Ken Handler, President of Global Management Amusement Professionals, and owner of Raging Rivers WaterPark and Splash City Adventures Park, was awarded the World Waterpark Association's Al Turner Memorial Commitment to Excellence Award in recognition of his dedication to excellence in leadership and community in the water park industry. The award was presented at the World Waterpark Association (WWA) Trade Show & Symposium on October 25, 2023, in New Orleans, LA.
The Al Turner Memorial Commitment to Excellence Award is awarded yearly to an individual, park, or organization that has through their consistent business and professional excellence provided leadership and/or fostered a sense of community in the World Waterpark Association membership. The Commitment to Excellence Award was named for Al Turner, the founder, president, and chief executive officer of the World Waterpark Association until his death in 2001 when he was awarded the honor posthumously.
Ken Handler has operated, consulted, and managed many waterparks and theme parks for over 35 years. Since bringing his passion and expertise for the attractions industry, he has consulted over 100 waterparks in the U.S. and internationally. He serves on the WWA’s Technology & Innovations Committee and has been recognized for other notable acknowledgments from the World Waterpark Association and won awards for marketing and programming.
Through GMAP, Handler has designed and developed restaurant concepts for Wild Rivers Waterpark, H2OBX Waterpark, OWA Tropical Falls, and most recently Gulf Islands Waterpark. Handler was called upon to mentor Food and Beverage Operations for Magic Springs Theme Park, Wahoo’s Family Entertainment Center, Ocean City Waterpark, Chicago Waterparks, Zoom Flume, Nona Adventure Park, and Wet N’ Wild Waterworld.
As a nationally recognized revenue consultant, Handler continues to guide and provide assistance to facilities offering memorable and safe adventures to hundreds of thousands of guests each year. He and his GMAP team love the challenge of opening both rehabilitated and brand-new parks. He also enjoys the exciting adventure of mentoring industry professionals throughout the country - https://www.amusementprofessionals.com.
