IBI October 2015

CONTENTS

VOL 23.10

THE WORLD'S ONLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE BUSINESS OF BOWLING

PUBLISHER & EDITOR Scott Frager frager@bowlingindustry.com Skype: scottfrager

6 ISSUE AT HAND

22 TOURNAMENT

Bowling Overhanded

#51BWC QubicaAMF’s Bowling World Cup celebrates 51 years of elite competition.

By Scott Frager

By Paul Lane

8 SHORTS • ISBPA endorses WBPI for insurance to its membership.

• Rolltech and Bowlmor AMF team up.

• Intercard welcomes Christina Littmann.

• Fire destroys Lincoln Square Lanes in Chicago.

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28 COVER STORY Bowling Across the Pond An in-depth analysis of and forecast for the bowling business in Europe.

By Paul Lane

40 PROFILE Living the Bowling Dream Jeff McCorvey has built a pro shop empire, and the future looks bright.

15 BPAA NEWS

By Jackie Wyckoff

Over There 40

46 WHAT BOWLING MEANS TO ME We Are Family Through thick and thin, the Goergen family has stayed together.

18 OPERATIONS

By Anna M. Littles

A Good Plan for Bad Things

56 REMEMBER WHEN

When bad things happen at your center, the best defense is a good plan.

1961

By Patty Heath

By Pamela Kleibrink Thompson

50 Datebook 46

October 2015

heath@bowlingindustry.com

CONTRIBUTORS Fred Groh Patty Heath Pamela Kleibrink Thompson Paul Lane Anna M. Littles Jackie Wyckoff

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Fred Groh fredgroh@bowlingindustry.com

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jackie Fisher fisher@bowlingindustry.com

ART DIRECTION & PRODUCTION Designworks

FOUNDER Allen Crown (1933-2002)

12655 Ventura Boulevard Studio City, CA 91604 (818) 789-2695(BOWL) Fax (818) 789-2812 info@bowlingindustry.com

www.BowlingIndustry.com SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One copy of International Bowling Industry is sent free to every bowling center, independently owned pro shop and collegiate bowling center in the U.S., and every military bowling center and pro shop worldwide. Publisher reserves the right to provide free subscriptions to those individuals who meet publication qualifications. Additional subscriptions may be purchased for delivery in the U.S. for $50 per year. Subscriptions for Canada and Mexico are $65 per year, all other foreign subscriptions are $80 per year. All foreign subscriptions should be paid in U.S. funds using International Money Orders.

POSTMASTER: Please send new as well as old address to International Bowling Industry, 12655 Ventura Boulevard, Studio City, CA 91604 USA. If possible, please furnish address mailing label.

Printed in U.S.A. Copyright 2015, B2B Media, Inc. No part of this magazine may be reprinted without the publisher’s permission.

MEMBER AND/OR SUPPORTER OF:

49 Showcase

IBI

OFFICE MANAGER Patty Heath

HOTLINE: 888-424-2695

By Fred Groh

4

garber@bowlingindustry.com

www.dzynwrx.com (818) 735-9424

By Patty Heath

How BPAA recruits international members without planning to.

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER David Garber

51 Classifieds

THE ISSUE AT HAND

Bowling Overhanded (and other silly things customers do) I know you’ve got one, it may not be formal, but you have a list of all the silly things that customers do at your center. It may be tucked away in the back of your mind to use as a basis of the great American business book or a Cliff’s Notes edition of “Things They Never Taught You in Business School.”

Here are a few that crack me up.

• Being asked for a refund on unused, free game coupons.

• Guests bringing in weekday-only free game coupons only to become upset when we do not honor them on Saturday nights.

• High school football quarterback requesting a light 6lb. ball because “coach doesn’t want me to hurt my arm.”

• Mom calling to complain about center security and safety after her son was “attacked” by other guests for “no reason. “ Nothing silly about a scuffle, but having to inform mom that it was her precious progeny that instigated and incited the entire ruckus by spewing racist and inciteful comments.

• Hearing complaints about parking lot security and safety when thieves break into guests’ cars and steal items like purses, laptops, phones and other goodies which were left in plain view.

• Threatened to be sued because we refuse to serve guests who are clearly intoxicated.

• Being admonished by whippersnappers who are told to not smoke pot anywhere on private property, and they insist that pot is a medicine for what ails them. (Of course, they can’t

remember what it was that ails them, anyway.)

• Guests insisting on a discount because their “family reunion is a not-for-profit event.”

• Demanding to extend a children’s party because the birthday girl woke up late and the family became stuck in traffic.

• A league bowler expecting the bowling center to replace a 5-year-old bowling ball with a brand-new ball because one of his teammates picked up his ball in error during an unexpected power outage. Then, after presenting the bowler with his new ball, getting upset when we wouldn’t drill it for free.

• Any league bowler requesting practice time before a practice session.

• Guests calling GM’s cell phone at 2 a.m. closing time to complain that the front desk team won’t allow their six guests to complete the last five frames of their game.

• Guests leaving their 5-year-old son behind at closing time.

(Mom and Dad took separate cars and each thought the other had the young man.)

• Providing special permission to allow guests to bring in kosher food, only to find out they brought in Domino’s with pepperoni and sausage toppings.

• Customers who come in and challenge us on our pricing, as if they know what the “fair” price might be.

And even with all of these silly examples, I still love the bowling business. Laughing at these stories and knowing why they are silly is what makes our business so great.

– SCOTT FRAGER, PUBLISHER AND EDITOR frager@bowlingindustry.com

4Your Bowler of the Month Hat’s off to Sylvester Thiel, of Lake City, MN, best known as Syl. At 92 years young, this past March, in El Paso, TX, Thiel bowled in his 70th Open Championship. He is already making plans to attend next year’s championship in Reno.

According to Mike Sullivan, KTTC.com, in 1948, at 26-years-of-age, Thiel made $8,800 at several tournaments. He used $7,500 of that to buy his own grocery store. Five years later, he sold the store for $7,500, breaking even, and he never looked back. Bowling became his life--competing, managing and owning centers, Sylvester Thiel selling bowling equipment and drilling balls. His wife of 47 years, Phyllis, is also a bowler. They are in a traveling league and go to men’s and women’s championships each year.

27 perfect games! However, he’s still working on converting a 7-10 split!

Do you have a special bowler at your center we can highlight? Email Patty at heath@bowlingindustry.com.

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SHORTS

PEOPLEWATCHING Intercard, Inc. has added to its sales team with the recent hiring of Christina Littmann, sales and marketing associate. Littmann will help manage Intercard’s advertising, PR, web content, exhibitions and sales materials, while supporting the company’s sales managers operating on six continents. Before joining Intercard, Littmann worked in marketing, heading the Jaguar-Land Rover account for Ansira.

Christina Littmann “We’re excited to bring Christina on board,” CEO Scott Sherrod said. “I’m confident she will add value in the promotion and sales of our growing portfolio of technology solutions for family entertainment centers, bowling centers and casinos.”

QubicaAMF has announced that Christophe Chauvard, who joined QubicaAMF in June 2014 as marketing and commercial director for French territories, has been promoted to general manager for the French office and territories including France, the FrenchChristophe Chauvard speaking areas of Switzerland and all French-speaking African countries.

He will be responsible for leading the local marketing and sales force, ensuring quality service to customers in these regions.

“I am excited for what this opportunity brings. We have a knowledgeable, enthusiastic and dedicated team in place in the French office, and we are eager to work with our customers to grow this market and help drive the industry forward,” said Chauvard.

Chauvard has a background in commercial real estate in the areas of design, development, investment, marketing and finance.

ß BITS & PIECES ß ß ß Canadian Buffa Distribution acquires Bowling Sales of Canada Buffa Distribution, the largest Canadian bowling product distribution company, has acquired Bowling Sales of Canada.

Started by Jack Fine, Bowling Sales of Canada has been a distributor of bowling equipment and accessories for over 30 years.

Dave Perovich, Brian Burrows and Vitor Goncalves have joined the Buffa staff, guaranteeing a smooth transition.

ßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Tenpins & More’s New Mexico Open Since 2004, Tenpins & More and Steve Mackie have hosted the New Mexico Open Bowling Championship. The field has grown from 78 to over 190 this year; prize-money has gone from $14,000 to over $60,000. The field included PBA national and regional champions, Team USA current and former members, and regional and local players from 15 states and Canada. This year’s winner, receiving a $10,000 prize, was 21-year-old Arizona State junior, Jakob Butturff.

Butturff is the third left-handed bowler to win the New Mexico Open.

ßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Rolltech and Bowlmor AMF Team Up Rolltech, the free, app-based, global bowling competition and analytics platform, has announced a significant relationship with Bowlmor AMF, the largest operator of bowling centers in the world. Bowlmor AMF centers have revolutionized bowling with high-energy environments, operating over 300 centers under the AMF, Bowlmor, Bowlero, Brunswick Zone and Brunswick Zone XL brands. Rolltech creates connections between bowlers, enabling them to track their games and lifetime stats, analyze their performance, earn points and redemptions, and challenge and compete worldwide, including with Rolltech-affiliated professionals.

The platform was integrated at 10 centers throughout the country as of September 14, 2015.

