Volume 2, No. 23. December 13, 2002
A
turn of events
A fledgling organization
that loses its leader normally is an organization on the verge of collapse.
For the International Association of Haunted Attractions, the unexpected resignation
of its president Bob Turner and the subsequent elevation of Vice President Liz
Foral during the association’s semiannual Board of Directors meeting at
the IAAPA Convention and Trade Show last month represents an organization that
has matured into a viable and lasting trade association.
Turner resigned as president of the 5-year-old IAHA nine months after his election
(THE LOOP March 22, 2002)
because of struggles with his business, Turner Enterprise Inc., which runs Haunted
Hydro Dark Attraction Park in Fremont, Ohio. “Due to 9-11, a fire, and
extreme weather, three of our five business activities in the last year and
a half have lost revenue,” he wrote to the IAHA membership. “I have
been forced to curtail all outside business functions.” Turner still plans
to attend IAHA's annual meeting at the Transworld show in Chicago in March where
he will run his Crazy Bob Talk-Back seminar and host the association’s
annual auction.
The work he had been doing as president is now in the willing hands of Foral,
half owner of Mystery Manor in Omaha, Nebraska, who had worked closely with
Turner in his IAHA duties. “We made quite a nice team together because
we had the same philosophy,” she said. She wants to continue his work of
promoting educational seminars around the country and strengthening the committee
structure within the association. She also plans to tackle issues concerning
building codes, firming up membership and setting the agenda for March’s
Transworld seminars. At that annual meeting, she plans to run for re-election.
With former IAHA president D'Ann Dagen, owner of La-De-Da Productions in Fort
Worth, Texas, providing administrative support for the association and a board
confident in the elected leadership, the transition from Turner to Foral created
nary a blip in the association’s functioning. “That we have these
things in place, yeah, that really streamlines things,” Foral said. “I
think we’re definitely on our way.”
She also was coming off an IAAPA where the IAHA booth hosted several officials
from theme parks seeking the association’s expertise. “They are coming
to us for that education. It was absolutely our pleasure to provide that education.”
Foral may believe IAHA is “on their way,” but in many respects—and
in terms of respect—they have arrived.
©2002, Minton Enterprises
LLC
All rights reserved