Make plans to attend the 3rd Annual International Association of Haunted Attractions (IAHA) Awards Banquet. Also known as the Oscares Awards, this event is where IAHA rolls out the black carpet and recognizes attraction owners, vendors, and others who have excelled in our industry. The evening which is sponsored in part by TransWorld Exhibits, includes dinner, open bar for cocktail hour and an awards ceremony, with plenty of socializing with others in the Haunted House business.

Where: Holiday Inn Select Downtown St. Louis – Grand Ballroom
When: Saturday March 27th
Time: Starting at 6:00pm
Cost: $20.00 Members; $50.00 for Non-members

For more information, contact Kelly McKelvey at 609-799-4900 or info@IAHAWeb.com. Click here to register!

All IAHA Members should have received the 2009 IAHA Member Directory/Buyer’s Guide by now via mail. If you have not yet received your directory, please contact Jim Smith at treasurer@iahaweb.com.

Thank you to all who worked on this year’s book:  Julie Pawlowicz, Deanna Morton, Jim Smith, Kelly Mckelvey, Eric Pigors and Dan Faupel. The IAHA Directory is a valuable resource every haunt owner keeps on their desk as a reference year-round.

Thank you to all of our advertisers and sponsors, new and returning, for helping the association to continue keeping the book a valuable benefit of IAHA Membership. Please remember to support these vendors whenever you can. They are supporters of the haunted attraction industry!

Beth “Creepy Kiwi” Watson of Spookers Haunted Attraction in New Zealand brings an international perspective to the International Association of Haunted Attractions.

Beth was recently elected to the IAHA Board of Directors at the annual meeting at Transworld in St. Louis last March, and has wasted little time in jumping into her responsibilities as a Director.

Beth is heading the new “International Recruitment Committee” – a subcommittee of the IAHA Membership Committee. The focus will be to bring haunted attractions from all over the world into our Association.

The haunted attraction industry continues to grow, not just in the US, but world wide in nations like Canada, the UK, Hong Kong, Australia, and Japan, just to name a few.

Current International Members of the IAHA are:

New Zealand:

• Beth and Andy Watson (Spookers Haunted Attraction)

Canada:

• Dino Bartolino (Pirates Productions)
• Ian Campbell (Halloween Masters)
• Jason Matte (Screamworks Inc)

United Kingdom:

• Mark Edwards and Richard Lewney (Farmaggedon)
• Mark Harris (Fright Site for Halloween)
• Jason Karl (AtmosFEAR! Scare Attractions)

Australia:

• Marc and Paul Newman of (Dracula’s Haunted House)

The goal of the International Recruitment Committee will be to expand the International Association of Haunted Attractions across the horizons, to unify the haunted attraction industry globally, by bringing attention to international events with the focus of haunt tourists abroad, and to expose those events to the IAHA Haunt Vendors.

If you’d like to help Beth on her mission or have any leads, please email her at beth@spookers.co.nz. Or at least wish her the best of luck on her international voyage.

Join a Committee Today!

IAHA Executive Board announces the committee chairs for 2009.  For each committee to be successful, the association needs the active involvement all its members.  Each committee helps IAHA achieve its goal of advancing the Haunted Attraction Industry.  To learn more about any of the committees or to join a committee contact a committee chair!

Bylaws / Legal

Chair: ad hoc

Elections / Nominations

Chair: Bill Criscione

Finance

Chair: Jim Smith
Members: Mike Hundley

Membership

Chair: Jay Wright
Members: Trey Cottle, Maggie Courtis, John LaFlamboy, Bill Livingston, Beth Watson

Tradeshows

Chair: Mike Krausert

IAPPA
Chair: Bill Criscione

Transworld
Chair: Patrick Konopelski
Members: Deanna Morton, Kris Werner, Tim Turner

MHC
Chair: Jay Wright
Members: Deanna Morton

HAuNTcon
Chair: TBD
Members: Deanna Morton

NHC
Chair: Jay Wright
Members: Deanna Morton

Seminars/Education (C.H.A.O.S.)
Chair: Eddie McLaurin
Members: Brett Bertolino, Jay Wright, Maggie Courtis, Mike Hundley