THE MARTY LYONS FOUNDATION Former New York Jet defensive lineman, Marty Lyons, hosted his 21st annual Nassau County Bowling for Wishes fundraiser at AMF Lanes in East Meadow, NY. The organization fulfills the wishes of children between 3 and 17 who have been diagnosed with a terminal or life threatening illness. It always draws a large crowd and raises Marty (second from left) thousands of dollars. The Marty Lyons Foundation receives thanks for 21 years of support. has ten chapters granting wishes in 13 states.

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SHORTS

IBMHF ONLINE AUCTION Two items have been placed on the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame online auction for October. A limited edition Patriotic Lane Machine donated by Kegel Company and a large framed PBA poster autographed by Earl Anthony will be available for bidding in The Bowling Museum Store on eBay, starting October 19 and running through October 29.

According to Jessica Bell, the monthly museum eBay auction helps raise funds for IBMHF which preserves and researches bowling’s history, provides a suitable home for bowling’s major halls of fame and makes the This limited edition Kegel Flex museum’s information Lane Machine could be yours. and collection available Bidding begins October 19. to interested parties globally for education, promotion and entertainment.

For information, or to inquire about donating items, contact Jessica Bell, museum curator, at (817) 385-8212 or email jessica@bowlingmuseum.com.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS’ ‘BOWL FOR FREEDOM’ CAMPAIGN Seven Northern Illinois BPA bowling centers took part in the nationwide program to support Bowlers to Veterans Link (BVL) and America’s veterans through the Bowl for Freedom Campaign. Centers offered a special package featuring 99-cent games, 99-cent shoe rental, 99-cent hot dogs, 99-cent Pepsi products and 99-cent Miller beers.

CENTERS PARTICIPATING WERE:

4 4 Seasons, Freeport 4 Park Lanes, Loves Park 4 Forest Hills Lanes, Forest Hills 4 B and B Park Bowl, Loves Park 4 The Cherry Bowl, Rockford 4 Don Carter Lanes, South Beloit 4 Viking Lanes, South Beloit

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ONE OF CHICAGO’S OLDEST IS NO MORE Lincoln Square Lanes, labeled the oldest operating bowling center in Chicago, has been a local fixture since 1918.

However, the last week of August saw this historic spot gutted by fire. Located on the Lincoln Square Lanes was one of second floor of an historic Chicago’s oldest. building, the firefighters arrived to a conflagration that left only a shell. Once the roof collapsed, their battle was left to keeping the fire confined and mopping up.

For the past 30 years, Lincoln Square has been family-owned. David Drehobl, one of the owners, said, “My father has owned it for 27 years.

We bought it from my father. My family did—my brothers and my cousins. We made it into a real fun place.” In 2012, the family invested about $1 million to rehab the building, install a new kitchen, and a large stage and new bar.

The reason for the fire has yet to be determined. Needless to say, a neighborhood icon is Fire completely gutted the interior now gone. of the center.

ISBPA WELCOMES WBPI

In a press release, Bill Duff, Jr., executive director, announced that Illinois State Bowling Proprietors Association, Inc. (ISBPA) has endorsed insurance brokerage agency, Western Bowling Proprietors Insurance (WBPI), a subsidiary of L. J. Linder & Associates Insurance Services, to its membership.

“ISBPA needed a good insurance partner to fill a void in insurance providers here in Illinois,” ISBPA President Jeff Johnson said in announcing the agreement. “WBPI is able to provide us with unique products designed specifically for bowling centers in our state that offer competitive rates.”

This will be WBPI’s inaugural foray into servicing bowling centers in Illinois. Prior to this agreement, it focused on brokering insurance coverage for centers in western states, including California, Washington and Colorado. It has also recently added the state of New York to its portfolio.

“We’ve developed a 26-year track record with a handful of exclusive carriers interested in the long term success of the WBPI program and its insured centers. We’ve never put our eggs in one basket—we always have a strong, reliable, and competitive carrier to serve our bowling centers,” Cameron Linder, WBPI vice president, said.

WBPI provides bowling centers insurance coverage including general liability, property, liquor liability, workmen’s comp and wind and hail, something Linder says is especially important in the tornado-prone Midwest. A Linder & Associates spin-off company, American Thermographics, helps proprietors evaluate their centers’ electrical panels and systems with an infrared camera so they can discover potential fire hazards before they materialize.

SHORTS

Media

WATCH

THE BEST OF VENUES Johnny Depp with his two personas was making the rounds in August: first, at Disneyland swaggering as Captain Jack Sparrow; and then at Lucky Strike bowling center in Hollywood, jamming with Gene Simmons and guitarist Joe Perry at a charity benefit.

Depp, Alice Cooper and Perry have formed the group Hollywood Vampires, which will play several gigs and cut an album with proceeds earmarked for charity. On this occasion, playing with Simmons, Mendingkids.org was the selected benefit. Mendingkids.org provides hundreds of free corrective surgeries each year for children around the world. Simmons invited anyone with $1,000 to come up and sing with the band. About ten donors took him up on it, including his son and daughter.

UNWIND, HAVE FUN AND BOWL Competition is a form of relaxing for professional athletes. Celebrity Bowl, Centennial, CO, was the destination for a little unwinding from training camp for the Denver Broncos. And, what better way to do that than to pit the offense against the defense in a friendly battle of bowling.

From the photo, we get the feeling that quarterback Peyton Manning was having a good time. And, he should, as the offense beat the defense. For Bronco fans, that’s a good sign.

Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine treated his ‘boys’ to a break from practice and a night full of studying the playbook. The buses lined up and the players jumped on board and headed to the local bowling center for fun, bonding and relaxation. The players picked their team and the bowling competition began.

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EXPANSIONS, OPENINGS & NEW BEGINNINGS Wauwatosa, WI, welcomed a new restaurant-bar with duckpin bowling. Thirsty Duck is now open and entertaining. The new establishment has six duckpin lanes, a patio for summer dining and a full bar.

Mike Evanoff, owner of several bars and restaurants in the Sarasota, FL, area, is opening up another location but one with a new wrinkle…bowling. Evie’s Tavern will offer two lanes of bowling. Evanoff came upon the idea while in Park City, UT, where updated bowling centers and lounges are a big attraction.

Florida will have a new FEC in Fort Lauderdale. Xtreme Action Park will boast six lanes of regular bowling and four lanes of mini-bowling. It is considered South Florida’s largest indoor entertainment venue with a gokart track, a one-half-mile lap racetrack with cadet karts for kids and pro and super karts for adults. There is also a new interactive arcade and ropes course.

A sports bar, Shake Shoppe, and a lounge and bar for the over-21 crowd round out the offerings.

Once just a 24-lane bowling center, Airway Fun Center in Portage, MI, now boasts a ropes course on two levels with a 100-foot zip line. This is just one more enhancement over the past two years that includes a new game arcade, remodeled mini-golf course and the addition of a bar.

Woodsfield, OH, welcomed Russell Family Bowling Center. Owner Walter Russell is no stranger to bowling. He bowled in the PBA for six years and was a regular in regional tournaments. He has three 300games to his credit. “We want a family atmosphere,” said Walter. “That’s why it’s called Russell Family.”

There were a few new beginnings. Colonial Lanes in Ann Arbor, MI, has become Revel & Roll. Sunset Bowl in Indianapolis, IN, is now Sunshine Bowling Center. No name change but definitely re-opening is Vinton Bowling Center in Vinton, VA. In Erie, KS, CNC Lanes has re-opened as Lucky Strike Lanes.

BPAA

By Fred Groh

Over There

How BPAA recruits international members without planning to. ome BPAA membership comes by way of focused marketing. BPAA will do the traditional, such as direct mail or call campaigns or advertise in trade publications.

It will put together promotional membership incentives to encourage non-members to join. Every nonmember center in the US will be touched three to five times during the year to make sure it is aware of who BPAA is and what it does.

So explains Bart Burger, BPAA’s director of membership and educational services.

And some BPAA membership growth is “organic.”

That’s the word Burger uses about the international membership.

“We do not have a focused campaign on generating members outside the U.S.,” he says.

Yet 233 centers in seven countries had found their way to membership as of May 10. In YTD numbers, Australia was at highwater with 92, followed by Japan with 69 and Canada with 68. Brazil, Dominican Republic, Malaysia and Taiwan were represented by one center each. In 2014 YE figures, nine countries accounted for 169 member centers.

S

A good share of those numbers is the result of revenue-producers like the Bowling 2.0 program.

“I had no idea when we developed Bowling 2.0 that it would take off like it did internationally. It was never by design. The design was to help proprietors in America with the challenge of reduction in adult league bowlers,” Burger says.

But take off, it did. He flew to Japan last fall at the invitation of Brunswick Kai, an association of 106 centers (3,454 lanes as of April 1 this year), to introduce the four-week learn-to-bowl program in a 90-minute presentation.

“They were mesmerized by it and wanted to know more. That led to additional discussions and how [they could] become a part of that.

So much so that they are bearing the expense [of having] that program translated into Japanese.”

