Marketplace

Issue: 1974 February 28

MARKETPLACE
NEWSLETTER
PAGE 6, FEBRUARY 28, 1974
Youthful
Industry!
As far back as any care to recall, this statement has been among the most prominent,
"What we need is new, young blood in this industry." That's one reason for the creation
of our 11 2000 Club" to help lead younger members of the industry into the 21st Century.
That's also the reason why we have so enthusiastically reported the tremendous turn of
events these past few years as fathers and their sons attended the past conventions.
All over this nation and overseas, too, sons are entering into the industry in ever
growing numbers. In many cases, it's now third generation. The sons of sons. Just a few
examples, the son of John Snodgrass of Albuquerque,N.Mex., the son of Joe Silla of Oak-
land, Calif., the son of John Trucano of Deadwood,S.D., and so many more sons of sons
that, at long last, this industry is beginning to take on a very youthful appearance.
So many sons of well known operator, distributor and manufacturer fathers have also
entered into the industry, this has become a new kind of business. Take sons of manu-
facturers: Billy O'Donnell,Jr. of Bally; Dr, David Rockola and Donald Rockola of Rock-
Ola Mfg Corp; Avron Gansburg of Chicago Dynamic Industries; Alvin Gottlieb of D.Gott-
lieb & Co.; Howard Kaye of Irving Kaye Co.; the two sons of Mark Wolverton at Midway
and so many more. As far as sons of distributors are concerned, these are too, too num-
erous to mention. For example, Irving Green of Springfield,N.J.; Bob Portale,Jr. of Los
Angeles; Lon McKee of Portland,Ore.; Joe Hawes of Macon,Ga.; Paul Jacobs, a third gen-
eration distributor from New Berlin,Wis.; Ira and Sandy Bettelman of Los Angeles; so
very, very many others.
It would take many, many pages to just skim over the names of sons of operator fath-
ers. In addition to sons and even daughters, too, as we have pointed out in past issues
of "Marketplace" as well as in our "Interim News Report", there are the young men who
have entered into this industry to create their own businesses. Some are returned from
Vietnam. Others are university graduates. Still others gave up other businesses, pro-
fessions, positions to enter this industry of coin automation.
It took over 40 years for the wheel of t his business to make a full and complete
turn. The young men who entered the industry in the terrible depression of the early
'30s, those who are still here, are now watching the youth of the early '70s become
most completely involved with this challenging, ever changing industry. These young
men are s e tting a fast and furious pace. Are opening the way to ever greater achieve-
ments. Creating a new kind of industry. A better industry. An industry of a more pro-
gressive, more youthful, more dynamic tomorrow.
MARKETPLACE
NEWSLETTER
PAGE 7, FEBRUARY 28, 1974
PUTMAN & O'BRIEN, INC.
...

.........
Paul A. O'Brien, President
Automatic Music and Vending
Telephone:
(315) 754-0293
RED CREEK, N. Y. 13143
Dear Mr. Gerah:
Since my father, Paul A. "Dan" O'Brien is a Coin Automation Pioneer who began
in 1934, I was raised in the coin machine business. I have worked in the business
ever ai.n ce I can remember. However, as my father strongly believes that an educa-
tion is needed to keep pace with the industry, I started college in 1964. In 1966
I left college and enlisted in the U.S.Army for three years in the computer repair
field. After an enjoyable 3 years, I was discharged in 1969 at which time I again
returned to college.
In 1972 I graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. degree in Business Administra-
tion from Rochester Institute of Technology and returned full time to the coin
machine business as Vice-President of Putman & O'Brien,Inc.
,
.
I have been married for four years and my wife, Cindy and I have a beautiful
17 months old daughter named, Shannon.
Before I close, Mr. Gersh, I would like to make a couple of comments about
things you have recommended and what we have done about them. You recommended
2/ 25¢ on phonographs so, in 1971, we started changing our route over including
old and new machines. The reason for this is that when my father decides to make
a change in som6hing, we change our entire route equally.
We have always been on a 6CJfo/4CJfo split on phonographs and really believe that
the 7CJfo/3CJ%, is the way needed. However, everyone else in our area is 5CJfo/ 5CJ%, or
higher so the 7CJ%,/ 3CJ%, is not yet feasible for us.
Our pin games are all 2/25¢ while other games, video games, air hockey, fooz-
ball, shuffleboard, uprights are 1/25¢.
One thing that we feel is very important in our business is the appearance of
our employees and the vehicles they drive. For that reason, each of our men is
supplied with clean, ironed uniforms daily and our company vehicles, which are
lettered with our company name and equipped with 2-way radios, are all uniform
in color and kept in perfect running order.
I'll close now and hope to be able to meet you personally at the MOA conven-
tion this fall.
0
A 7/~
John P. O'Brien
T~e above letter f
0 Brien , ~h·
h app rom John p • 0'B rien
.
~ ic
ates are the t
ears on a foll .
as Well as the 1
greater
yPe of Youn
owing page, s eak
etter from h'
graduat~ ~:rider future. ftm:: ~~w e?tering i~to t:~r. t~emselves. ~~e::oth~r, William
0 'Brien to h:1;\hicoin machine fat~e;inc~re hope of "~~k u;try and helpin;r1~ versi ty grad u-
s industry• s
s wi11 follow in th e Place" that oth o assure it a
greater future growth e footsteps of J hner universi t y
0

and Bill

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