Twenty-one years ago, an 18-year-old Frank Wilkinson attended his very first International Bowl Expo with his father. Before he even reached the escalator, two Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) staff members stopped him with a simple invitation.
“You’re young. You need to get involved.”
Without hesitation, Wilkinson replied, “Just tell me where I need to be.”
That single conversation would shape not only his own leadership journey within the trade association, but ultimately the future of countless others.
On June 30, 2026, during the Industry Awards Luncheon at the International Bowl Expo at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee, that journey came full circle as BPAA President Tyler Herreman presented Wilkinson with the prestigious BPAA President’s Award, recognizing his leadership in revitalizing the organization’s Young Guns initiative, an emerging leadership program designed to cultivate the next generation of bowling proprietors and industry volunteers.
For Wilkinson, the recognition represents far more than an individual achievement. “This award isn’t about me,” Wilkinson said. “It’s about investing in people. Every one of us who has had the opportunity to lead in this industry is here because someone believed in us, encouraged us, and invited us to get involved. The Young Guns initiative is our opportunity to do the same for the next generation.”
Originally launched in 2005, Young Guns proved to be one of BPAA’s most successful leadership initiatives, producing many of the organization’s committee chairs, board members, and national leaders over the past two decades. Recognizing the need to reignite that momentum, Herreman asked Wilkinson to lead the effort in bringing the program back to life.
Today, the revitalized Young Guns program has brought together nearly 30 bowling proprietors under the age of 40 from across the United States. Through quarterly meetings, networking opportunities, leadership development, mentorship, and exposure to BPAA governance, participants are building relationships that will shape the future of the bowling industry for years to come. A defining feature of the renewed initiative is the involvement of members from the original Young Guns class, who now serve as mentors, creating a bridge between generations of industry leaders.
“It was an easy decision for me,” said BPAA President Tyler Herreman. “One of the goals of my presidency was to resurrect the Young Guns group. I felt like it was the right time.”
A second-generation bowling proprietor, Wilkinson owns and operates Rab’s Country Lanes, alongside his family. Throughout his career, he has dedicated himself to advancing the sport and business of bowling through volunteer leadership at every level of the industry. In addition to his service with BPAA, he is a Past President of the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), currently serves as President of the New York State USBC, and remains active on numerous national committees dedicated to the sport of bowling.
For Wilkinson, however, leadership has never been about titles.
“It’s about making sure someone is ready to take your place,” he said. “If we want this industry to thrive twenty years from now, we have to intentionally develop the leaders who will guide it there.”
The BPAA President’s Award is one of the Association’s highest honors, personally selected by the sitting BPAA President to recognize exceptional service and lasting contributions to the bowling industry.
As Wilkinson accepted the award before peers and bowling leaders from across the globe, it served as a reminder that leadership often begins with a simple invitation, and continues when each generation reaches back to inspire the next.