INTERNATIONAL BOWL EXPO: TOP MARKETING EXECUTIVES TO LEAD SEMINARS ON DELIVERING A SUPERIOR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE DURING CHALLENGING TIMES

“Outside the Four Walls” Educational Track Features Senior Officers from Six Flags over Texas, Malco Theaters, Frisco RoughRiders Minor League Baseball and Which Wich Restaurants

Arlington, TX (June 21, 2011) – The Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA),  bowling’s premier trade association and the leading voice of the industry, today finalized a new  educational track to be offered at the International Bowl Expo 2011 entitled “Outside the Four Walls.” These seminars aim to help bowling proprietors better understand how other businesses outside of the bowling industry have enhanced the customer experience during the difficult economic times.

Each of the expert speakers will conduct a presentation explaining the challenges that their industry and brand have faced and how they tackled adversity to continue to deliver a positive, cost effective experience for their customers. Every session will close with a Q&A so you can “ask the experts.” 

Featured “Outside the Four Walls” speakers include:

Monday June 27:

1:45 PM – 3:15 PM

Jim Brothers, Director of Marketing

Six Flags Over Texas & Hurricane Harbor

Jim Brothers has over thirty years of tourism sales and marketing experience.  His current responsibilities include Advertising, Promotions, Group Sales, Public Relations, Community Affairs and Park Entertainment. He has been involved with numerous local charities such as Prevent Blindness of Texas, American Heart Association, Campfire of Texas, Children’ Medical Center and Cystic Fibrosis.  Additionally, he has previously served on the City of Arlington Bond committee.

3:30 PM – 5:00 PM

Scott Sonju, President/General Manager

Frisco RoughRiders Baseball, Double-A Affiliate of the Texas Rangers

Scott Sonju served as a Senior Vice President of the RoughRiders where he focused on corporate partnerships. For five years, Scott was a director of a private resort in Upstate NY, where he developed a love of the outdoors and knowledge of operations, marketing, personnel, and programming. In June 2003, Scott earned his MBA from Northwestern's prestigious Kellogg School of Management, where he majored in marketing, management strategy, organizational behavior, and entrepreneurship.

Tuesday June 28:

8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Tim Schroder, Vice President of Marketing

Which Wich Restaurants

Tim Schroder is a foodservice marketing veteran with more than 15 years of experience consulting franchisees on projects big and small, from providing big-picture strategic marketing solutions for multimillion-dollar brands to developing guerilla marketing plans for single-unit operators. As vice president of marketing for Which Wich, Tim is responsible for strategic marketing leadership, branding, menu innovation, and creative direction to drive sales and traffic.

10:15 AM – 11:45 AM

Larry Etter, Vice President

Malco Theaters

Larry Etter is a professional foodservice executive with extensive experience in the entertainment industry. Larry Etter has been instrumental in the theater industry since 1997 when he was employed by Malco Theatres Inc. in Memphis, Tennessee. As a Senior Executive with Malco he has had the opportunity to build a business through significant negotiations, including sizeable soft drink agreements, and negotiated Onscreen Advertisement contracts and construction build-outs.

“These business leaders represent a cross-section of industries but each share a common philosophy that even during a depressed economy the customer experience must remain paramount.  We are very pleased to provide Expo attendees with an opportunity to benefit from their insights and strategies, many of which are transferable to the bowling industry,” said Bart Burger, Vice President of Business Development for BPAA.  “From providing proprietors with access to some of the best minds in business to offering an opportunity to be a part of history by attending Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open at Cowboys Stadium, this year’s International Bowl Expo is shaping up to be our best ever.”

For more information on these seminars and on the 2011 International Bowl Expo, please visit www.bowlexpo.com.   For details on the historic Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open—which will be played at the 50 yard line at the prolific Cowboys Stadium—please go to www.bowlingsuswomensopen.com.

About The Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America

The Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) is a non-profit organization that has served as the voice of the bowling industry since 1932.  Headquartered in Arlington, TX at the International Bowling Campus, the BPAA provides its more than 4,000 member centers with group purchasing programs, business and educational seminars, and legislative representation and proactively promotes the association and bowling industry.  The BPAA’s mission is to enhance the profitability of its member centers and raise the profile of Bowling, America’s top-ranked participatory sport. 

For additional information, please visit www.bpaa.com or call 800-343-1329.