OABA Update- by Bob Johnson, OABA President and CEO Thanks again to a great panel representing


Zone 2 convention in May, to discuss “Fairs and Midways—Let’s Strengthen Our Partnership”


both non-proit fairs and the carnival industry during the recent Florida Federation of Fairs and


that I moderated. These experts and profession- als communicating their wisdom included panel-


ists: Jay Strates, VP Administration and Finance, Strates Shows and OABA Third Vice Chair; Jeff Blomsness, Chief Operating Oficer, NAME and OABA Trustee; Pete Sutton, General Manager & CEO, Clay County Fair and Past President FFF’s and John Sykes, President/CEO of the East Texas State Fair and current IAFE Chair.


OABA sponsored a workshop at the Convention titled "Fairs and Midways - Let's Strengthen


Our Partnership". The panel consisted of (L to R - front row; Pete Sutton, Clay County Fair; John Sykes , IAFE Chairman: back row - Bob Johnson, OABA;


Jay Strates, Strates Shows, and Jeff Blomsness, North American Midway Entertainment.


The overall message was that the best partnerships will be those that are strengthened by good communications, the quality of their operation, by the perceptions of their guests and their employees. It’s a collaborative effort that we know works, you just have to communicate more.


Also in May, “The Obama administration had the opportunity to issue user- friendly regulations for the thousands of American employers who use the H-


Chairman Bob Goodlatte. “The new regulations . . . are overly burdensome for the small and seasonal businesses that play by the rules and use this guest worker program to hire a legal workforce.”


2B program, but it knowingly failed to do so,” said House Judiciary Committee


Much of my time and efforts of the OABA’s Government Relations Committee and Executive Committee, along with our lob- byists and attorneys has been consumed with the new, Interim Final Rule (IFR) for the H-2B visa program for seasonal em- ployees, issued jointly by the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Labor, issued the last week of April. Car- nivals and Concessionaires, along with other seasonal businesses were shocked by these new rules, which for the most part mirror regulations in 2012, which all these industries fought in the federal courts.


Those of you who rely on this seasonal workforce to supplement your U.S. workforce for your fair season, know full well the bureaucracy involved and the costs, excluding labor costs, to be involved with this legal, workforce. Our Chairman, Michael Wood and I have been working with other industry trade groups, along with the best legal minds on the H-2B front, to put together a four- pronged, litigation and lobbying strategy to protect our stakeholders and their family business. In doing so, will help keep this H-2B visa program; hiring seasonal, foreign guest workers an option to stafing your business… and protecting America’s fairs.


FOR ALL OF YOUR ADMISSION NEEDS


ROLL TICKETS SHEET TICKETS WRISTBANDS PARKING TAGS


THERMAL TICKETS BARCODING


G Mark Your Calendars


Next year’s Convention/IAFE Zone II Meeting May 12 – 14, 2016


Renaissance at World Golf Village


St. Augustine, FL 42


Phone: 407-788-1029 FAX: 407-862-8355


P Bill Owen


E-MAIL: bowen645@yahoo.com www.indianaticket.com


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