Debbie Powers Meet the 2020 OABA Chair
I
t is my honor and pleasure to succeed Larry Yaffe as Chair of the OABA and help fight the fight to keep the outdoor amusement business alive and healthy. We live a roller-coaster lifestyle. One minute you’re way up high and the next minute you’re plummeting down to dreary lows, and never knowing what to expect around the next sharp turn. To survive, we all need to adapt to the ever-changing environment we work in, from rain or shine, to the ever-demanding expecta- tions of rules and regulations by those who govern us. It is my desire to unify all showmen and fortify the industry for many years to come.
My exposure to the business started with my grandparents and my aunt and uncle who played fairs and festivals can- vassing the East Coast. When I
was old enough, I began working with my cousin Barbara Pokorny. As soon as school was out, I was on my way to travel for the summer. I was as intrigued then as I am today!
After graduating from high school, it was natural to attend college and pursue a career – I chose the medical profession and graduated with a degree in medical technology. I was hired right away by a prominent hospital in Buffalo, Roswell Park, special- izing with cancer. I worked under a research doctor where I spent my days in a laboratory (usually alone) or in a library studying medical journals, neither of which appealed to me. I persevered for almost two years but worked at a carnival every weekend with my blossoming new food concession business. Upon leaving the hospital, much to the disappointment of my father, I forged on to pursue my dreams in the amusement business. I had already built an ice cream stick concession, ironically with much help from my father. I made every effort to find locations
20 20 2 0
to play but found out many shows didn’t book young single women at that time. I had also applied for a $500 loan from a bank where I’d had a savings account since I was a young child. The loan officer chuckled and replied, “You have two strikes against you. You are young, and you’re a female.” Things have changed a lot in 45 years.
I married Charlie Corl II, a disabled Vietnam veteran who was not in the business but got very involved with every aspect of my venture. We were blessed with two wonderful boys, Charles Dean III, and Philip. Sadly, when the boys were very young, Charlie passed away from a massive heart attack.
I met my current husband, Corky Powers, as a young girl working for my cousin at various sites. Corky was always there to
help me with setting up, hooking up, or backing up. I was drawn to his kind spirit. Our platonic friend- ship lasted for 20 years until it took a different twist. It seemed odd at first, but it didn’t take long before we knew what a team we would make. We both share a deep love for our career choice. We are both driven and never question each other about how much time we each spend perfecting what we do. Back then, neither one of us were in the ride busi- ness. Corky’s grandparents had food concessions and a freak show. When he considered building his own show, I gave him my full support. I might have had a different approach today, but with our humble beginnings, we worked together to build what we now have. The early years were extremely lean, but our dreams, with a ton of hard work, have brought us to the show we have today, Powers Great Ameri- can Midways. We are very grateful to the many people who have helped us, who we have learned from, the ones
OABA iwy mrue mda aqmidway ma erquee2020 EDITORIAL 9
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162
