About
What is F2FEC?
The original Face 2 Face Entertainment Conference (F2FEC) presented for five years from 2015 – 2019 is three days of intense, interactive business discussions, led by an array of the most accomplished professionals in the industry.
Through powerful group sessions and the willingness to share wisdom for the success of each other, F2FEC brought exclusive access through the power of “We, not me”, to the insights and trade secrets, that keep your EC profitable, relevant, memorable, and on the leading edge of what’s next.
The NEW F2FEC: Gathering and Showgram.
Face 2 Face Entertainment Conferences, under the guidance of the Three Amigos is re-imagining what tradeshows, conferences and programming can be in an ever changing and evolving out-of-home, leisure and amusement industry.
GATHERING
The simplified and scaled-to-basic format of the GATHERING will bring together good friends, leaders and inspired thinkers to collaborate as “WE”. Different than the previous five F2FEC Experiences, the GATHERING will be scaled -back-to-basics and simplicity. We will have fewer speakers, less multi-media, more peer-to-peer engagement; more masterminding, table talks and group debate. More time for individual assessment and planning. The things that will not change are the Amigos’ founding purpose and principles built on relationships and transparency and a deep desire to support the industry through leadership.
SHOWGRAM
The SHOWGRAM is the re-imagined combination of tradeshow, conference and educational programming. The core of producing a new trade experience for the expanded out-of-home and leisure industry, is the fully integrated and immersive experience based on the Amigos brand of relationship making, intimacy, with an all-in, level playing field fairness.
“I love this event and appreciate all of the planning and preparations that go into making it the inspiring and engaging masterpiece that it is!”
Jen Waldo
Brunswick Bowling Products
SOME THINGS DON’T CHANGE
The things that will not change are the Amigos’ founding purpose and principles built on relationships and transparency and a deep desire to support the entertainment industry through leadership.
Relationships and belief in humanity will be always be at the core of any F2FEC experience event.
Who are the Three Amigos?
The Three Amigos – Rick Iceberg, Ben Jones and George Smith – created the Face 2 Face Entertainment Conference (2015 – 2019) to fill a much-needed gap in direction and leadership for the out-of-home and entertainment industry. While 2015 marked the inaugural F2FEC conference, Change or Die, the trio were the architects behind IAAPA’s FEC Phoenix in 2013 and after a brief pause in 2014 returned with a bigger, badder, bolder and different conference experience: F2FEC. The Amigos return again with two newly re-imagined experiences: GATHERING 2021 and SHOWGRAM 2022.
Each F2FEC Amigo-founder has established a unique, renowned reputation in the FEC industry, forming the trifecta that is The Three Amigos. Together, the Amigos have a combined 111 years of experience in all facet’s of family entertainment. That’s 777 in FEC years.
“The value at F2 is that everyone has something to share and everyone has something to gain. We are all going to participate in an experience relevant to our needs, our challenges, our interests and our future.”
Ben Jones, Co-Founder F2FEC, President, Recreation, Inc a financial & strategy solutions firm
"True opportunities come from the cross pollination of knowledge. F2F brings together diversity, influencers and the best of the best to inspire and help each other stay relevant and ahead of a changing industry.”
George Smith, Co-founder F2FEC, President / CEO Family Entertainment Group
"The Amigos started with the vision of Share, Engage, Grow™ to propel the industry forward by encouraging operators to form relationships, embrace change, invest to live, and grow our businesses to make more money.”
Rick Iceberg, Co-Founder F2FEC, President, World Famous CJ Barrymores
Rick Iceberg
Rick Iceberg started in the entertainment business in 1974, and has quietly been building the 25-acre C.J. Barrymore’s in Clinton Township, Michigan into one of the industry’s finest FECs. Rick served on the board of the International Association of Leisure and Entertainment Industries (IALEI) and is a former no-nonsense contributor to the International Associations of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) FEC committee–making his voice for entrepreneurial leadership receive unparalleled admiration.
Rick was the driving force behind the format and content of the groundbreaking FEC Phoenix conference, and his passion for improving the industry by sharing results is legendary. As a spirited member of the Three Amigos, Rick pushes change and the content envelope for the ultimate F2FEC experience.
Ben Jones
Ben Jones is a spirited entrepreneur, adventurist and business owner. Ben has a 20-year history as a multi-FEC facility designer, developer and operator and has been involved with 13 business start-ups and acquisitions. His development and management expertise includes hospitality, commercial real estate and entertainment centers, and extends to finance and banking, and to event planning and professional sports.
Ben is a chartered recipient of the IAAPA Certified Attractions Executive (ICAE) certification, completed a six-year engagement with IAAPA as its FEC Specialist, and started and ran the FEC division for Live Oak Bank generating over $135 million in loan originations for entertainment centers. Ben, along with his Amigo brothers, co-created IAAPA’s FEC Summit conference format and as one of the Three Amigos, Ben is the architect behind the Face 2 Face Entertainment Conferences.
George Smith
George Smith has been in the entertainment/amusement business for more than 30 years. During his industry tenure, he has been involved in all facets of facilities operation and management, including owner, operator, supplier, designer, manufacturer and distributor. As the former VP of Operations for Namco Cybertainment, George dealt with all aspects of day-to-day facility mangament, including the operation of nearly 500 store locations.
George now leads multiple companies–most notably he is the president of Family Entertainment Group–and operates high-profile FECs in more than twenty states. George is a past president of IALEI, a former member of the IAAPA FEC committee, the co-creator of IAAPA FEC Phoenix / Summit series, and a highly respected voice and ambassador to many of the industry’s leading companies and organizations. As an Amigo, George completes the founding trio and brings intense thought and future-think along with ambassadorship to F2FEC experiences.