Booth
Chair: Deanna Morton
Members: Bill Livingston

Auctions
Chairs: Trey Cottle, Maggie Courtis

Awards / /Banquet
Chair: Patrick Konopelski
Members: Shawna Blakney, Maggie Courtis, John LaFlamboy, Tim Turner

Vendor

Chair: Shawna Blakney

Web

Chair: Chad Savage
Members: Dave Christman, John LaFlamboy, Brett Bertolino, Trey Cottle

Marketing

Chair: Brett Bertolino
Members: Chad Savage, John LaFlamboy, Maggie Courtis, Kris Werner, Beth Watson, Dan Faupel

Sponsorship

Chair: John LaFlamboy

Long Range Strategic Planning

Chair: Patrick Konopelski
Members: Brett Bertolino, Bill Criscione, Trey Cottle, John LaFlamboy

Please thank and support these vendors!

A very special thank you goes out from the IAHA Board to the many vendors who donated products and certificates to the IAHA Auction which was held at the Wisconsin Feargrounds Tour and Reception.  A special thanks to IAHA members Tim and Ann Marie Gavinski for not only opening their doors to all HAuNTcon attendees, but also for their gracious hospitality and for hosting the IAHA Auction.

The proceeds from this auction will support our national marketing campaign which will benefit everyone in our industry.  Please be sure to thank and support these vendors!

• Scare Products $100
• Wolf Face Art & FX $70
• The Contact Lens Co. $100
• Bucky’s Bone Yard $125
• Midwest Haunters Convention $140
• Screaming Zombie Energy Drink $100
• AEO Studios $100
• Froggy’s Fog $100
• Distortions Unlimited $250
• Nightscream Studios $250
• Sinister Visions $850
• Midnight Syndicate $150
• John Hyers Visual FX $200
• EvilUsions.com $75.
• Toxic Toons $100
• Monster-Tronics $250
• Mr Skeleton $150
• Stuart Smith $400
• Spooky Buttons $300
• Haunted Attraction Magazine $1,200
• Haunt Bots $150
• Illusionator $210
• Ghost Ride Productions $1,000
• Minispotlight.com $250
• Haunted Keepsakes $100
• EFX TEK $100
• Arrival Mask Co. $75
• Bone Yard Effects $100
• Gore Galor $150
• Fright Props $110
• Scream Line Studios $120
• Haunted Enterprises $70

IAHA Board Members take a break from the auction for a quick photo (from left to right: John LaFlamboy, Mike Hundley, Bill Criscione, President Pat Konopelski, Treasurer Jim Smith, Secretary Deanna Morton, Auctioneer Trey Cottle, Chad Savage, Vice President Mike “Tattoo” Krausert, Brett Bertolino, Maggie Courtis and Randy Young).

For further details visit http://www.midwesthauntersconvention.com

If you use popular social networking sites Facebook or Twitter, be sure to add IAHA!

http://www.twitter.com/IAHAweb

IAHA now has a Facebook Fan page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Association-of-Haunted-Attractions/70219259509 . Why a Fan page instead of a Group? Fan pages afford more direct interaction with individual Facebook users and other features that Groups don’t have.

IAHA’s Safety Program Will Be Held at HAuNTcon

IAHA is holding the Certified Haunted Attraction Operator Safety program (C.H.A.O.S.) on Monday, May 4th after the Haunted Attraction National Tradeshow and Convention (HAuNTcon) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

10 years of fun& FearThe Haunted Attraction industry’s first and only voluntary national safety certification program, C.H.A.O.S., consists of eight hours of safety training provided by professional speakers with a background in amusement safety and loss control inspection. Registration is open to the general public and includes materials, continental breakfast and box lunch. Fees are $85 for IAHA members and $100 for non-members.

CLICK HERE to reserve your place in this exciting class or call (561)758-3266 for more details.

IAHA Members Discount available at www.IAHAweb.com Member’s Section!

Donations Needed for HAuNTcon Auction/Raffle

IAHA will be holding a raffle/auction during the Haunt tours at HAuNTcon on Friday night (May 1st) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

IAHA is asking all vendors to consider donating an item. Small and large items are welcome as well as gift card donations.

