The History of NICA: An Idea Still Growing Strong!
Our Mission
NICA is a membership-driven organization dedicated to strengthening relationships with the Fair, Festival and Special Events Industries through effective communication, education, benefits, leadership, and solutions.
The Beginning
The National Independent Concessionaires Association was only a vague idea when Larry Orme and Gene O’Brien got together at the South Florida Fair in West Palm Beach, Florida, in January, 1993. The two men, with 79 years of concession experience between them, knew the many problems facing the industry. Yet, Gene and Larry, using all their resourcefulness and knowledge, had been unable to resolve the financial and regulatory problems facing their businesses. They also knew the independent, self-reliant nature of concessionaires as a group. The two men wondered if the time might be right to attempt to organize these bright, yet autonomous, businessmen.
Were there enough problems and common concerns to bring them together?
Larry Orme offered to find out by placing an ad in the Amusement Business magazine, announcing a meeting to be held in Tampa, Florida on February 10, 1993, with the express purpose of forming a concessionaires association.
Gene O’Brien arranged for the meeting place at the Florida State Fairgrounds and for the printed materials for the meeting.
In the two-week period that Larry and Gene were at the South Florida Fair, the beginnings of a board of directors was formed. Because most of the real lasting hopes for the new organization were based on the future, Larry Orme selected a young and innovative concessionaire in the person of Richard Wright. Gene O’Brien and Larry jointly sought out Larry Sivori to add his youth and enthusiasm to the board.
When the Florida State Fair began in February, Gene O’Brien added Kevin McGrath and his keen mind to the now five-member board. During the next seven days of endless meetings, discussions and arguments, the board began to form a collective mind regarding many issues. During one of these sessions, the five directors agreed to ask Art Pokorny to serve, due to his knowledge of fair management. The board also agreed to add one more director making seven in order to prevent possible voting ties. They felt the person selected should be from an area (of the country) not already represented on the board. They would make that decision later.
NICA’s initial membership drive was so successful (as shown by the fast growing numbers), due to the hard work and dedication of its membership committee, headed by Shelly Patinella, Lou Pacifico, and Tony Pacifico. This was the first committee formed. Their contribution was as significant as was that of the board.
The big day came and what a turnout we had for our first meeting! More than 200 people attended from all over the country. One hundred and twenty-five of these signed as members, a clear indication of the need for this organization. Those attending the meeting had the opportunity to express their concerns by completing survey forms. The results revealed a broad spectrum of issues. However, the most frequently voiced concerns were: insurance, deposits, rents, percentages, bookings, appropriately priced services, long term contracts, assignable contracts, D.O.T. regulations, and some method to ensure balanced opportunity for concessions.
Now we were ready to represent independent concessionaires. Our number had grown to 160 by the time NICA board members participated in the Florida Federation of Fairs Annual Meeting in May, 1993.
This was the first time anyone representing an independent concessionaire had spoken on his behalf!
NICA began immediately to make plans to take an active part in the IAFE Convention in Las Vegas in November.
In June, Bill McKinney of Hughes Springs, Texas became our seventh director. Bill brought to the board many years of experience and representation for our midwestern members.
By August of 1993 plans were well under way for our first NICA Convention to be held in Tampa, Florida.
NICA had 360 members by November when a nervous, anxious NICA board of directors met in Las Vegas for its first IAFE Convention. This group of seven had been meeting by teleconference monthly since April but several had not met in person.
NICA’s success from the beginning has been, in part, due to a happy circumstance not foreseen at the time of formation. The NICA board had a remarkable resource in the talented wives of its members. What a staff they became writing, typing, and organizing all the many policies, minutes, and agendas to name just a few of the jobs they carried out...
When NICA left Las Vegas in 1993 they were finally a true organization ready to speak for its membership.
The History of NICA was written by Olivia Orme in February 1998. Today NICA is an organization with over 1000 members across the United States and Canada. NICA services independent businesses that work in the mobile event industry. Our general membership includes food concessionaires, retail/commercial sales, game operators and independent entertainers and attractions. Our associate membership includes fairs, festivals and suppliers.
Regional Councils
NICA is first a membership organization; without members it ceases to exist. Therefore its first priority is to grow membership and provide value to the members it serves. Forming NICA Regional Councils supports NICA’s long term strategic goal of growing membership. In order to work in concert with the Board, one person from each council serves on the BOD as a voting ex-officio member. Historically Regional Councils activate members in local concerns, add new members, provide more professional voices, develop leadership and offer a focused geographic presence while building a stronger “National” NICA.
