Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1090114
Opening ADDRESS Welcome from Jeff Theiler 10 / MARCH.APRIL.2019 USICERINKS.COM Save a significant amount of money without a large capital investment just by implementing some basic industry best practices. THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE UNITED STATES ICE RINK ASSOCIATION MARCH/APRIL 2019 // VOL. 22, NO. 2 USICERINKS.COM // INFO@USICERINKS.COM C E O Steve Farbman P R E S I D E N T James McEwen S E N I O R V I C E P R E S I D E N T David Jensen C O N T R O L L E R Mike Schwarz C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R Rob Johnson A RT D I R E C T O R Mike DeArmond S E N I O R D E S I G N E R Brandon Favre D E S I G N E R Kelsey Cherwinka A D S A L E S Bryan Nelson M A R K E T I N G & AC C O U N T M A NAG E R Jessica Disch E D I T O R S : Aaron Paitich, Jessi Pierce M A R K E T I N G C O O R D I NAT O R Elizabeth Boger RINK Magazine is the definitive business publication for professionals in the ice rink industry and is the leading source for information on facility management, operations and programming. PUBLISHING PARTNER 505 North Highway 169, Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN 55441 P H : (763) 595-0808 FA X : (763) 595-0016 E - M A I L : info@touchpointmedia.com W E B S I T E : touchpointmedia.com Mission: "To advance the ice rink industry through membership, world-class education, training, resources and events." C H I E F O P E R AT I N G O F F I C E R Jeff Theiler D I R E C T O R , E D U CAT I O N John Monteleone O F F I C E A S S I S T A N T Tom Wacker P H : ( 719) 538-1149 FA X : (719) 538-7838 E - M A I L : info@usicerinks.com W E B S I T E : usicerinks.com A P R O G R A M O F E D I T O R Aaron Paitich M A NAG I N G E D I T O R Jessi Pierce C O N T R I B U T I N G W R I T E R S Craig Petersen, Angie Riviello, Jeff Theiler, Emily Zak E D I T O R I A L B OA R D Mike Bauer, T.C. Lewis, Craig Petersen, Ben Ruggles, Dave Wescott D E S I G N E R S Mike DeArmond, Brandon Favre, Kelsey Cherwinka Want to Save Your Facility Money? REMEMBER THE BASICS In my position as United States Ice Rink Association Chief Operation Officer over the past 10 years, I have been afforded the opportunity to visit hundreds of ice rinks all across North America—and even a few in Europe! I always enjoy the time spent out of the office, talking with rink owners and operators and learning about their daily challenges in running their businesses. What's prevalent in all these conversations is that no matter where the rink is located, the challenges are usually very similar. And they really haven't changed that much since I broke into the industry 28 years ago. Recently, I visited one of our new facility member rinks and spoke with their general manager, who is new to the rink industry but has more than 20 years of park and recreation experience. During our conversation, he told me that his operations manager was pushing him to purchase a piece of equipment that he believed would save them thousands of dollars per year in utilities, and has a payback of less than two years. We happened to be talking out by his ice sheet, and I noticed that the ice was cloudy and the corners were very high. I asked him how often his operations staff does ice maintenance— he said every hour. Obviously, he didn't know what I meant by "ice maintenance". I briefly explained the difference between ice resurfacing and ice maintenance. He then told me that his operations staff were doing very little if any ice maintenance. I recommended that he take a closer look at their current operational processes and procedures, as he could save a significant amount of money without a large capital investment, just by implementing some basic industry best practices. There are several factors that impact the utility consumption at an ice rink, including equipment and building systems, but the most significant impact is the knowledge and skill level of the people operating the rink. Regardless of whether you have been in the industry for several years, or are brand new, you can always learn something new that will positively impact the current and future success of your rink business. I encourage you to take a look at the opportunities for continuing your education through attending a U.S. Ice Rink Association event such as the North American Rink Conference & Expo, or one of our Regional Training Programs. Wishing you the best, — Jeff Theiler, Chief Operating Officer, United States Ice Rink Association