Listings F-J

AUBREY FINE, is a licensed psychologist who has been an active faculty member at California State Polytechnic University for nearly three decades.  His leadership among faculty and teaching excellence earned him the prestigious Wang Award in 2001, given to a distinguished professor within the California State University system, in this instance for exceptional commitment, dedication, and exemplary contributions within the areas of education and applied sciences. Aubrey has been a member of the IBM since 1982. He is very interested in children’s magic as well as stage performance. He is a member of the Magic Castle in L.A. as well as a member of the Magic Circle in London.

FERDINAND FLORES (a.k.a. The Chubster) has been a member of the I.B.M. since 1992. Born on June 23, 1968, he got interested into magic at the age of 7 years old upon watching episodes of "Wonderful World of Magic," hosted by Bill Bixby. He started his professional career way back in 1990, and adopted the name "Chubby Flores" as his stage name. He is also a member of both Ring 322 and Ring 328. Since then, he had joined other magical organization like Society of American Magicians (S.A.M.), and the International Magicians Society (I.M.S.). He was a co-founder and became the first president of the I.M.C. (Inner Magic Club) and part of their accomplishment during his term was a grand magic show featuring the best in Philippines magic held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. In January of 2007, he made a very big career move by adopting a new name -- The Chubster! Together with the new name comes a new image as well! To date he is currently the T.V.P. of I.B.M.-Philippines, a position given to him by the organization way back in 1998. www.thechubstershow.com

RON FRANK better known as "The Amazing Mr. Magic" (but you can call him amazing) is a seasoned performer with over 40 years of experience 38 of which as a member of The International Brotherhood of Magicians.  Majoring in speech and drama in college Ron brings this knowledge to his magic performances. Ron is the inventor of many magic effects that he markets to the magic community.  He is current Territorial Vice President  of the I.B.M. Ron won a special award for his "Building a Magic Radio" routine from the I.B.M.  Ron has won the Mark Taylor memorial award for stage magic three years in a row from 2001-2003 and also 2005 from the Columbus Ring of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. He also won the same award for close-up magic in 2003 and 2005.  Ron performs all over the Columbus, Ohio area and Franklin County, as well as many other areas of the state.

BERTIL FREDSTROM, with the stage name Black Bert, is the current President of IBM Ring 60 in Austin, Texas and has been a member of IBM for over 12 years. He is also, among other things, the permanent secretary of the Magic Academy of Sweden and a member of the Magic Castle in Hollywood since 1984. He was once the youngest president of the Swedish Magic Circle ever at the age of 26. His home page on the web is www.blackbert.com.  Black Bert has performed all over the world from South Africa to Peru. He has also performed for the King and Queen of Sweden several times. In his earlier years as a magician Bertil was at one time the Nordic Champion in Close-up Magic and he also has won the title of “Swedish Champion of Magic for Children” five times. At the World Championship Competition at FISM in Wienna in 1976 he came in fifth in Close Up. In addition Bertil is a renowned judge of magic competitions both in Europe and in the US.

MIKE GORMAN, born in upstate NY, and joined the IBM in 1968 while serving in the US Army in Washington DC.  He was honored by being elected IBM International President in 1991.  He has served the organization for many years as TVP for NY, I.B.M. Convention Committee, I.B.M. Executive Board, and in several International Officer positions.  He is an Order of Merlin, Shield, and is an active member of the I.B.M. Board and on several International committees. Mike is retired from International Business Machines and lives with wife Pat (who is an Order of Merlin member of the I.B.M.) and son, Mike in Cary, North Carolina.   He is an active member of Raleigh Ring 199. Mike has performed many organizations, family and school magic shows with wife Pat and now does shows on an occasional basis.  You will see him at many magic conventions including the FFFF Close-Up Convention during the year.

DON GREENBERG is a member of the I.B.M. Executive Committee, is the I.B.M. Contest Chairman, the creator and Chairman of the I.B.M. Benevolent Shows Program, and writes a monthly feature in The Linking Ring. He has been a member of the I.B.M. and Tampa Ring 13 since 1975. He joined at the youngest possible age, and entered the Order of Merlin in 2000. Don is also a member of The British Ring 25, a member of The Academy of Magical Arts in Hollywood, and is an "A.I.M.C. with Silver Star" in The Magical Circle in London.  During college, he performed magic for college and fraternity parties, and while working in bars and restaurants in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa. Don is a line pilot and instructor pilot with a major airline. He has been an Air Force officer for more than 27 years, serving as an Aircraft Commander, Instructor Pilot, Operations Planner, and on the Admissions Staff of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and a master's degree from California University of Pennsylvania. His wife, Sharon, is an immunologist, a microbiologist, and a physician assistant. They've been married since 1985, and currently live near the Pennsylvania and Ohio border.