West Council
In 2006, Tony Trafton, CCE and Chuck Dugan asked Rey O’Day if she would oversee an organization dedicated to educating concessionaires and creating benefit programs for its members. Out of those conversations a group was formed called Associated Business Owners Guild (ABOG) which was modeled after the LA County Fair Communication Committee. O’Day had twice served on the NICA Advisory Committee and thought ABOG and NICA would be a perfect merger. The NICA Board adopted a resolution that made that happen. The kick-off for the NICA West Council was at the Western Fairs Association (WFA) convention which was held in January 2007 in Reno, NV.
The West Council immediately began developing a benefit relationship with Sysco-Los Angeles. Today the NICA Sysco Marketplace is a $14M strong partnership in which Source1 Purchasing and Sysco produce a food trade show as part of the Western Fairs Association convention. They present workshops, hold benefit socials, host two long running Golf Tournaments, and several poker/bingo fundraisers.
The West Council has always had a voting Ex-officio Member on the BOD. However, in 2013 they elected their first director to the Board and since then, three presidents from the West have served the Board, including current President, Don Delahoyde, CCE. Rey O’Day began as the West Council Coordinator in 2007, was inducted into the NICA Hall of Fame in 2016, and today serves as NICA’s Executive Director.
East Council
In February 2020, the Northeast Council and the Southeast Council joined forces to become the East Council. Jessica Gottsche, who has been the Coordinator for both, continues as the East Council Coordinator and NICA’s Social Media Coordinator.
In June 2016, the Northeast Council was launched and held their first regional Rally at The Big E in West Springfield, MA in the fall of 2016. Their Council Members primarily work routes in the Northeast from Maryland/Pennsylvania to Maine. In 2019, they supported the Erie County Fair’s 4H Beef Auction by raising $17,000 to purchase the Grand Champion.
In May 2018, The Southeast Council met for the first time to begin some Strategic Planning and set goals for their first year. In October 2019, they held their well-attended inaugural event, the Rally in Raleigh at the North Carolina State Fair, an event that continues each fall. Additionally, they have taken on responsibility for some successful Florida fundraisers such as the South Florida Bowling Tournament and St. Lucie’s Casino Night.
NICA Foundation: Honoring the Past, Present & Future
The NICA Foundation was launched as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation in February 2020 at NICA’s Annual Gala, with the selection of the Board finalizing by May. The Foundation Board of Directors is in the process of designing and approving the many things a new corporation must do including building a chart of accounts, creating sponsorship opportunities, generating financial procedures, constructing a website, accepting the Foundation-related strategic goals from NICA, and organizing mission-driven projects. The NICA Foundation’s mission is, “To foster leadership development in the Fair and Event Industries by providing support through educational scholarships and by enhancing training and professional services.”
Because of the overwhelming support from our donors in 2020, the NICA Foundation was able to not only meet their goal of awarding $30,500 in Scholarships, but exceed their goal and award $33,500 to their commendable recipients. The additional fundraising efforts of the NICA Past Presidents and Board of Directors, the NICA Regional Councils and the NICA Membership help to ensure this program truly makes a difference in the lives of our young people.
Focusing on the Future & Movin' Forward!
Our theme for 2020 was “Focus on the Future" and signaled a very positive trajectory in the first quarter. Since then, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic has thrust our lives into unknown territory. We recognize this is a frightening time and that many in our Industry have faced both health and economic impacts. We are here to help. Our NICA Board of Directors understands that during this time of COVID-19, tight money and uncertainty is having an impact on many of our members’ businesses. We have chosen the theme of "Movin' Forward" for 2021 to maintain the positive trajectory we started before COVID-19 appeared.
NICA continues to work with many of our sister organizations like CAFE, IAFE, IFEA, OABA, WFA, State and Provincial Fair Associations, and more to resolve the many issues facing the Industry such as rising costs, labor, transfer of ownership, and more. Now, as we enter our 28th year of forward thinking as a member-driven organization dedicated to strengthening relationships with the Fair, Festival and Special Event Industries through effective communication, benefits, education, leadership and solutions, it continues to be important that we keep pace with an ever-changing world.
Today the organization is over 1,000 strong and growing, continuing to offer a wide variety of benefits and services. Make sure to join us at our many events throughout the year! As history has proven...
