text: Ellis and Harhi Attraction Management name new president « Amusement Today | Your Amusement Industry NEWS Source
  By AT Staff | February 19, 2013
  Jeff Ellis and James Harhi are pleased to announce the hiring of Mike Friscia as President of Ellis and Harhi Attraction Management. Mike Friscia joins the team from Palace Entertainment where he served as Vice President of the Water Park division. Prior to Palace, he held executive positions with PARC Management, a leadership role with ContraVest Builders and had a 10-year career with Walt Disney World Resorts working in various roles throughout his tenure.
  Ellis and Harhi Attraction Management is a newly formed company that will expand upon the successful Jeff Ellis Management concept currently in place in various domestic locations, bring the internationally recognized industry-leading lifeguarding concepts of Ellis & Associates, the successful Operations Infrastructure of JEM and combine them with a "turnkey recreation operations management" module. Mike will provide leadership to this new business unit with specific focus on new business development. E&H Attraction Management will provide this service to perspective clients looking for operational expertise within a turnkey solution. This unique concept continues Jeff Ellis' long history of innovation within the Amusement Industry.
  Friscia brings over 20 years of industry experience in park operations both at a local level as well as the Corporate/Divisional level. Following his onboarding, Friscia will take the lead in developing the Attraction Management brand. He will also provide support within the current Ellis organizations to help with an initiative to better integrate the existing companies sharing resources and gaining efficiencies. The three companies will work together by leveraging their industry expertise to meet the demands of the company's ever-evolving client base.
  "I have been a longtime admirer of Jeff and what he and his high performing teams have accomplished since starting his companies many years ago. His teams both at Jeff Ellis & Associates and Jeff Ellis Management have done an amazing job in taking this vision and creating iconic organizations with unprecedented success both domestically and internationally. My new role will focus on the growth of a new business model growing out of the successful aquatic management module within the JEM group and leveraging the expertise that James Harhi brings to our industry. We believe that adding a comprehensive Attractions operations piece to the management model is a strong area for growth. Our team will conduct an assessment of an operation and provide a targeted, strategic management program that will drive revenue while identifying operational efficiencies. We will implement the operating plan integrating staff as needed and infuse external resources appropriate for the operation. This module of the management group will be attraction based, not just focused on aquatic facilities. Additionally, I hope to bring my experience and resources gained by working in many unique and diverse work environments, working with Jeff and his teams to identify areas where synergies exist between the different business units incorporated in the Jeff Ellis companies. We will work to create a culture that is more integrated than what currently exists while allowing the entities to focus on their core businesses."
  Friscia's industry experience and resource network gives him a skill set that will fit nicely within the dynamics of the overall teams at JEM, E&A and now E&H Attraction Management.