JACK GREENBERG, Past International President, joined the I.B.M. in 1945, and has earned the status of “Order of Merlin - Excelsior” for exceeding sixty years of continuous membership and service.  He serves on the I.B.M.’s Board of Trustees, and he founded and served as Chairman of the Order of Merlin Committee.  Jack holds “M.I.M.C. with Gold Star” status in London’s Magic Circle, and is a member of the Academy of Magical Arts (Hollywood’s Magic Castle) and the S.A.M.  He has served repeatedly as General Chairman and Site Chairman of I.B.M.’s Annual Convention, and as Head Judge of Convention Contests.  He also served as International Ring Coordinator, as Executive Committee member, Long Range Planning Committee member, and as Pennsylvania’s Territorial Vice-President.  Actively involved in magic since 1939, he has worked for all kinds of audiences as a stage, parlor, platform, dais, and close-up performer.  Jack has served seven terms as President and is an Honorary Life Member of Pittsburgh’s Ring 13.  He also holds honorary and active status in several other Rings and Assemblies.
http://www.magician.org/member/jackgreenberg

DANIEL HERRON has been performing Comedy Magic for over 15 years. Daniel found a way to incorporate his talent of Balloon Artistry to enhance his shows and keep people entertained. He has been creating balloon art and twisting at fairs, festivals and events for more than a decade. His craft has taken him from coast to coast, and it has landed him on television in Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee on multiple occasions. He has fun taking a six-foot-long tube of air and turning it into something totally unexpected! It was his love of magic that brought him together with another magician who taught him the art of multiple balloon sculptures. Adding these balloons to his magic show has brought an unexpected twist to the entertainment. Over the past fifteen years, the student has surpassed the teacher and he has taken his art of ballooning to a new level. He boasts of over 300 different figures; everything from cartoon characters and hats to scale models of larger features -- even Elvis! Daniel has been a member of the IBM since 1993. He lives in Henderson, KY and is a member of the Ring 56 the Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois ring, and Ring 58 in Knoxville, TN. He served as Dealer Chairman at the Reno Convention in 2007, and has continued in this office since. www.magician.org/member/danielherron or www.myspace.com/twoballoonguys

JEP HOSTETLER has been a member of IBM since 1969, having served on various committees both at the local level and the International level, including, but not limited to: Member of the Convention Committee for several years (several years as the Chairman of this committee), Site selection person for several years, on the Board of Directors for three years, and served as International President 1994-1995. When he is in town, he is active in The Wheeler-McGory Ring 7, Columbus, Ohio. He has served all offices in the Ring except treasurer and sergeant at arms. Jep specializes, now, in close-up magic for hospitality suites and small groups as well as including magic into each speech he does. Jep is a professional speaker on humor, joy, and healing. See http://www.jephostetler.com/. Also, he is very active in local justice issues and civic organizations. Jep is also active in Columbus Mennonite Church, working on peace and justice issues.  He has been married for over 45 years to Joyce. They have three married daughters and seven grandchildren.

MARIA IBANEZ was born in Havana, Cuba.  She immigrated to the United States in 1962 and has lived in Miami, Florida ever since.   Maria met her husband Jay in middle school and they have been married since 1973. They have two sons, Orlando and Jason.  She has been a children’s entertainment specialist in the south Florida area for over three decades and is a regular performer in schools, libraries, and birthday parties.  The year 2007 brought two very special happenings to her life, she received her Order of Merlin from the I.B.M. in Reno, and a week later became the President of The Society of American Magicians in Dallas, Texas.  She has served several terms at President of the Florida Magicians Association and is the representative for Latin American Magicians in the U.S. to FLASOMA, serving as the President of MALAM.   She has chaired and co-chaired several Florida State magic conventions in the past and has served as State Registration Chair for the Florida Magicians Association.  Maria has had several days proclaimed “Maria Ibanez Day” both in Miami-Dade County by two Mayors and in the City of Hialeah by Mayor Robaina; she also has the distinction of being the recipient of the key to the county in Miami-Dade County, Florida.  Selecciones, the Spanish Readers Digest, has featured her in an eight- page article. She has also been featured in The Miami Herald and numerous other newspapers and magazines; she has received a Certificate of Commendation for patriotism from the U.S. Marine Corps, serves on the Selective Service Board and is a recipient of the prestigious In The Company of Women Award.

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