“We are interested in LTB, such as Bowling 2.0, and league bowling in USA,” says Brunswick Kai president Hiroshi Funaki with a sense of urgency, “because we need to take quick measures to develop league bowling for the revival of business in Japan. Business has been sluggish for many years, and modernization, food and beverage, and development of league bowling are far behind USA.” Brunswick Kai is going even further, talking up BPAA membership to centers outside the group. Seven joined in May. Edi De Pellegrin, president of the Australian Bowling Proprietors IBI

October 2015

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BPAA Association, is equally sold on Bowling 2.0. An eight-week promotion at her center netted 105 students for the course, 30% of whom joined a league. Todd Britton, Bowl Canada president, quickly names the 8 for 8 program and Bowling 2.0 as “big ones” for his members.

“In any culture,” Burger offers, “taking non-users, letting them sample your product, and converting them to a user is a proven method for building the next wave of customers.”

As popular as revenue-producers like Bowling 2.0 have proved, though, it’s education and training for bowling business people that brings most international centers into membership. Programs are developed on an asneeded basis, but the education for professionals—in Bowling University and online training/manager certification—is “constantly growing,” as is BPAA’s investment in it, Burger says.

“Technology has really made the world we live in a lot smaller,” he reflects.

“What was not available 10 years ago to people outside the United States, with the increase in technology and online learning, is. And as English becomes more of an international language and a language taught at universities across the world, it opens it up for proprietors and business operators around the world.

“It’s one of the things they constantly contact us about. How can we learn what’s going on in the States? How do we train and provide that service experience like you do? In America, we live in a service economy. That’s one of the things we do very, very well, and many countries around the world want to learn that.”

For some, such as Australia’s De Pellegrin and Canada’s Britton, BPAA’s marketing programs highlight the education buffet. They are so attractive that little else has to be said to sell BPAA. Bowl Canada did not even consider another source for the solutions it was seeking for its members, while De Pellegrin calls BPAA “a world-class marketing company.”

“I cannot think of any other organization which encompasses such a wealth of knowledge and experts in their field [as] BPAA,” she continues. “Other associations provide valuable knowledge for attraction-marketing but it may not be as bowl-centric as BPAA’s information. We still have to nurture the sport, and BPAA understands that.”

An annual international membership is $199, which the international association may offer its members as an included benefit (Australia) or partly subsidize (Bowl Canada, $100). In some cases members have to opt in; in others, BPAA membership is automatic. BPAA and the international association work out the terms for joining and how the memberships are going to be paid. The annual fee is not a revenue stream or a profit source for BPAA, Burger says, but only “shows a formal commitment.”

Member benefits are the same as for U.S. centers, except for Smart Buy, not available internationally, and much of the networking, for the obvious logistical reasons. Regional U.S. conventions draw few international visitors, although Expo does pull some. Burger said that over 30 Japanese proprietors attended Bowl Expo 2015. There were also attendees from New Zealand, Brazil, Sweden, Australia, Canada, Germany and China.

The conversational ball from an international center or center association usually rolls into Burger’s e-mailbox first. Occasionally he gets window shoppers or people who want to brush up on their English skills, who aren’t sure whether it’s “right for us at this time.”

But usually inquirers have done some research on BPAA before they write or call.

Burger always starts the conversation at the same place. “The benefits and the programs that you want to engage in, we don’t sell them and they’re not for re-sale.

We don’t license them. Our product is providing value to our members. Our whole mission 16

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at BPAA is to enhance the profitability of our members, so those programs and access to that education and training has to weave through membership. That’s how [we] partner together.”

About 80% of inquiries turn into new members, he reports.

Burger contemplates the possibility of a Stateside BPAA member complaining about the organization devoting its resources to international associations and centers. He replies, “We are the Bowling Proprietors of America. The lion’s share of our resources and efforts and everything we do are developed with that group first and foremost. It’s just an extension of that that we make those available to the international members.”

He adds, “If we had a program that was good for bowling and benefitting centers in the States that somebody outside of the country wanted to use it, I would think most folks would be open to allowing them. If Germany came up with an incredible program that was revolutionizing bowling in their country, I would hope they would be receptive to sharing it with us in the States.” ❖

Fred Groh is a regular contributor to IBI and former managing editor of the magazine.

OPERATIONS

With Code Adam, you will have a good plan.

By Pamela Kleibrink Thompson

I

t’s Saturday night. Your center is full. The lights are synched to the music, energizing the crowd who have come to party with blacklight bowling. At 10:30 p.m. a distraught mother runs up and tells you that her toddler is missing.

Perhaps the child is in the bathroom or has just wandered away, but after a thorough search of the facility and the area, including other nearby buildings, helicopter sweeps and police questioning local sex offenders, authorities conclude that the little girl has disappeared.

Think this couldn’t happen at your facility? Teekah Lewis, a two and a half year-old, disappeared from the now defunct New Frontier Lanes Bowling Alley located at 4702 Center Street in Tacoma, WA, on Saturday, January 23, 1999. Teekah had been at the bowling alley with her family that evening and was last seen pretending to play a video racing game in the arcade.

At the time, New Frontier had 32 lanes, a lounge, a dart room and arcade. The surveillance cameras were not functioning at the bowling alley that night and authorities believe that when her mom turned her attention to another child for a moment, Teekah was abducted and she vanished without a trace.

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How can you prepare for and prevent this kind of emergency?

Bowling center proprietors need to have a safety protocol in place for this type of emergency. One easy step is to obtain a free Code Adam kit, a powerful search tool for lost and potentially abducted children.

Code Adam was created in memory of 6-year-old Adam Walsh, who disappeared from a department store on July 27, 1981, and was found dead 16 days later.

Code Adam is one of the country's largest child safety programs and is currently used in tens of thousands of establishments in the United States to help ensure lost children are recovered safely and quickly. A special Code Adam alert is issued on the premises when a customer reports a missing child.

HOW IT WORKS

Code Adam decals are posted at the entrances of participating businesses. Employees are trained to take the following steps when Code Adam is activated: 1. Obtain a detailed description of the child, including name, age, gender, race, weight, height, hair and eye color and what he or she is wearing--specifically the color and type of clothing including shoe color and style.

OPERATIONS 2. Page "Code Adam." Describe the child's physical features and clothing. Report information about the missing child to security guards on duty or to the on-site manager.

3. Designated employees will immediately stop working, search for the missing child in the building, and monitor front entrances to ensure the child does not leave the premises.

4. Call law enforcement (911) if the child is not found within 10 minutes to report the missing child to local police.

5. If the child is found and appears to have been lost and unharmed, reunite the child with the searching family member, parent or legal guardian.

6. If the child is found with someone other than a parent or legal guardian, make reasonable efforts to delay that person’s departure without putting the child, staff or visitors at risk.

Notify law enforcement immediately and give details about the person accompanying the child.

7. Cancel the Code Adam alert after the child is found or law enforcement arrives.

8. If the child is not found, contact local police again with an update of additional information.

On April 23, 2003, “The Code Adam Act of 2003” became law. It requires the designated authority for a public building to establish procedures for a child missing in a federal facility. Procedures established by the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Protective Service will be implemented.

"The first 12-24 hours are the most critical in an active missing persons investigation," states Amy Dobbs, an investigator with the Knox County Sheriff's Office, in a USA Today article on September 25, 2014. "The longer it takes for a case to be reported and become an active investigation, the less likely a positive outcome will occur."

A 2006 study by the Washington State Attorney General's Office concluded that the first three hours are especially critical for children

RESOURCES: NCIC www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ncic/ncic-missing-person-and-unidentified-personstatistics-for-2014 The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System www.namus.gov Joan LaRocca, Press Office of Justice Programs, Office of Communications at 202-307-0703 questions@findthemissing.org.

Sheila.Jerusalem@usdoj.gov National Center for Missing and Exploited Children www.missingkids.com/home 24-hour call center: 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or email codeadam@ncmec.org.

Code Adam www.missingkids.com/CodeAdam 20

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because 76% of abducted children who are killed die within that time frame.

Todd Matthews, a media spokesperson for the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, or NamUs, a national database for missing people, notes that on average 90,000 people are missing in the United States at any given time. The FBI's National Crime Information Center, NCIC, contained 84,924 active missing person records as of December 31, 2014. Juveniles under the age of 18 account for 39.7 % of the records and 51.0 % when juveniles are defined as under 21 years of age. (Note that almost half of missing persons are adult). The records also state the circumstances surrounding missing persons in about half of the entries. In 2014, 96% were coded as runaway, .7 % as abducted by non-custodial parent, and .1 % as abducted by stranger, and 3.2 % as adult – Federally required entry.

The USA Today article concludes, “If someone you know is missing, call 911 and report it as quickly as possible.

There is no mandatory time period that you need to wait to file a missing persons report. You can also report the missing person to NamUs, which will verify the information with law enforcement and list it on the NamUs site.”

Free Code Adam kits are available in both English and Spanish to companies operating within the U.S. Bring Code Adam to your workplace by filling out a form on http://www.missingkids.com/CodeAdam/Request.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® will send a free Code Adam Kit which includes an employee training video, a break room poster explaining the program, and two decals to place near entrances and exits announcing your participation in the Code Adam program.

Additional decals are available.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® works with corporations and foundations to create customized programs tailored to their resources, target markets and interests. Corporate partners improve efficiency, raise money, and help recover and protect more children.

If you are interested in becoming a partner with NCMEC, contact NCMEC's development department at 1-866-411KIDS (5437).

