The Thea Awards began in 1994 with a single Lifetime Achievement Award, and the first honoree was Harrison “Buzz” Price – pioneer in economic feasibility for entertainment projects. After Buzz passed away in 2010, the award was renamed in his honour.

Keith James is a respected leader of the themed entertainment industry, known by all who work in the business or those involved with the TEA. The words that best describe Keith include: honest, great integrity, thoughtful, loyal, consummate businessman, straight as an arrow. His entire professional career has been in themed entertainment, and his passion for the industry is evident.

His Bachelor of Fine Arts in Technical Theater at the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati took him to Taft Broadcasting, and as production manager for live shows at King’s Island in Ohio, and later as assistant director of operations. Keith and some colleagues formed Kings Productions – for many years a creative division of the Taft family of theme parks.

In 1979 Keith moved to Toronto as director of planning & development for Canada’s Wonderland in Ontario, later becoming director of park operations.

In 1983, he became vice president of operations for Expo 86 in Vancouver, but remained with the Expo organisation for only a short time.

In 1983 Taft recruited him as managing director of Australia’s Wonderland in Sydney, and by 1987 he had taken on the role of vice president of show production for Universal Studios Florida and subsequently became senior vice president of planning and development.

In 1992 Keith returned to Cincinnati to join Jack Rouse Associates (JRA), where he remains today as chief executive officer/owner.

*With thanks to Jack Rouse who describes himself as “longtime friend, biker-buddy, colleague and business partner with Keith James since the 1970s”.

Jack was also the founder of JRA and a fellow Thea recipient, honoured in 2008 by the TEA for lifetime achievement.

This award is presented annually at the Thea Awards Gala in recognition of a TEA member’s outstanding contributions “above and beyond the call of duty” to the association. Nominations are open to the TEA membership; the final selection is made by majority vote of the TEA Past Presidents Committee and approved by the TEA International Board of Directors.

John W. Robinett, senior vice president, economics at AECOM, is this year’s recipient of the TEA Distinguished Service Award. As a mild-mannered “numbers guy” wading into the creative-infested waters of the TEA, John has spent more than two decades giving time and expertise as a board member. He has sponsored events and activities through his company, presented and spoken at TEA conferences, advocated and ensured the continuation and growth of the annual TEA/AECOM Theme Index publication, and chaired and served as committee member of the TEA Thea Awards Committee. All the while, John’s “day job” included working with clients such as the Walt Disney Company, Getty Museum, Beach Park in Brazil, 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Universal Studios and Pixar Animation Studios.

He explains his commitment to the TEA as follows: “Well, first, TEA members are great people, incredibly creative, great ideas, very good to work with from a business perspective, be friends with, have good relationships with”. John also says “They appreciate one another’s gifts and talents. It is really rewarding to work with TEA members.”

*With thanks to Gene Jeffers, retired executive director of the TEA and 2012 Distinguished Service Award recipient.