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Funworld February 2012
People REMEMBRANCE: Don Nelson, founder and former owner of SGD Golf Company in Medina, Ohio, passed away Oct. 24, 2011. Nelson built his first miniature golf course more than 60 years ago and in the 1950s started the Putt-R-Golf miniature golf franchise. He later started Sporting Goods Discount Company, known later as SGD, selling equipment for miniature golf, driving ranges, golf courses, and swim clubs. From the mid-1980s on, he focused on operating his two family FECs and growing SGD, which he sold to Pareto Golf in 2004.
NEW PRESIDENT: Six Flags America in Bowie, Maryland, named Rick Howarth as the park’s new president. He will be responsible for operations, strategic direction, and general management for the 131-acre park, replacing John Winkler, who recently became park president at Six Flags New England. Howarth has held finance positions at Wild World (which would later be called Adventure World and finally Six Flags America), Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, various former Six Flags properties in Europe, and Six Flags Entertainment Corporation headquarters in Grand Prairie, Texas. In 2009, Howarth returned to Six Flags America as director of finance.
Merlin also named Scott Williamson as marketing director, midway openings, a new position that will put greater focus on new attractions during the months preceding and following their openings. He was previously global head of marketing Sea Life and Dungeons. Williamson will be supported by Amanda Starmer, who takes the role of marketing manager, new openings. Rebecca Hamilton and Sarah Taylor assume the roles of global head of marketing for Dungeons and for Sea Life, respectively. Jenny Blask joins Merlin Midway as marketing director, midway, Germany. ZOO HONORED: The North Carolina Zoo, in Asheboro, received the Governor’s Award for Excellence on Nov. 29, 2011, from North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue at a ceremony honoring state employees and agencies. The award is the state’s highest honor and was given in recognition of the zoo’s extensive environmental stewardship. PRODUCTS OUTRAGEOUS DRIVIN’: Raw Thrills Inc. showcased its new driving game, Dirty Drivin, at the booth of the game’s distributor, Betson Enterprises, at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2011 in Orlando. The game offers players the choice of 10 extreme rides on 14 different tracks and a selection of hundreds of vehicle upgrades, all presented on a 42-inch 1080p high-definition display. Up to eight game cabinets can be linked in a single location. www.rawthrills.com
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RETIRING: After nearly 25 years of developing and managing the safety and training program at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (SCBB) in Santa Cruz, California, Allen F. Weitzel retired at the end of 2011. He began his career at Frontier Village theme park in San Jose, where he not only served as director of merchandise, arcades, games, and entertainment, he also dressed up to act in the park’s mock shootouts. When Frontier Village closed in 1980, Weitzel became director of food, merchandise, and arcades for Winchester Mystery House in San Jose before joining SCBB.
WELCOME ABOARD: Embed announced the appointment of Jason Kort as its new marketing director. He will work with customers on ways to improve the Embed user experience from a marketing perspective and will collaborate with Embed departmental teams worldwide to ensure a consistent brand experience. Kort brings more than 15 years of marketing advertising experience to his new position. 
MERLIN APPOINTMENTS, PROMOTIONS: Merlin Entertainments announced several new appointments and promotions within the organization. In January, Paul Moreton became the company’s first group creative director within Merlin Magic Making, the support organization set up in 2011 to combine Merlin’s creative, production, site, and development teams. Moreton was previously general manager at UKTV, leading the Gold and Watch channels. 
FLUID FUN: Holo-Walls announced the newest addition to its Liquid Fusion line of products—LED Liquid Tabletops. These interactive, LED-illuminated liquid-encased tables are 31.5 inches in diameter and can have virtually any color combination. They contain two bi-chromatic opposing liquids that are nontoxic. The liquids swirl around as hand pressure is exerted along the surface of the table, and an LED-illuminated panel located underneath allows the liquids to light up. The tabletops can be powered either by a rechargeable battery or from a standard electrical outlet.