Technological advancement has helped raise NCMEC's missing child recovery rate from 62% in 1990 to 97% today. With your participation in Code Adam preparedness, you can help raise the recovery percentage rates even further. ❖ Pamela Kleibrink Thompson lives in Idaho. In addition to writing, she is a career coach and scenario role player for peace officer training. Pamela worked as a production manager on the Emmy Award-winning animated series The Simpsons, where she bowled regularly with members of the crew. She speaks on career issues at conferences all over the world.You can reach Pamela at PamRecruit@q.com.

TOURNAMENT

Welcome Back!

QubicaAMF’s 51st Bowling World Cup will be living it up at Sam’s Town in Las Vegas.

By Paul Lane

I

n early 1965, the promotion department at AMF’s international headquarters in London manually assembled operations manuals for team coordinators around the world who would be running elimination tournaments to select their national representatives who would participate in the first AMF Bowling World Cup, then called the Coca-Cola International Masters Tournament.

Twenty countries took part in that inaugural event, which was staged at the Stillorgan Bowl in Ireland. Little did AMF suspect that the Bowling World Cup, the brain child of the flamboyant public relations director of AMF, Victor Kalman, would in years to come develop into the largest annual sporting event in the world in terms of participating countries.

Winning QubicaAMF’s Bowling World Cup annual title has been the most coveted goal of bowlers from all corners of the globe, a fact endorsed by the sheer volume of entries in elimination one man and one woman from each participating country. It’s the single largest promotion for bowling in the international arena.

With its long history of changes in both leadership and ownership at AMF, now QubicaAMF, one thing has never changed: successive owners and leaders all embraced and endorsed the tournament, recognizing the value of the Bowling World Cup to their customers and bowlers around the globe.

Juan Cabezas, president of QubicaAMF Worldwide, shares, “I doubt if anyone realized back in 1965 just how prestigious the QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup was to become. Last year

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was my first visit to the event and it blew me away. It is clear that bowlers and center managers from all over the world appreciate the input of QubicaAMF and our long-lasting support for the industry and for the sport. For us, it is not just a chance to host the world’s greatest tournament but also to show our appreciation to our customers and to continue to Juan Cabezas develop markets all around the globe.”

This year, the QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup (BWC) returns to the U.S.A. for the third time and for the second time to Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall in Las Vegas (the last time being in 1999). The first BWC to be staged in the U.S.A. was held at Madison Square Garden’s bowling center in Manhattan, New York, in 1981.

From November 13–20, one man and one women from each participating country will compete in separate divisions for the coveted Bowling World Cup winner’s trophy.

According to Anne-Marie Board, QubicaAMF’s tournament manager, representatives from approximately Anne-Marie Board

TOURNAMENT 90 countries are expected to participate this year at Sam’s Town, just short of the record 95 countries assembled at the tournaments 40th anniversary event in Singapore in 2004.

“A warm Las Vegas welcome is awaiting all our bowlers and guests this November,” said John Sou, Sam’s Town vice president and general manager.

“We are excited to welcome back this great event.”

Sam's Town will also serve as the official John Sou tournament headquarters and hotel, housing the competitors, international press journalists, guests and tournament staff.

Board remembers, “We came to Sam’s Town in 1999 and the venue holds great memories for me. The facility is even better now than it was then, and many of the staff members I remember are still here. They tell me that they have been looking forward for 16 years to holding the BWC again, so I know they will be working closely with the QubicaAMF team to ensure that our bowlers and visitors have a great experience. Las Vegas is a ‘must see’ place and I am sure our guests will be taking full advantage of the attractions.”

The successful staging of an event with the magnitude of the QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup relies heavily on a team of professionals. In addition to the management and staff at Sam’s Town bowling center, Board says, “I have a terrific team that comes every year, starting with our tournament director Bernard Gibbons and assistant director Cliff Adair. This will be Bernard Gibbons’ 26th consecutive year as tournament director. Bernard’s wife’s family hosted the very first Bowling World Cup at the Stillorgan Bowl in Dublin

Ireland in 1965. And they also hosted the 25th anniversary tournament in 1989.”

Julie Howlett, who has been on the QubicaAMF team since 2001, will manage the press office. Howlett was a former participant, representing Great Britain in 1983 and 1985, when she finished in 2nd place. Dominic Gall of Talktenpin.net will be taking care of the social media needs this year. And veteran French sports journalist, Bernard Mora, will be making his 41st appearance at the tournament. Mora has covered the tournament and other sports for France and FrenchBernard Gibbons speaking countries, through the wire services of AFP (Agence France-Presse).

The intrepid Hiroshi (Hero) Noda will once again be the man behind the lens, as the official tournament photographer.

“We are all very close and as a team are able to think on our feet,” added Board, “which has made finding solutions to any challenges that come our way fairly easy to resolve.”

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TOURNAMENT The good news for the competitors is K & K Bowling Services, operators of the Sam’s Town Pro shop, will provide player-services expertise, with the latest equipment available in the marketplace today.

And last, but not least, through president Vern Vernazzaro, the Southern Nevada USBC Association will be providing a team of volunteer members to serve as lane marshalls.

One of the great things about the QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup is that no competitor goes home empty handed. Every bowler is presented with a handsome certificate of participation and a commemorative medal.

The winner’s trophies are presented immediately after the finals while at the victory banquet, and awards are given for the high game in both the men’s and women’s divisions. Additionally there is an award for the Sportsman and Sports Woman of the tournament, as elected by their peers. The Bent Petersen Award, named after the late president of QubicaAMF’s international operations, is given to the highest placed country.

Most years at the BWC the competitors go on sight-seeing tours which are usually organized by the tournament host. Ms. Board says, “There are too many options in Las Vegas, choices for shows, sight-seeing, et al, and our visitors will prefer to pick and choose accordingly. With the bowling activity being finished by 5:30 p.m. most days, there are plenty of opportunities to explore and see a show (or two). Bowlers and guests will be able to book

TENTATIVE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE 13TH - 20TH NOVEMBER 2015 Arrival of Competitors Acclimatisation and Unofficial Practice Ball Control

FRIDAY 13th November

8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Ball Control Official Practice - Women Lane Maintenance Official Practice - Men Bowler's Briefing OPENING CEREMONY WELCOME RECEPTION

SUNDAY 15th November

7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

1:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.

Ball Control Men First 8 Games Lane Maintenance Women First 8 Games

MONDAY 16th November

7:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Women Second 8 Games 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Lane Maintenance 12:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. Men Second 8 Games

SATURDAY 14th November

7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

TUESDAY 17th November 1:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.

WEDNESDAY 18th November

9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

11:30 a.m.

Men Third 8 Games Lane Maintenance Cut to Top 24 Men CERTIFICATE PRESENTATION AND OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH - MEN Women Third 8 Games Cut to Top 24 Women CERTIFICATE PRESENTATION AND OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH - WOMEN Men and Women Top 24 - 8 Games Cut to Top 8 Men and 8 Women

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

THURSDAY 19th November

Men and Women Top 8 games Round Robin with bonus points CUT TO TOP 3 MEN AND 3 WOMEN 12:30 p.m.

MEN and WOMEN’S SEMI FINALS & FINALS PRESENTATION OF TROPHIES ******6:30 p.m. VICTORY BANQUET********

FRIDAY 20th November

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The 56-lane center at Sam’s Town will be showcasing QubicaAMF’s BES X Scoring and Management System. BES X is designed to provide exciting competitive play at any level and uniquely allows bowlers to review their game statistics on-lane, live and on-demand directly from the SuperTouch LCD bowler console.

During the tournament, through BES X, bowling fans will also be able to keep up with their favorite bowlers with live, online scoring. Bowling fans around the world can view scores in real time, see which lanes bowlers are bowling on, and their standing at any given moment.

They can even stay connected to their favorite bowlers through a unique QubicaAMF Facebook and Twitter feature. The official hashtag for the event is #51BWC. through a local tour operator and enjoy the most favorable rates.”

For sure, the competitors, press and guests are in for a wonderful stay in Las Vegas. The activities kick off with a day devoted to the ball-check, official practice and bowlers’ briefing, followed by the Grand Opening ceremony, including the colorful parade of nations, and winds up with a welcome reception. Competition starts off in earnest the next day and continues for five days, culminating in the men’s and women’s semi and grand finals and the winners presentation.

The last evening is a relaxed opportunity to dress up for the celebratory victory banquet, a chance for everyone to socialize, enjoy great food and dance the evening away.

Board also tells us the venue for next year’s tournament will be announced at the victory banquet, which will have everyone holding their breath waiting for the announcement. We’ll keep you posted. ❖ Paul Lane is former Director of Marketing and Marketing Services for AMF Bowling, Inc. He has been the director of 18 AMF World Cups, an officer in national and international trade associations, and a pro bowler during a career that spans more than 60 countries and 50 years.

COVER STORY

Bowling across the pond

What does the bowling business look like in Europe?

By Paul Lane 28

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O

COVER STORY n Oct. 10, 1909, the first bowling center opened in Europe—Regina Salonen, in Stockholm, Sweden. Another center opened in Helsinki, Finland in 1924. But apart from these centers, and the lanes installed when bowling was featured as an unofficial exhibition sport alongside the Berlin Olympics in 1936, the bowling industry in Europe really did not get started until around 1960, when today’s major markets began to develop. These included the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden.

CLOUDY SKIES

What impact has the economic climate in recent years had on the European industry?

