Two days of productivity and fun marked the Wisconsin Amusement and Music Operators Assn.’s annual meeting, conference and trade show, held June 20-21 in Milwaukee.
The 2019 WAMO Board of Governors with Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers. From left: Chuck Beth, Steve Murphy, Jonathan Kleiman, Niels Nielsen, Neil Gilbertson, Gov. Evers, Mike Weigel, Janet Stansfield Hess, Carl Dentice, Jimmy Patch and Brad Coubal.
The first day’s activities included networking events for operator members and exhibitors, including a chartered fishing trip on Lake Michigan and a well-attended golf outing at Meadowbrook Country Club. Staff training on Technik pull-tab machines and information about modems, routers and troubleshooting was also a part of the day, which concluded with some attending a Carrie Underwood concert in a private suite at the brand-new Fiserv Forum, home to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The second day was more business-focused, as WAMO lobbyist Steve Conway gave the association a legislative update. Wisconsin state representative and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos gave members an update from the Republican majority perspective with topics including the state budget, transportation funding, personal property tax matters and more.
National representatives at the WAMO meeting included, from left: AMOA Secretary Sam Westgate, AMOA Director Joe Bundra, Steve Murphy, AMOA Past President Wally Bohrer (1988), AMOA President Emily Dunn and AMOA Director Chip O’Hara.
Gov. Tony Evers brought the morning to a close with an address of his own. WAMO said to its members: “It is extremely rare to have such a strong legislative presence year after year, especially for a group of our relatively small size. This is a reflection of the work of WAMO’s active Legislative Committee, our lobbyist and our members.”
The meeting continued at lunch with AMOA President Emily Dunn providing a national update. Afterward, a packed trade show opened, where members had the opportunity to show off their latest products, games and services.
And it’s never too early to start thinking about next year’s events: March 4-8 is the Wisconsin State Pool Tournament and May 13-17 is the Wisconsin State Dart Tournament. Learn more about the association and stay up to date with events at www.wamo.net.
