, attractions, and entertainment industry. He boasts that he is also the co-author of the only book on this aspect of the market (a new edition is coming soon). Kevin can be reached at [email protected].
Barry Zelickson (left), is the co-creator of Fun Across America, a YouTube channel travelogue show. Zelickson has worked in the entertainment field for almost 30 years and has been awarded several IAAPA Brass Ring awards including one of the association’s highest honors, Family Entertainment Center of the World. His other projects include commercials, infomercials, feature films, documentaries, live events and entertainment centers. Nate Reinhart (above right), host and co-creator of Fun Across America, is a content creator for NalterDeeds and NalterCards on YouTube and content consultant for creators and businesses alike. After a shoutout from MrBeast, Nate has accumulated over 250,000 subscribers on his YouTube channels.