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SERVICE AWARDS
2010 WINNERS
DENNIS SPEIGEL – Lifetime Service Award
If you open any newspaper on any day, chances are there will be story about the attractions industry. There will be an even greater chance that Dennis Speigel will be the expert quoted in that story. Dennis Speigel is a bonafide expert in the attractions industry and no wonder, he has been in this business all of his life. His love of the industry started in the 1960’s when he was a ticket taker at Coney Island Amusement Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. Working his way up the ladder, he became assistant manager then moved on to open a new park, Kings Island in Cincinnati where he served as Assistant General Manager. Taft Broadcasting, Kings Island’s owner at the time, was so impressed with Dennis’ operations, marketing, and financial vision he was named Vice President and General Manager to oversee the new Kings Dominion park in Richmond, Virginia. With Taft Broadcasting, Dennis managed projects in Singapore, Australia, Tokyo, and England. In 1983, he founded International Theme Park Services, the company he still owns and operates today. ITPS has been involved with hundreds of projects in more than 40 countries ensuring well-planned, well-managed safe leisure environments. Dennis has also been a large part of IAAPA’s history. He served as chairman of the board in 1989 and there is not a committee on which he has not served. He was the force behind IAAPA’s Institute for Executive Education which today is thriving and will be hosted at San Diego State University in 2011. Thank you, Dennis, for making the attractions industry and IAAPA part of your life.
GREG HALE – Outstanding Service Award
Greg Hale, of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, is a rock star. Everywhere he goes he is mobbed by adoring fans. Only in the attractions industry would an electrical engineer rise to rock star status – he is the King – of safety. Greg works tirelessly not only for his company but for the entire industry to ensure every guest has a safe and a memorable experience. He is personally committed to sharing his knowledge and expertise with his colleagues around the world with his involvement in the ASTM F-24 Committee, AIMS, The National Safety Council and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He is the chairman of the IAAPA Safety and Maintenance Committee and has been a leader of the International Standards Harmonization Committee since 2003. He has also served on the IAAPA Board of Directors and Strategic Planning Committee. There is no higher compliment than to say the industry is safer because of Greg Hale. For that Greg, we thank you and honor you.
BOYD JENSEN, II – Meritorious Service Award
For much of his career, Boyd Jensen, of Garrett and Jensen in Riverside, California, has had to tell people, “No, I’m the other Boyd Jensen.” His father, Boyd Jensen, Sr. had a long and notable career at Lagoon Amusement Park in Utah and with IAAPA (he was chairman of the board in 1990). In fact, when Boyd was informed that he was going to be honored with this award he was sure we made a mistake and that it was for the “other” Boyd Jensen. It is no mistake that we honor this Boyd Jensen. For more than 30 years, Boyd has been one of the premier attorneys defending the reputation of the attractions industry. He has been a volunteer leader with IAAPA, IALDA, AIMS, and the ASTM F-24 committee to further improve safety for the guest by advocating more proactive risk management programs and emphasizing education to attractions owners and operators. Thank you to the one and only Boyd Jensen, II.