A negative impact in a variety of ways.

Growth in new center development and/or modernization has slowed significantly, due in part to banks being reluctant to provide the financing necessary for capital expenditure in the recreation or entertainment industries.

Consumer spending is down too, as the cost of living has increased while salaries have been dormant, not to mention high levels of unemployment in virtually every market.

In short, consumers are being more selective in where they spend their money, as expenses such as fuel, power and rent have all increased, impacting the disposable income consumers have available to spend on entertainment, recreation, and other leisure activities.

In most markets a number of centers have been forced to close, due in part to increased operating costs, especially in taxes, leases and, just as for consumers, in the cost of utilities.

However, it’s not only the economic climate that has impacted the industry negatively. For example, Denmark had a huge growth in the 1990s: in 1990 there were 14 centers and by 2000, there were 114. But many of the new centers were built in areas with populations that were too small to provide adequate revenues for the centers to be viable, forcing a number of them to close. All told, Denmark has seen about 10% of its centers close, offset partially by an increase of about 4% in new centers in areas that are more populous.

Markets such as The Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France and the UK, all report a decrease in the number of sport or traditional bowling centers. The centers have not necessarily closed; many upgraded and converted to BECs or FECs. Other centers have been the victims of unsustainable increases in lease terms when time came for renewal, especially when landlords have seen opportunities to lease the space to developers of alternative commercial properties at a much higher price.

SILVER LINING

But this is not the first time that the European market has been affected by a recession and, while there have been some casualties, most proprietors have weathered the storm and have come out the other end with a new business model that ensures a return to profitability.

The decrease in number of centers has been mostly among older and more traditional bowling centers that offer little more than bowling. Centers that have switched their focus toward a BEC or FEC have been more likely to survive.

Notably, boutique facilities are gaining visibility across Europe, growing rapidly in markets such as the UK, Finland, Germany, Sweden and Russia. They typically continued on page 32...

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COVER STORY ...continued from page 29

combine a few lanes—often between four and eight— sometimes with string machines and over-lane ball returns, along with other amenities on the pattern of up-scaled bowling centers in the U.S., such as higher-end food and beverage services, intelligent LED design with a small dance floor, billiards, pool, darts, table tennis, and a sports bar.

Boutique centers are proving to be a perfect fit for smaller communities that otherwise could not support a more traditional center or FEC. Europe boasts a number of large centers with 24 to 32 lanes, but the average center size is closer to boutique facilities and averages 11 lanes. Austria and the UK top the list with an average of 16 lanes per center. The average in France is 14, while Denmark, Finland Sweden and Turkey each have an average of 10 lanes per center. Russia, with 5,300 lanes in 640 centers, averages a little over 8 lanes, while Germany, which heads the list of number of centers (730) and lanes (8956), averages 12 lanes.

Where most of these smaller centers were once profitable with bowling alone, many are now supplementing their incomes by adding new revenue-generating amenities to their facilities, with many adopting more of an FEC or up-scale, boutique business model, which many see as the future for the industry in Europe.

In technology and amenities, our research revealed that of the 3,759 centers in 19 of the European countries used for this report, 99.9% have automatic scoring, 74% have bumper bowling, 71% have intelligent LED light and sound design, 12% have full-service pro shops, 25% have arcades, 50% have full-service restaurants, and 23% have a sports bar.

With the exception of automatic scoring, the notable changes over the last 10 to 15 years have been the introduction of light and sound technology and sports bars.

The small percentage of centers with full-service pro shops is consistent with the decline in sport bowling centers and membership in the various bowling federations.

All these changes are surrounded by consumer prices showing a wider range than markets in other parts of the world, notably the U.S. On the lower end of the scale, in those countries that sell bowling by the game, open play in Belgium and The Netherlands averages about $3.80 per game (all prices in U.S. dollars). Sweden has the lowest price, at $2.40.

At the high end, the UK tops the list at $9.30 per game, followed by France at $6.85.

Most European countries sell bowling by the hour, where again we found a huge variance in hourly charges, even within markets. For example the hourly fee for open play, including party bowling, in Russia ranges from $13 to $30 an hour in big cities such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, or Ekaterinburg, whereas a range of $6 to $16 an hour is more 32

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European Market Study Data COUNTRY

# CENTERS

# LANES

105 20 25 125 18 105 135 385 730 47 150 5 98 265 116 640 110 254 54 275 330 80

1680 200 165 1400 202 1100 1400 5400 8956 400 1500 46 902 2000 758 5300 990 2500 620 3300 5200 560

Austria Azerbaijan Belarus Belgium Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Italy Moldova Norway Netherlands Poland Russia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey UK Ukraine

typical outside metropolitan areas.

The highest price in most markets appears to be for the hourly rate for party bowling, which is in the range of $25 to $35, although in some cases this price may include food (a light snack) and/or a beverage.

BETTER WEATHER

In short, Europe is streamlining its businesses to reduce operating costs and is adding new amenities and sources of revenue to offset the downturn in bowling revenues.

And the changes are varied to suit the needs of the local market. Europe’s proprietors understand that what works in Sweden and Denmark may not be successful in France or Belgium or The Netherlands, even though they all start off with similar issues and problems.

The result: observers are seeing modest but steady growth across many parts of Europe. For the near future, all of the mature markets are forecasting growth in terms of new construction and modernization of existing facilities

COVER STORY

BELGIUM

AZERBAIJAN

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COVER STORY Regarding the European market, the trends in bowling have fallen in with what we experience here in the U.S. The business has evolved nicely from mostly traditional-style centers to a variety of the new business models. FECs or BECs are popular in countries like Russia (led by the chain Cosmik), and in the UK (led

by Namco), as well as France, Belgium and The Netherlands. Some of the world's best boutique-style centers can also be found across Europe, especially in countries such as Finland and Germany. In addition, the strength of the new business models is evident with the growth of chains like Bowling World in Germany, Namco in the UK, the O’Leary’s franchise in Sweden and even Brooklyn Bowl in London.

Gary Smith Vice President of International Sales, Brunswick Bowling Products over the next five to 10 years.

More importantly for the long run, the changes European proprietors have made to adapt and survive the recession have made them wiser and better business owners. And when the dust finally settles, the bowling industry in Europe will be strong and continue to grow.

PARTLY SUNNY SKIES RUSSIA One interesting European market is Russia, which has quietly developed into a major market with about 640 centers housing

some 5,300 lanes. The first centers in Russia opened in Moscow in mid-1970, including Kosmos Bowling and a four-lane center in a foreign ministry guest house.

However, the commercial bowling industry in Russia really only started to develop in the late ’90s, with Bowling Center Alex in 1997 (now closed). This market has since experienced two economic crises, which, in the short term, stagnated growth in the industry, especially in 2014 when revenues decreased in most bowling centers.

Ten years ago a number of stand-alone sport centers were built in Russia. Today almost none is being built, instead succeeded by boutique bowling facilities or FECs that incorporate bowling. Almost all closures have been traditional centers that offer nothing but bowling.

TURKEY

When we think of similarities and differences between European markets, one country that stands out is Turkey, where the first center opened in 1989. By 2009 there were 200 centers and today there are 275, with almost 200 of those centers having opened in the last 10 years.

According to Alain Winterhalter, CEO of Switch Bowling, Turkey experienced remarkable growth from 2007 to 2012, despite the economic slowdown and a 4% drop in GDP in the past couple of years. Investment in new developments has proven beneficial to the bowling industry there.

What sets Turkey apart from most other markets is that the majority of centers are located in shopping malls. There are currently 341 functioning shopping malls in Turkey and another

A great deal will depend on the Olympic question as far as the sport is concerned. The need to raise the competitive profile and adapt to the modern, changing environment of competitive play is important to the future of the sport. The balance between sport and recreational use has been upset by the need for the “faster buck.” In the UK, the most successful centers are still those that hold the balance right, which also happen to be the oldest centers.

The new ‘boutiques’ certainly have a role within the hierarchy of provision, often introducing the new, smaller bowling center to towns that didn’t have the numbers to support a ‘traditional’ center.

Nick Keppe President, Bowltech UK Limited 34

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COVER STORY The global bowling industry has been in a decline for a number of years, but nowhere was it felt harder than in Europe. However, starting about two years ago, we began to see positive signs of growth that have continued.

We’re finding that growth is more pronounced across centers and chains that invested in their businesses during the downturn by modernizing and adding new entertainment features, such as BES X, new attractions or VIP lounges. New facilities in Europe are embracing this trend with the entertainment center concept as well. These new and modernized facilities are able to target a wider range of consumers, provide a more upscale menu offering, and give consumers a reason to visit more frequently and stay longer.

Juan Cabezas President and Chief Growth Officer, QubicaAMF Worldwide 74 are under construction. The bowling market in Turkey is directly linked to the growth in shopping malls. However, more residential projects and hotels are including bowling and FECs in their planning.

SWEDEN Another market that has experienced a significant change in the last decade is Sweden, one of the markets that developed

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rapidly since its start in about 1959. It’s a market that has enjoyed steady growth.

