Atari Coin Connection

Issue: Vol 5 Num 06 - 1981 October

PERSONNEL
PROFILE
Bob Harvey
Bob Harvey was born in
Chicago 33 years ago, but even
though he was raised in the city
which could be considered the
home of coin-op games, he took
the long way around to getting
into our industry. He spent 13
years as a manufacturer's rep
and western regional sales
manager for a tailored clothing
firm before making the move into
the coin -op amusement industry.
After speaking with a friend at
ATAR I about the future of video
games and the coin-op industry
as a whole, he became interested
in making a change. In October
of 1981 he was introduced to
and interviewed by Frank Ballouz
and Don Osborne. After the inter-
view he knew he was definitely
interested, so he bought himself
a ticket to the AMOA to "see for
myself", as he put it, what the
industry was all about.
After attending the show he
was very enthusiastic about video
games, and in January of this
year he joined ATARI as a re-
gional sales manager in the Coin-
op Sales department. So after 13
years in the clothing business he
made the change to video games
and what was his first assign-
ment at ATARI? To find tuxedos
for his colleagues who were at-
tending the distributor meeting in
Pebble Beach.
ATARI Employees Contribute
to Muscular Dystrophy Campaign
-
Jo-An Torres and Judy
Hernandez in Coin-op Customer
Service were the star perf omers
in a 15-mile walkathon held to
benefit the Muscular Dystrophy
Association. Many ATARI em-
ployees participated in the walk-
athon, organized by Anne Gech-
man of the Computer division of
ATAR I, but Jo-An and Judy really
went all out in their fundraising
efforts. Each employee was
supposed to find at least 1 O
sponsors to pay 10¢-15¢ per
mile for the number of miles
completed by the walker.
Well, Judy and Jo-An con-
tacted some of our ATARI dis-
tributors and gathered pledges
for $10-$15 per mile. Between
the two women, they raised close
to $3000.00, quite a substantial
contribution to the total sum given
by ATARI. Those distributors who
supported Jo-An and Judy's
efforts were: Active Amusement,
Advance Automatic Sales, Bally
Northeast Distributing, Betson
Enterprises, Betson Pacific, C.A.
Robinson, Central Distributing,
Dunis Distributing, Empire Dis-
tributing, Lanie! Automati9,
Lieberman Music, McKee Dis-
tributing, Modern Vending,
Mountain Coin Distributing, New
Orleans Novelty, O'Connor Dis-
tributing, Southwest Vending
Sales, and State Music.
When asked how they raised
I
this much money, Jo-An said that
she attributed this generosity to
"the tremendous rapport which
has been established between
ATARI and our distributors."
A check for the total given by
ATARI was presented on a local
television station's broadcast of
the Muscular Dystrophy telethon
over the Labor Day weekend by
Don Osborne, V.P. of Sales for
Coin-op. Jo-An and Judy also
appeared with Don during the
television presentation.
We at ATARI are proud of all
those employees who contributed
to the MDA walkathon, and par-
ticularly to Judy and Jo-An for
their super effort.
Creating Your Own Advertising
Recently Bob toured the Mid-
west and Northeast to promote
the ATARI $50,000.00 World
Championships. This gave him
an opportunity to meet with not
only the distributors but also the
operators so we can get their
input. He was really impressed
with the response the Tourna-
ment was generating.
Bob has lived in California for
9 years. He currently has two
child ren, a son and a daughter,
and he and his wife are expect-
ing their third child right around
the time of the AMOA Show.
All in all, we feel that Bob
brings a fresh and energetic out-
look to ATARl's Coin-op Sales
department, and we're happy to
have him aboard .
A number of operators have
contacted us regarding the
design or production of their own
advertisements. When a new
game comes into a location or a
tournament is held to benefit a
local charity, ads in local news-
papers or in neighboring store
windows are a very effective
means of drawing new players to
the location. But what do you do
about including the ATARI name
and logo, trademark notification
or registered copyright marks?
If you are preparing advertise-
ments for a tournament or other
event. the ATARI name and logo
need not be mentioned with an
ATAR I game name. Alternately,
the name of the game could be
followed by an asterisk (*) at the
upper right of the name. A note
corresponding to the asterisk
would then appear at the bottom
of the page: "* Indicates trade-
ma rks of Atari , Inc." When adver-
tising a new game at your loca-
tion, the same rules apply.
Any questions you have about
the proper use of the ATARI name
and logo should be directed to
