Scooter Korek, Vice President of Client Relations at North American Midway Entertainment (NAME), received top honours with a Roll of Honour award by the Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions in November.
The award recognizes distinguished sustained service to the fair and exhibition industry in Canada.
Korek, through NAME, has been a long-time partner with the Calgary Stampede running the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’s midway for over 50 years.
“Scooter’s contributions to the fair world are recognized around the world, and we are fortunate that he’s been part of the Calgary Stampede Midway for more than five decades,” said Kyle Russell, Director of Stampede Programming.
“He is a respected leader amongst his peers, staff, and fairs across North America. Scooter never forgets someone that he’s met, and his caring nature and charming personality have helped create a magical experience for guests of the Calgary Stampede.”
Korek, a native of Calgary, began his career in midway entertainment as a teenager after getting a job with Conklin Shows which was the then supplier of midway services to the Stampede.
He had originally intended to get a job directly with the Calgary Stampede, but ended up transforming that summer midway job into a decades long career.
NAME, which was formed from a merger of several midway companies including Conklin, said that they serve 15 million people each year at over 120 events across Canada and the US.
“Scooter’s impact extends beyond operational excellence. He has been a trailblazer in modernizing the fair industry, introducing concepts such as the cashless midway and admission systems,” said NAME.
“Many of the e-ticketing systems used by fairs today are based on programs pioneered by Scooter at the turn of the last century.”