During its first two or three decades, the industry was divided between commercial and community centers—the latter being centers mostly in small communities that were owned and operated by the local town councils or governments. Both the commercial and community centers were small—average size between 4 and 10 lanes—and were

COVER STORY pretty bare-bones. They were sport bowling centers with no frills. But they were perfect for the time, when most organized bowling was through clubs. Customers belonged to, and bowled with or for, their club. That has changed as centers have expanded their food and beverage offerings, added light and sound technology and, apart from the newer and larger centers which follow the model of FECs, these older, smaller centers are a closer fit to what we call boutique centers today.

At least 25% of the older sports centers have added alternative sources of revenue like shuffleboard, laser tag, simulators and more extensive food and beverage services. Only 2% of centers have closed, typically because of financial difficulties, escalating health and safety costs, and a decrease in sport bowling. Sweden remains, however, a stable market and with growth potential with a projected increase of at least 10 new centers in the next five to 10 years.

FRANCE

The economy has had a negative impact on the European bowling marketplace in two ways: growth has slowed in terms of investment in new centers and modernization, and proprietors have seen a downturn in terms of their customer base.

However, the few new businesses and proprietors that have invested or reinvested in their businesses, are already seeing a favorable return. And, perhaps more important, these proprietors will become role models for the future as they focus on providing a lounge atmosphere to their facilities with more focus on entertainment, including exciting light architecture, that will further enhance the customer experience.

Bowling has proven to be an evergreen business, a business that, in the long term, will always be there before, during and after any economic downturn. And the future for the industry in Europe, as it recovers from the current economic climate, will be stronger than ever, with the new breed of upscale boutiquestyle facilities leading the way.

In France, one of the first bowling centers was Bowling De Paris, located in the Bois de Boulogne, a large public park located on the western edge of the fashionable 16th arrondissement of Paris.

Bowling de Paris, like so many of the early centers in France, could best be described as a gourmet restaurant with bowling lanes, a trend that continued for several years before more traditional centers were built, and more recently FECs. Today, some 50-plus years later, there are over 400 centers in France, where the market, just like the rest of Europe, has been affected by economic conditions.

However, consumers in France want to have everything when they want it and where they want it, and they want more fun and living experience. The concept of an FEC or a boutique facility with a restaurant and kid activities, are the future of bowling in France—venues that fit the demands of families, parents, kids, teens, corporate and private groups, and people who just want to enjoy a variety of entertainment and recreation experiences in a single location.

The trend in France has been to build 10 to 15 new centers a year. It’s a trend that’s likely to continue, mostly with FECs and modernization designed to fit today’s demand for facilities with a wider spectrum of recreation and entertainment amenities.

It’s been a rough economic storm for Europe, but the rays of business sunshine are peeking through. The take-away is: in order to survive, bowling businesses must reinvest and reinvent themselves.

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Hans Krol CEO, Bowltech Group We wish to thank the following for their assistance in this report: Gary Smith, vice president international sales, Brunswick Bowling Products, and the company’s network of distributors in Europe; Stephanie Darby, marketing director, QubicaAMF Worldwide, and the company’s sales offices in Europe; Hans Krol, CEO, Bowltech Group, and the team at Bowltech International; Nick Keppe, President, Bowltech UK; Jouni Helminen, Sport Bowling Finland; and Alain Winterhalter, CEO, Switch International Bowling Ekipmanlari AS, Turkey. ❖

Paul Lane is former Director of Marketing and Marketing Services for AMF Bowling, Inc. He has been the director of 18 AMF World Cups, an officer in national and international trade associations, and a pro bowler during a career that spans more than 60 countries and 50 years.

PROFILE

LIVING THE BOWLING DREAM Jeff McCorvey and the pro shop business are a perfect fit.

By Jackie Wyckoff he dynasty which has become McCorveys Bowling World, including 51 pro shops and an online presence, may never have happened if Jeff McCorvey had found a job after college. His three requirements for gainful employment were: sleep late in the morning; no tie; and bowl in tournaments every weekend. Lucky for bowlers everywhere south of the Mason-Dixon Line, the manager of the Pin Palace in Huntsville, AL, asked him to take over the ailing pro shop. In June of 1984 the dynasty was born.

McCorvey was a natural fit to go into the pro shop business. His dad was a proprietor in Birmingham, and he started drilling balls while still in high school. He supplemented his income in college by working in a pro shop and has always loved the technical aspect of drilling bowling balls.

When the opportunity came up to open a second shop across town in Huntsville, McCorvey resisted. He was, as he puts it, “chasing the bowling dream,” and with his PBA regional schedule, other tournaments and the pro shop, he couldn’t figure out how he could be in two places at once, let alone three.

Once he decided to go ahead with the second location, he hired and trained the manager and still maintained a hands-on approach with both shops. “Then I got the bug!” he said.

Over the past 31 years, McCorvey has successfully rolled out location after location.

His business principles are simple: reinvest whatever you can in the business; don’t overspend; grow when you can afford it; and hire the right people.

T

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PROFILE

McCorvey with his daughter Kristi.

The right people for him are not necessarily experienced in the pro shop business. “I am more interested in the core values of honesty, integrity and dependability. It is all about character. The rest is teachable,” says McCorvey. And he knows about teaching. He was a charter member of the International Bowling Pro Shops and Instruction Association (IBPSIA) and taught the advanced ball drilling classes for several years. Every McCorvey’s Bowling World Pro Shop manager is an IBPSIA Certified Technician as well as a USBC

Certified Coach. He makes sure his staff has the tools to be successful.

McCorvey’s managers are expected to keep abreast of current business trends as well. This includes cultivating new bowlers since the industry has shifted to more open and organized play and less league bowling. Those that buy in on the company vision are handsomely rewarded with a generous bonus structure. Four of the long-term managers have been granted stock in the company.

Bowling World has had an online presence since 2000, bowlingworld.biz, where balls, bags, shoes, accessories and apparel are sold. However, McCorvey would rather direct a customer to one of his shops than sell online. “Personal service just can’t be replicated online and that is what our pro shops are all about,” said McCorvey. “Of course, we sell online; you have to in the market today. We would just rather see our customers face-to-face and get a feel of really what they want and need.”

McCorvey still has a hands-on approach after all these

years. When IBI caught up with him, he was on a 750-mile jaunt through Virginia to stop in and visit all nine pro shops in that state. He enjoys driving to the shops and chatting with his managers. “I love giving people the opportunity to become a pro shop operator. It’s great to see passionate people rise to the occasion,” said McCorvey. “There are over 100 employees who depend on this company being a success, and we are not going to let them down.”

In 1997, the USBC Open Championships (then the ABC Championship Tournament) was held in Huntsville, AL, and Pin Palace Lanes was the location for the Bowler’s Journal tournament. “It was the best year we ever had,” said McCorvey.

“Even though this can be a tough business, sales have continued to trend upward since 1999.” Of course it pays to 42

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PROFILE Exclusive. McCorvey also has a few specialty venues where hard-to-comeby balls and equipment are sold.

As much as he loves working, Jeff has slowed down some in the past couple of years due to health issues. He has been diagnosed with a neurological disorder that has affected his balance and gripping strength.

“I’m probably not going to be able to bowl any more, but it won’t affect the business” he said. “I have a new doctor at the Mayo Clinic who has had some promising results with treatment. It is a relief after going through more than nine doctors over the past two or three years.”

He still maintains his presence in the business while his grown children are pulling some weight in the company. McCorvey’s son Ryan is the inventory control manager and daughter Kristi is the CFO. Ryan is an avid snow lover and is trying to talk dad into expanding out west. He is hoping to find a location somewhere around Denver where he can follow the dream started by his dad to not have to wear a tie and to go skiing every weekend.

The future looks bright for McCorvey’s Bowling World. ❖

McCorvey, right, bowling with his son Ryan.

be a savvy businessman. McCorvey’s Bowling World Pro Shops sell nearly every ball, bag and shoe in existence today and several shops are Ebonite Gold

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Jackie Wyckoff, who started bowling in 1968, is a San Francisco Bay Area native, avid Giants fan and gourmet chef. She was president of the Bowling Writers Association of America, 2009-2011. Wyckoff has worked and volunteered in the bowling industry since 1972 with jobs including center manager, WIBC president, and writer and promoter for all things bowling.

She was a PWBA regional player, with several state and local titles to her credit.

WHAT BOWLING MEANS TO ME

. Littles

By Anna M alter Schneider, known as Wally, started this whole thing back in 1947.

Living in Sioux City, IA, Wally worked in a meat packing factory which is a nicer way of saying slaughter house. Wally changed his life and his fortune when he purchased a small neighborhood bar. Soon, his vision expanded, and a year later, he decided to build a 10- lane bowling center called Park Bowl.

In less than a year, Wally added six more lanes and a family legacy was born.

Blanche, Wally's daughter tells of her childhood when she had to skip school and work at her dad’s bowling alley. That was back in the day when children were employed as pinsetters. When someone did not show up for work, Blanche filled in and set up pins. “It was a lot of fun,” she reminisces.

Things were going well for Wally and his family, until 1953 when a big flood devastated Sioux City. The flood took out Park Bowl and all was lost. Wally had to start over again. With his family by his side, he did.

Wally fought the good fight and rebuilt his business. A decade later, in 1964, he passed away and left the new and improved Park Bowl to his wife, Gertrude, lovingly referred to as Gertie. That was when Blanche, along with her brother, Bernie, started working the business. Eventually, Blanche’s husband, Jim Goergens

W

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came on board and the guys purchased Park Bowl from Gertie. After a while, Bernie went into business for himself, leaving Jim and Blanche working the business together.

