Press Releases

Rob Norris Officially Elected 2006 IAAPA Chairman

Board Officers and New Board Members Elected at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2005 Annual Convention & Trade Show

ATLANTA , GA (USA) (Nov. 19, 2005) - Fifth generation owner-operator of Seabreeze Park, Rochester, New York, USA, Rob Norris was officially elected the 2006 Chairman of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions ( IAAPA) today, the IAAPA Board of Directors announced.

At the IAAPA Attractions Expo 2005, the association’s 87th annual conference and trade show in Atlanta, Georgia, association members elected Mats Wedin of Liseberg ( Gothenburg, Sweden) as First Vice Chairman.  Robert Masterson of Ripley Entertainment ( Orlando, Florida, USA) was chosen as Second Vice Chairman, and Darrell Metzger of Sentosa Leisure Group ( Sentosa, Singapore) was elected as Third Vice Chairman.  Tom Wages will continue to serve as Treasurer. 

Elected to a three-year term on the Board of Directors representing amusement facilities were:
• Ulla Harrison—Walibi Rhone Alpes ( Les Avenieres, France)
• Camille S. Jourde-Mark— Michigan’s Adventure Amusement Park ( Muskegon, Michigan, USA)
• Keith Kasen—Busch Entertainment Corporation ( Clayton, Missouri, USA)
• Chng Hee Kok—NTUC Club ( Singapore)
• John Lund—Walt Disney Parks & Resorts ( Glendale, California, USA)

Elected to a three-year term on the Board representing manufacturers and suppliers was:
• Joe Heflin—Whitewater West Industries Ltd. ( Reston, Virginia, USA)

“I am pleased to assume this new role as the association’s chairman and look forward to opportunities throughout my term to facilitate continued progress as an association and industry.” said Norris.

About Rob Norris
As the fifth generation of the owner-operator lineage of Seabreeze Park, Rochester, New York, USA, Rob Norris has worked at the family operated amusement facility since he was 10 years old.  In 1985, Norris was appointed President and General Manager of Seabreeze Park, the fourth oldest amusement park in the USA, and presently serves in this capacity. 

Norris has also been heavily involved with IAAPA since 1986.  Serving on multiple committees for the association, he has served two terms on the IAAPA Board of Directors.  Norris’s other affiliations include the New York Parks and Attractions Association and the Greater Rochester Visitors Association. 

A graduate of Indiana Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Norris is also an avid skier, windsurfer, and loves to travel.  Norris and his wife, Deb, are also active in the amusement industry with their daughter, Genevieve.

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IAAPA is the largest international trade association for permanently situated amusement facilities worldwide. The organization represents over 4,500 facility, supplier, and individual members from more than 90 countries. IAAPA strives to help members improve their efficiency, marketing, safety, and profitability while maintaining the highest possible professional standards in the industry. www.iaapa.org