Attention IAHA. members. You do not need to be a vendor to contribute an item to the auction! If you have any items you would like to donate to our upcoming auctions let us know! We hope you will join the following companies in supporting IAHA:

• Minispotlight.com
• Monster-Tronics
• Stuartizm
• Toxic Toons
• Boneyard FX
• Buckys Boneyard
• Hauntbots
• Haunted Attraction Magazine
• Haunted House.com
• Sinister Visions inc.

We are looking for new or gently used items to auction and raffle off at HAuNTcon and The Midwest Haunters Convention. We have had a few unique donations from members already, including a 1986 Cadillac hearse complete with brand new tires and a fresh tune up, and hope to add to our growing list of items.

The IAHA Great Hearse Raffle will begin at HAuNTcon and continue for about a year. During that time, IAHA will be packing the hearse full of great haunt related items. Raffle tickets are $10 each and can be purchased from any IAHA director. Stop by the IAHA hospitality suite at HAuNTcon to purchase your tickets, meet the IAHA Board and have a complimentary cocktail or snack. The winner will be chosen at NHC 2010.

Those who donate items will be acknowledged in an upcoming edition of the ScreamZine, on the IAHA website, on IAHA’s section of Haunted Attraction Magazine and on handouts distributed by IAHA at HAuNTcon. This is a great opportunity to gain exposure in the industry while supporting IAHA!

If you are interested in donating or have any questions please contact Mike “Tattoo” Krausert, IAHA Vice President at vicepresident@IAHAweb.com.

New IAHA President Patrick Konopelski

Greetings,

Hello to all. I would like to begin by thanking everyone that has entrusted me with the honor of leading our association. For those of you who don’t know me, I own Shocktoberfest Scream Park near Philadelphia Pennsylvania and Zombie World dark ride on the Boardwalk in Wildwood, New Jersey. I have been in this industry for 18 years and have loved every minute of it. This is an exciting time for both our association and industry.

We have assembled an amazing Board of Directors that, along with their committees, is dedicated to meeting the goals and challenges in the upcoming years. This association has always and will always be a voice for everyone in our industry.

I would like to extend an invitation to anyone in our association that would like to play a more active role by being on committees or simply making suggestions, to please email me at president@IAHAweb.com.

Thank You,

Pat Konopelski
IAHA President

2009 Executive Board: Meet the IAHA Leadership

During the April 9th IAHA Board of Directors meeting, the board elected the Executive Committee for the coming year. Those elected are:

Patrick Konopelski, President
Shocktoberfest
Philadelphia, PA

Mike Krausert, Vice President
Nightmare New England in Litchfield, NH &
Terror on the Fox in Green Bay, WI

Deanna Morton, Secretary
Morton Manor Home Haunt
Kalamazoo, MI

Jim Smith, Treasurer
Niles Haunted House Scream Park
Niles, MI

IAHA Directors Fill Vacant Board Positions

Bertolino & Criscione appointed

On Thursday, April 16, 2009 the Board of Directors for the International Association of Haunted Attractions (IAHA) voted unanimously to fill two vacant board positions. The two vacant seats were the result of the resignation of two board members. The Executive Board offered the vacant positions to two former board members – Brett Bertolino and Bill Criscione. Both have served in the past on the Association’s Executive Board as Vice President – Bertolino in 2008 and Criscione in 2007.

“I speak for the entire board when I say we were very excited that Brett Bertolino and Bill Criscione decided to accept our invitation to return to the board to continue to help guide our association,” said IAHA President Patrick Konopelski. “They both bring a great deal of experience and professionalism to the association.”

Brett Bertolino is the Assistant Program Director for Operations and Special Events at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site in Philadelphia, PA. The penitentiary’s annual Halloween fundraiser, Terror Behind the Walls, was named the “Number One Haunted House in America” by AOL City Guide in 2008.

Bill Criscione is the owner and operator of Ghostly Manor Thrill Center in Sandusky, OH. The Ghostly Manor Haunted House is one of the countries largest year-round haunted attractions and has been named one of the “Top 10 Walkthrough Attractions in the United States” by Darkride and Funhouse Enthusiasts (DAFE).

Bertolino and Crisione’s terms will expire in March, 2010.