the Marketing Services depart-
ment at408-745-2500. The
people there will help you with
more specific questions. And
remember, "camera-ready" art
specially designed for local
advertisements is available from
Marketing Services in the pro-
motional kits which are prepared
to accompany each new ATAR I
game.
OPERATOR OF THE '80s
maintenance of machines. "A
reliable service network," con-
tends Jim, "is imperative in this
business. We constantly upgrade
games because if revenues drop
Stretching from Novato to San
off, we may lose a location."
Jose, California, Glenn Rowe
Jim's 26 years of experience
Vending of San Francisco is one
in the operating business has
of the oldest vending operations
helped him make wise decisions.
of cigarettes and juke boxes.
He believes that video games in
About four years ago, Glenn
1 restaurants and bars are the way
Rowe decided to start carrying
- - - - - , . jl of the future. He is contemplating
video games in their numerous
holding tournaments in some of
restaurant and bar locations. Jim
his locations. The promotions for
Ham, vice president of Glenn
the tournaments would differ
Rowe explains how they began
__ ..,. depending on the type of location,
using video games. "We noticed
either neighborhood bar or large
the increasing popularity of video
or small restaurant. He believes
games and decided to try a few
the proprietor is most knowledge-
in some of our locations."
able in types of promotions that
And according to Jim, Glenn
would be most suitable for his
Rowe is glad they did. "When
location since each owner is
Asteroids™ hit the market and
particularly sensitive to his own
stayed at the top for so long, we
business' needs.
knew that video games would be
Jim is an avid fan of video
a lasting phenomenon."
games. "He just loves Asteroids'"
He believes that restaurants
said his father, Roy. The years of
and bars are a natural locale for
experience in the Ham family,
video games " because they offer
along with their enthusiasm for
relaxing entertainment to the
video games, guarantees their
patrons. It's definitely the way of
continuing success for many
the future." He is particularly
years to come.
pleased with the cocktail cabinet Roy Ham , President of Glenn Rowe (above), and Gary (left) and
which allows room for a drink or Jim Ham (right) with ATARl's Asteroids Deluxe™.
Gary Ham, Jim's brother, works the kids playing the games. "A
two to be set on the game while
TECHNICAL TIP
playing.
as the shop foreman and is en-
few ground rules and being
Jim has been in the family
thusiastic about video games in aware of the games keeps ser-
business since he was 12 years the Glenn Rowe locations. As far vice problems to a minimum. If
old. His father, Roy Ham, is presi- as problems go, Gary cited one
the proprietor keeps an eye on
dent of Glenn Rowe. Jim worked called "the string" for which he
the machines there is little
for his father cleaning parts bins found a solution. Basically, the
chance for problems to develop,"
and washing down floors when
string is a piece of fishing wire
says Gary.
he was younger and continued
Jim attributes Glenn Rowe's
attached to a coin which makes
to help out at the operation even the game add up extra points.
success to two philosophies.
In some cases, a mini Trak-Ball
during his summer breaks from
Gary's method of combatting this "Number one is treating em-
may remain noisy even after the
college. Jim worked as a stock-
ployees with fairness," Jim
problem is to attach a string
ball bearings have been oiled.
broker following his graduation,
explained. Evidently Glenn Rowe The cause is a sticky ball.
cutting mechanism in the coin
but after four years he decided
control box. Jim and Gary both
employees agree, since less than
To clean the ball, spray the ball
to come back into the family-run feel that the important factor in
five years of service is considered lightly with household furniture
business. Jim is thankful for being keeping problems such as the
a "new hire". The shop super-
polish and spin the ball with a
"raised" in the business and
string to a minimum and increas- visor, John McDonald, has been clean rag. Do not spray too much
attributes the success of Glenn
ing revenue at the same time is with Glenn Rowe for 32 years.
polish on the ball, as this may
Rowe to his father's expertise.
to maintain a strict control over
The second factor for success is damage the coupler PCB.
Roy, Jim and Gary Ham of San Francisco, CA
Centipede™
Mini Trak-Ball™
Controller
Atari, Inc.
1265 Borregas Avenue
Sunnyvale, California 94086
ATARI®
Q
A Warner Communications Company
First Class
U.S. Postage
PAID
Sunnyvale, CA
Permit 317

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