Water Park Maintenance: Tips to Avoid the Things We’ve Seen. Presented by WhiteWater

Evan Forman (they/she) is a Maintenance Manager with Palace Entertainment. Over the years, they have had the honor to work for Great Coasters International, Premier Rides, Oceaneering, Morey’s Piers and other reputable companies in the industry. Through these experiences, they have cultivated a diverse skill-set that continues to influence and support their current position with Palace Entertainment. As the Maintenance Manager, they work with some of the oldest waterparks in the industry, helping oversee, refine, and optimize their maintenance programs.

A 40-year attractions industry veteran starting with her first job as a pool technician and lifeguard to working as an executive for Great Wolf Resorts and Six Flags, Franceen has focused on building leadership teams, developing operating protocols, consulting on the design of new water park resorts, and directing risk management and safety programs. With her experience as an operator, developer, and industry expert, she currently works across all WhiteWater business units to ensure high performance in developing projects across different market segments and delivering to clients all over the world.
 
Franceen has held leadership roles in industry groups such as IAAPA, WWA, ASTM International,
NSPF, and AIMS and is especially known for her work in amusement industry safety and operational risk management. She has been recognized with multiple industry awards and recognitions, including the IAAPA Lifetime Service Award in 2022.
 

Nicholas Pawley is the Vice President of Maintenance & Water Quality at the Qiddiya Water Theme Park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He began working in the aquatics/water quality industry in the mid-1990s. During the past decade his work has been Middle East-based, focused upon water park maintenance and water quality, establishing industry best practices, introducing new technology, developing cost-effective methods and efficiencies in manpower. His work over the past 2.5 years can be summarized as pre-opening responsibilities, where he is establishing all processes and documentation associated with the technical services division and, most excitingly, building a maintenance team that will pioneer maintenance practices for the region.
 

Ray travels the globe looking after coatings and fiberglass repairs for water parks and leads the crew training in this area. He brings decades of paint, coating, and composite repair expertise from the automotive and aerospace industries to make attractions—big park investments—stay bright and shiny for years to come. Having seen so many water parks in a maintenance context in so many different environments across the world, Ray is an advisor and an invaluable source of insights on the topic of maintenance and refurbishments. He also has experience setting up and training new paint departments for manufacturers in China and in South America.