The Haunted Attraction Association held its annual member meeting on Friday, March 27, in Room 231 at TransWorld’s Halloween & Attractions Show in St. Louis, with outgoing president Jim Werner presiding.
The meeting covered a bylaws vote, a leadership transition, new board member elections, and updates to the Association’s scholarship program. It was followed immediately by HAA’s annual State of the Industry presentation.
Proposed Bylaw Change
The proposed bylaws revision passed with overwhelming support. Of the 28 voting members present, 24 voted in favor, and four voted against, clearing the 75 percent threshold required to amend HAA’s bylaws. Both incoming president Benjamin Gagne and incoming vice president Mike Quill were among the four who voted against the change.
The revision opens the Association’s 18th board seat to a qualified non-owner/operator candidate for the first time. Under the new language, a non-owner/operator seeking election to that seat must demonstrate at least seven years of documented industry experience and exceptionalism, pass the Member Qualifications Committee’s vetting process, and meet all other Director eligibility standards. The seat holder would carry the same fiduciary duties, term limits, and voting authority as any other Director, but would be barred from serving as an officer or on the Executive Committee.
If no non-owner/operator candidate fills the seat in a given election cycle, it reverts to a standard board position requiring owner/operator eligibility until the next election.
The revision also adds a notice requirement for the annual meeting of voting members, requiring notice no less than 10 days and no more than 50 days in advance.
New Leadership
The HAA board elected a new executive board following the meeting. Benjamin Gagne was elected president, Mike Quill as vice president, Shalee Mudgett as treasurer, and Krista Brower as secretary.
Gagne announced his election on Facebook, writing: “I am thrilled to announce that I have been elected to represent the Haunted Attraction Association as President by the current board members while attending TransWorld’s Halloween & Attractions Show.”
Gagne noted his roots in the industry go back to 2002, when he started as a home haunter in high school with The Thirteenth Hour Haunted Attraction, which he later relaunched in Indianapolis in 2017. “I’m proud to represent this industry as both a vendor and a haunt owner,” he wrote, adding: “The mission continues: Promote. Protect. Educate.”
He also thanked outgoing leaders Jim Werner and Kevin Donovan for their leadership over the past two years.
Four New Board Members
Four new members were elected to the board: Bart Butler, Ben Bates, Rob Winfield II, and Brittany Hummel. Bates was not present at the meeting.
Butler is the operator of Terror in the Corn in Erie, Colorado, and brings over 35 years of experience in the haunted attraction industry. “I’ve done every part of the job in the haunt attraction from actor all the way to GM,” Butler said. He called the Association’s growth significant, noting that haunted attractions have evolved from a niche into a large, organized segment of the attractions industry that increasingly operates year-round.
Winfield is the owner and operator of Terror Manor in Roanoke, Virginia. He pointed to the diversity of haunted attraction models in his region as a strength he brings to the board. “We have 501(c) haunts. We have historical haunts. We have commercial haunts. We have agriculture haunts,” Winfield said. He emphasized the importance of networking and mutual support among operators.
Hummel is with The Cinema of Horrors in Kelso, Washington, and Treadway Events. She said she joined the board to bring a younger perspective, specifically around marketing to Gen Z and Millennials. Hummel manages nine operational areas across her organization’s haunt and non-haunt events, including operations, staffing, ticketing, and partnerships and sponsorships. “We do a lot of different styles of events,” she said. “It’s not just haunted attractions.”
Who Is Leaving the Board?
Four board members departed: Michael Edwards, Terri Bernstein, Kevin Donovan, and Tyler Kozar. Donovan and Bernstein had also served on the executive board.
Financials and Scholarship Changes
The Association reported a current account balance of $171,085.19, which Werner described as a strong fiscal position that allows the organization to pursue new initiatives. The full 2025 fiscal report will be made available to members. A member requested that future treasurer’s reports include more detail on income and expenses, and Werner confirmed the upcoming report would contain that information.
The board also announced a change to its scholarship program. Nominations have been moved to a May 1 deadline, replacing the previous timeline that culminated at TransWorld. The Association has also expanded eligibility to include individual members and volunteers, in addition to haunt owners, operators, and their staff. Werner encouraged members to promote the scholarships to their teams, noting that most haunt staff are college-aged and could benefit from the support.
About the Haunted Attraction Association
The Haunted Attraction Association (HAA) is the only official association in the haunt industry, serving as the voice of the haunted attraction community. Its worldwide network of members exchange ideas, information, and experiences through conferences, exclusive networking events, message boards, newsletters, magazines, and more.
The HAA was formed in 2011 when the International Association of Haunted Attractions (IAHA), founded in 1998, and the Haunted House Association (HHA), founded in 2008, joined forces with the common goal of protecting members and promoting haunted attractions around the world.
Each year, HAA partners with TransWorld’s Halloween & Attractions Show and other events to offer the Certified Haunted Attraction Operator Seminar (C.H.A.O.S.) safety program.
