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s we enter 2015, I can't help but reflect on the year we are leaving behind. During 2014, Serving The American Rinks (STAR) reached an all-time high for membership. The North American Rink Conference & Expo registered its highest attendance numbers in the event's 12-year history. We also surpassed the 7,000 mark for total students after 14 years of delivering industry-leading educational courses around the country. In addition to those accomplishments, the list of ice rink professionals that have earned a STAR professional designation (CIRM, CIT, CRA) grew to 525 during 2014. You can check out the full list of these rink professionals on the education page at starrinks.com. As good as 2014 was for STAR, we intend for 2015 to be even better. This year we will be celebrating our 15th anniversary serving our members, and the American ice rink industry, and we hope to set new milestones. In recognition of this landmark, our staff and board of directors will be working hard to bring more valuable benefits and resources to our members and expand our social media efforts to increase interaction with our members. NARCE will be returning to Columbus, Ohio in 2015 due to the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received from attendees and exhibitors of the 2014 event. This year we have added two new classes to NARCE that will be conducted by the American Red Cross. CRA course participants will have the opportunity to participate in several one-hour breakout seminars that will enhance the course curriculum on Tuesday afternoon this year. In addition to these new educational aspects of NARCE, we will be offering a CIT Review workshop and CIT Recertification exam free of charge for current CITs that enroll in one of the other 12 courses that will be offered at NARCE this year. Check out the NARCE brochure in this issue of RINK Magazine to learn more about all the great things happening at the "Premier Annual Event for the Ice Rink Industry." I wish the best for you and yours in 2015. — Jeff Theiler, Chief Operating Officer, Serving The American Rinks Opening ADDRESS Welcome from Jeff Theiler 10 / JANUARY.FEBRUARY.2015 RINKMAGAZINE.COM Landmark Achievements As good as 2014 was for STAR, we intend for 2015 to be even better. THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF STAR JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 // VOL. 18, NO. 1 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 V I C E P R E S I D E N T, M A R K E T I N G & S T R AT E G I C D E V E L O P M E N T Pat Sullivan 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 D E S I G N E R S Karli Seman, Julia Taborskaya 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 Aaron Paitich E D I T O R Karl Anderson A S S I S T A N T E D I T O R Jessi Pierce M A R K E T I N G C O O R D I NAT O R Grace Famestad 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. Mission of STAR: "To be the premier national organization designed to foster the development, growth and success of ice skating rinks in the United States." C H I E F O P E R AT I N G O F F I C E R Jeff Theiler S E N I O R D I R E C T O R , E D U CAT I O NA L P RO G R A M S Don Moffatt D I R E C T O R , M E M B E R S H I P Cory Portner D I R E C T O R , C R A P R O G R A M S John Monteleone PUBLISHING PARTNER RINKMAGAZINE.COM // INFO@RINKMAGAZINE.COM 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 P H : ( 719) 538-1149 FA X : (719) 538-1160 E - M A I L : info@starrinks.com W E B S I T E : starrinks.com | narce.com STAR is a program of USA Hockey and U.S. Figure Skating. E D I T O R Aaron Paitich A S S I S T A N T 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 Mike Bauer, Don Heins, Katie Holmgren, T.C. Lewis, Jessi Pierce, Cory Portner, Ben Ruggles, Jeff Theiler, Dave Wescott 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, Karli Seman, Julia Taborskaya A