One Heck of a Ride

Allen Palovik’s tenure at Knott’s Berry Farm Amusement Park, in Buena Park, Calif., resembles a ride on a roller coaster. It’s filled with ups and downs but keeps moving forward.

Thirty-three years ago, as a high school student, Palovik took a job at the amusement park. He never left. Now, as supervisor of Reprographics, Palovik, sits back at his desk while the loud roar of the renowned Ghost Rider roller coaster shakes his office, and reflects on his time at Knott’s Berry Farm with fond memories and a deep appreciation of his place in the park’s rich history.

Palovik was born and raised in Buena Park, and the amusement park lit up the town like a beacon of fun.

“I used to hang out there after school,” the 49-year old Palovik says. Both Allen’s father and grandfather worked in the park, so it was only natural that he would follow in their footsteps.

“When I first started at Knott’s, my job was basically sweeping the streets,” Palovik muses. From such humble beginnings, Palovik began to work his way up the ladder.

“I went to merchandise, then stroller rental, and then I was supervising,” he recalls. All the while he went to nearby Fullerton College where he earned a degree in Advertising Design.

A Perfect Opportunity

Then the perfect career opportunity presented itself.

“It just happened that there was an opening over here for a graphic artist,” Palovik reports. “So…it was 1981 that I came over here to Reprographics.”

Palovik immersed himself in the craft of printing. It was about this time that his mentor, Jess Rivera, took over the in-plant. He’d come from a commercial printing background and taught Palovik how to perform all the major functions of a print shop. This acquired versatility paid dividends down the road.

Eventually Rivera moved on and named Palovik supervisor of Reprographics. The staff had gradually been whittled down from 15 when Palovik started, to seven. But after the terrorist attacks of September 11, the travel and recreation industry took a huge hit. Park attendance dropped, and this meant the inevitable reality of layoffs. Palovik was the only person to keep his job. Letting his staff go proved very difficult.

“Some of those people I had worked with for quite some time,” he reflects. “One of the guys had been here for 23 years.”

By learning all aspects of printing, Palovik saved his job. “One of the reasons I was the one left behind was…because of my versatility,” he says. “I was able to do every step of the process.”

Today Allen has his craft down to a science. The in-plant still prints various tickets, forms and sequentially numbered documents in-house. And though he now has an assistant, Tracy Villedrouin, the bulk of the jobs still must be outsourced. Palovik is an expert at finding the right printer for the right job. His skill in this area saved Knott’s parent company Cedar Fair roughly $50,000 by rebidding a print job that had been previously bid out by one of the sister amusement parks. Now other amusement parks under the Cedar Fair umbrella seek him out for advice.

The in-plant is located in what was at one time the farm’s jam and preserves building. There is still a sign on one of the rafters that reads Strawberry Jam.

“I’ve seen a photograph dated 1942 and this building is in that photograph,” he says. “If you look at the walls, those are actual adobe walls and…the adobe was actually made on property.”

Outside those adobe walls, Allen loves to spend time with Diane, his wife of 25 years whom, of course, he met at the park. One of his great joys is attending Angels baseball games with his 23-year-old son, Andrew. The two have shared season tickets for many years. He also hosts casino parties where he displays his card handling skills as an expert dealer.

Allen’s appreciation of the park is reflected not only in his work ethic, but also in how he presents himself. His wardrobe, suspenders and tie at all times, is in a way a throwback to another era. He proudly shows off an old photograph of his grandfather leading a horse-drawn stage coach throughout the park and takes great glee in boasting that four generations of his family—his son included—have worked in the park at one time or another.

In his office, Palovik has a display rack containing numerous printed items dating back to early in the park’s history. Above it is a certificate commemorating his 30th anniversary at Knott’s Berry Farm. It is unclear which he enjoys more, but one thing is certain: “[The park] has always been a part of my life, and I hope it always will be.”