Twenty years later, life was good and things were going well for Blanche and Jim who now had two grown sons of their own. Rick, the oldest, was managing bowling centers out of state. Their younger son, Bo, was making a name for himself in the amateur world of professional bowling.

All that changed in 1986, when Sioux City was struck by a series of severe storms.

Again, Park Bowl was targeted by nature.

Lightning hit and the center was set on fire. Blanche, Jim and a group of their customers watched the fire burn Park Bowl to the ground. For a second time, their business had been destroyed.

Jim Goergen chose not to rebuild but instead researched the Midwest and found

WHAT BOWLING MEANS TO ME instead researched the Midwest and found that Michigan was the bowling capitol of the world. So, he and Blanche packed up and went north by north east. They looked for a new bowling center to purchase and found Northern Lanes which was for sale. The rest is history. Jim and Blanche made Sanford, MI, their new home and rebuilt their lives and their business at Northern Lanes.

A generation later, we have the tale of two sons, Rick and Bo Goergen.

When the fire destroyed the family business in 1986, Rick was in Anchorage, AK, and had already established his career as a general manager of bowling centers. As a young man, Rick served in the military and was stationed in Hawaii as a motorcycle cop. It was during his tour of duty he found himself missing the sport of bowling and being in that world.

When Rick completed his service, he read a posting in the local paper of a center looking for a general manager. Rick applied for the job and got it. A year later, that same owner had a bowling alley in Anchorage that needed a manager. Rick, who now had his own family, packed up and took the job. It was in Alaska where he received the phone call that once again Park Bowl had been lost. Rick did not stay long in Alaska. The following year, 1987, he joined his mom and dad in Michigan to help run Northern Lanes.

The Georgens are no strangers to hard work. It takes a lot to build a business. And as successful as they were, the time had come when Jim and Blanche decided to sell Northern Lanes. In 1993 the business sold.

However, due to issues with the sale, they got the business back in 1996. At that point Jim and Blanche turned the day to day operations of Northern Lanes over to their sons, Rick and Bo. And the brothers continue to grow the business to new levels of success.

Rick describes Northern Lanes as having 24 bowling lanes, a large lounge where live bands perform, and a dance floor that comfortably accommodates 200 plus people. About 10 years ago, they built a 2000square-foot deck that holds up to 185 people next to the bar. The deck goes out to the volley ball court and is

a very popular spot during spring and summer months. They have a good-size game room and above-the-norm food menu that offers wraps, burgers and a wide variety of food and drink. They also have a full-service VIP pro shop run by both Bo and Rick. They carry Storm bowling products and Roto Grip. Rick knows every inch of the 15 acres of land Northern Lanes sits on. He’s the one that does all the mowing.

On the other hand, Bo manages Northern Lanes as well as maintaining a part time association with the professional bowling world. Bo participates in tournaments as often as he can. For 20 years he has competed in various mega bucks tournaments, and in the PBA tournaments in Detroit. He’s done well enough to compete against the likes of Andres Gomez, Pete Weber and Walter Ray Williams, Jr. Bo manages to get the best out of both worlds.

For these brothers, their immediate future is to continue working with what they now have. They love what they do, and as Rick so eloquently states, “We are in the business of creating an atmosphere where people can enjoy themselves.” When you provide a world where people can come in and have fun, it becomes a large family atmosphere. For Rick and Bo, it’s all about family and seeing the smiles on their customers’ faces. ❖

Anna M. Littles, a screenplay and freelance writer and producer originally from the Bronx, NY, now resides in Santa Monica, CA. You can see her work on YouTube, IMDB, or on her website at www.alittleLA.com.

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SHOWCASE ENHANCED FACEBOOK MARKETING

eBowl.biz provides Facebook for Bowling. This service includes new features such as local awareness ads, custom audiences, special offers and monthly contests. It is guaranteed to grow your Facebook presence and drive more traffic into your center! For a no-obligation review of your center’s page or to discuss creating one, call 541-549-0999 or go to www.eBowl.biz.

PIN DECK SPRAY

In conjunction with the new FLEX lane machines, Kegel has released the Spot on Pin Deck Spray which helps prevent sliding pins. It is the only product that can be used manually or inserted directly into the lane machine for simple application with the push of a button. No dilution is necessary. Works on all types of pin decks, cleans easily and doesn’t attract dirt. For more information, go to www.kegel.net and click on Center Care Products.

LANE CONDITIONER

With a unique blend of top grade oils and additives, Brunswick Bowling Products’ DEFTv30 lane conditioner features Flo-Back technology which reduces the impact of ball tracks through the heads while minimizing the movement of the conditioner down-lane.

DEFYv30 lasts 30% longer than other conditioners and conquers one of the biggest challenges that bowlers face, their shot breaking down too soon. DEFYv30 offers excellent solution for high-lineage centers to keep bowlers satisfied, providing predictable, stable ball reactions. Bowlers make fewer, less drastic line-up adjustments as conditions change.

Contact your local Brunswick Distributor or Brunswick Aftermarket Product Specialist today.

GOALS THAT WORK

Redemption Plus lives by the motto Powered by Purpose.

Team members, known as Empower Rangers, work relentlessly to enrich lives through insights that empower. No action is done unless it is aligned with that purpose. Redemption Plus’ biggest hope for its customers is that their wish lists can be turned into to-do lists. This year at IAAPA, Empower Rangers will share purposed-focused adventures with those that visit.

They will talk about The Incredible Birthday Party Project, the Game Changer Experience, Redemption Plus’ custom training program, and many other ideas to help owners achieve their business dreams. Be sure to attend IAAPA and, most definitely, visit booth #1034!

POINT OF SALE

Helix Leisure’s Embed, worldwide supplier of revenue management systems, continually strives to improve its emPOS—the Embed Point of Sale. With improved coupon functionality, greater flexibility in tabs and split payments, real time extensive sales reporting, and optional deferred revenue reporting, emPOS becomes a very powerful tool for an operator when coupled with the Embed Cashless swiper system. A new feature is a hand-held device using a downloadable app. The depth of features in point of sale, redemption counter management and access control, Embed’s emPOS offers a complete solution for FECs and centers. For more information email Allison Timberlake at allison.timberlake@helixleisure.com.

CHROME LIQUOR SPEED POURER

Alcohol Controls is now offering the world’s most highly requested free-pour liquor spout for both standard and wide neck bottles. Its tapered shape provides fast pouring speeds and maximum control to avoid spilling and splashing. These pourers are available at very low prices, plus every pourer comes with a spout cap to keep fruit flies, smoke, dust and debris out of the liquor bottles. Learn more about this product online at www.AlcoholControls.com or by calling 800-285-2337.

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DATEBOOK

OCTOBER IBI

5-7

East Coast Bowling Centers Convention Golden Nugget Atlantic City, NJ www.eastcoastbowl.com

6-8 Euro Attractions Show Swenska Massan Exhibit Center Gothenburg, Sweden (703) 836-4801 www.iaapa.org/expos 13-15 Foundations Entertainment University Dallas, TX Randy White (816) 931-1040 16-17 BPA State Leadership Meeting Intl. Bowling Campus Arlington, TX (800) 343-1329 IBI

18-20

West Coast Bowling Convention Silver Legacy Resort & Casino Reno Sandi Thompson (925) 485-1855 www.wcbowling.com

23 Kentucky BPA Annual Meeting Jack McCarthy (502) 558-3450 25-28 Southwest Ideas Share Summer Education & Trade Show Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino Lake Charles, LA k.miller@texasbowlingcenters.org

26 BPA Pennsylvania Board of Directors Meeting Fairfield Inn, Butler, PA Chris Gallas chris@bpaa.com (800) 343-1349, ext. 8471

7-19 PBA World Series of Bowling VII National Bowling Stadium Reno, NV (800) 304-2695; www.pba.com

JANUARY 2016 2-7 Team USA Trials Gold Coast Hotel & Casino Las Vegas USBCTeamUSA@bowl.com Tennelle.Milligan@bowl.com (817) 385-8226

27 BPA Pennsylvania Annual Meeting Family Bowlaway Fun Center Butler, PA Chris Gallas chris@bpaa.com (800) 343-1349, ext. 8471

24-28 Bowling Summit 2016 Hilton Hawaiian Village Honolulu (888) 649-5585 meetings@bpaa.com

28 BCSC Annual Meeting & Golf Tournament Black Gold Golf club Yorba Linda, CA Anna Littles (818) 780-0900

FEBRUARY 23-25 F2FEC Conference Kona Kai Resort & Spa San Diego, CA Ben Jones (248) 371-0700 Ben.jones@cmcast.net

NOVEMBER 2-8 Bowlmor AMF U.S. Open AMF Garland Lanes Garland, TX (972) 613-8100

MARCH 16-20 IAAPA Orange County Convention Center Orlando, FL (703) 836-4801 www.iaapa.org/expos

15 – 17 Amusement Expo International 2016 Las Vegas, NV www.amusementexpo.org

DECEMBER 7-8 BCA Wisconsin Board of Director Meeting Trade Show Wisconsin Dells bcaw@bowlwi.com (262) 783-4292 IBI

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5 - July 10 USBC Open Championships National Bowling Stadium 300 N. Center Street Reno, NV www.bowl.com

Official magazine of the convention

CLASSIFIEDS

LOCKER KEYS FAST! All Keys done by code # Locks and Master Keys E-mail: huff@inreach.com TOLL FREE

1-800-700-4539

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CLASSIFIEDS EQUIPMENT FOR SALE REPAIR & EXCHANGE. Call for details (248) 375-2751.

NEW & USED Pro Shop Equipment.

Jayhawk Bowling Supply. (800) 255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com.

PROPRIETORS WITH AMF 82-70 S.S. & M.P. MACHINES Save $$ on Chassis & P.C. Board Exchange & Repair!

A reasonable alternative for Chassis and P.C. Board Exchanges

FOR SALE: Phoenix Lane Machine, $2,500; 30 lanes Mitsubishi Media Mask, $2,000; Brunswick Rock Worx speakers, large & small, call for pricing; Blacklight Bulbs, bulk purchase only, 50 - $12, 100 - $10; Custom Vinyl Couches, bright multi-colors, like new, $1,000/settee, $500/per; refurbished, like new ZOT Lustre King ball polisher, $3,000; 24 B2000 Hood/Rack, $550; Brunswick & AMF powerlifts, rebuilt $850, as is $550; PhotoStrike Reservation Station; 40 Steltronic monitors, granite case, take all, $1,000 OBO; 42’ Steltronic flat screens; 16 lanes complete Qubica Scoring $2,250; 24 lanes complete Excel Scoring $1,500; HPL Panels, spare panels or complete lanes, call for availability; A2 pinsetters, complete or for parts. Or Make Offer. (719) 251-1616

MIKE BARRETT Call for Price List

Tel: (714) 871-7843 • Fax: (714) 522-0576

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WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN

EQUIPMENT WANTED LANE MACHINES WANTED. We will purchase your KEGEL-built machine, any age or condition. Call (608) 764-1464.

SERVICES AVAILABLE Drill Bit Sharpening and Measuring Ball Repair. Jayhawk Bowling Supply. (800) 255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com.

46” Inflatable Bowling Pins. Perfect to Decorate, Market, and Promote. Code IBIship for free shipping in U.S. for 10+ pins (expires 12/15/2015). bowl.gameops.com.

CENTERS FOR SALE NORTHERN INDIANA: 20-lane center w/ AMF 82-70s, Brunswick FrameworX returns, Steltronic scoring and synthetic lanes. Also, snack bar with beer & wine license. Call Ken (574) 293-1632.

EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA: 6-lane Brunswick center, bar & grill, drive-thru liquor store in small college town. Also, 3 apartment buildings with 40 units, good rental history.

Call (701) 330-7757 or (701) 430-1490.

CLASSIFIEDS MINIATURE GOLF COURSES Indoor/Outdoor. Portable/Pre-Fab. Black Light/Traditional/Pro Putter.

202 Bridge Street Jessup, PA 18434 570-489-8623 www.minigolfinc.com

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN

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CLASSIFIEDS CENTERS FOR SALE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA: One of the top five places to move! Remodeled 32lane center. Good numbers. $3.1m gets it all. Fax qualified inquiries to (828) 253-0362.

NW KANSAS: 12-lane center, AS-80s, Lane Shield, snack bar, pro shop, game & pool rooms. See pics and info @ www.visitcolby.com or contact Charles (785) 443-3477.

NORTHER CALIFORNIA (foothills): 12-lane Brunswick center with pro shop, arcade, and snack & cocktail bars. 22,000 s/f/ in updated building on 2 acres. Room to expand. Fishing, snow & water skiing close by. $999,000. For right situation, owner will carry. Dee Durbin, Bella Real Estate (530) 957-5409.

SERVICE CALLS WORLDWIDE • PRE-SHIPS • WE SELL

AS80/90 • BOARD REPAIR • Frameworx NEW KEYPADS • FRONT DESK LCD MONITORS

Michael P. Davies (321) 254-7849

291 Sandy Run, Melbourne, FL 32940

on the web: bowlingscorer.com email: mike@bowlingscorer.com

CENTERS FOR SALE APPRAISALS: LARRY DOBBS MAI, ASA. (214) 674-8187.

Bowlingvaluations@yahoo.com.

SOUTHWEST KANSAS: Well-maintained 8lane center, A-2s, full-service restaurant.

Includes business and real estate. Nice, smaller community. Owner retiring. $212,000.

Leave message (620) 397-5828.

GEORGIA: Busy 32-lane center, real estate included. Great location in one of fastest–growing counties in metro Atlanta.

5 years new with all the amenities.

Excellent numbers. Call (770) 356-8751.

OHIO, Archbold: 12-lane Brunswick center on 1.81 acres w/ 13,440 s/f commercial bldg. Plus QubicaAMF scoring system, pro shop with eqpt. & restaurant/bar area with eqpt. & fixtures. Asking 189,900.00. Contact lshirkey@fmbank.com or (800) 451-7843 x 15290.

OKLAHOMA: Lease to Own or Owner Carry for Viable Investor. 16 lanes—fully remodeled with so much potential, A2s, Steltronic w/42” flatscreens, synthetic panels, 11th Frame Grill, laser tag, largest game room in the area & thriving lounge w/ room to expand.

(719) 251-1616.

16-lane center in Southern Colorado mountains. Great condition. 18,000 s/f building w/ restaurant & lounge. Paved parking 100+ vehicles. Established leagues & tournaments. $950,000 or make offer. Kipp (719) 852-0155.

NE MINNESOTA: Food, Liquor & Bowling.

Established 8 lanes between Mpls & Duluth w/ large bar, dining room, banquet area.

Two large State employment facilities nearby. High six-figure gross. Call Bryan (218) 380-8089. www.majesticpine.com.

AMF • BRUNSWICK EQUIPMENT COMPLETE PACKAGES WORLDʼS LARGEST NEW – USED SPARE PARTS INVENTORY ALL AMF BUMPER PARTS, XS Q-BUMP, DURABOWL AND GEN II IN STOCK

SEL L

BUY

Danny & Daryl Tucker Tucker Bowling Equipment Co. 609 N.E. 3rd St. Tulia, Texas 79088 Call (806) 995-4018 Fax (806) 995-4767

Bowling Parts, Inc. P.O. Box 801 Tulia, Texas 79088 Call (806) 995-3635 Email - daryl@tuckerbowling.com

www.tuckerbowling.com 54

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CENTRAL ILLINOIS: PRICED TO SELL!!

8-lane center with AMF 82-70s, full-service restaurant, pro shop. Plus pool tables, karaoke machine & DJ system. Asking $125,000.00 with RE. (217) 351-5152 or toms-uvl@sbcglobal.net.

SELL YOUR CENTER OR EQUIPMENT

(818) 789-2695

CLASSIFIEDS Felix Erickson Co., Inc. Strike Zone © Family of Lane Products Strike Zone© Next Generation LC 5 gal case $105 Envi-Cide II Disinfectant Shoe sparay 12/15 oz $87.95 Solve-It © Orange Foam Cleaner 12/18 oz $69.95 FESI Solve-IT © Ball Wheel Liner 22’ $90 NEW RM 107 Rubber/Cork Wheel Liner $29.95/Roll 070-006-757S Smooth Dist. Belt w/ lacing $35 ea.

000-024-604 Gray Ball Lift Belt $195 ea.

Exclusive Phenolic Kickback Plates Front F128D 16” x 33” $88 ea.

Rear F129 19” x 23 3/4” $88 ea.

NEW F131T 16” x 40” $125 ea.

All plates include screws and instructions 800-445-1090 (F) 609-267-4669 festrikezone.com Resurfacing - Repairs - Supplies - Synthetics

DINUBA LANES For Sale in California: City population of 21,000, and trade population of 129,000, 16-lane center with auto scoring. 15,000 s/f building. Family business with great potential. Owner retiring; will carry small 1st @ 6%. Full appraisal available for serious buyer. Call Armen (559) 250-3502.

3

your Classified Ad EASY toin place International Bowling WAYS Industry Magazine

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your ad to:

(818) 789-2695

Fax

info@bowlingindustry.com

(818) 789-2812

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October 2015

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REMEMBER WHEN

1961 M

rs. Samuel Sloan Auchincloss is the third in an IBI series of “Everybody Bowls,” highlighting AMF’s “Magic Triangle.” She joins the company of Miss Carol Heiss Jenkins, Olympic figure skater and celeb in her own right (March 2015 issue), and Mrs. Robert M. Cushing, wife of Robert, Barnard alum and board member of a prestigious hospital (November 2012 issue).

While the other two women can be found with some research, Mrs. Samuel Sloan Auchincloss truly remains a 56

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mystery. Tracerlabs, where a Samuel Sloan Achincloss worked, I found. An Auchincloss family I found. After that…?

Needless to say, we have a definite matriarch with a very importantsounding name. Our ad scene is surely a family gathering, watching grandma/nana do her thing. There isn’t an eye that is not on our star bowler. Bowling was her sport of choice to keep fit and have fun, and in 1961, there were 1.9 million women enrolled in the WIBC with approximately 9,500 bowling centers to choose from.

Fit, fun and bowling are terms that resonate today. However, Miss and Mrs. have been mostly discarded for more personal names. ❖