by Miranda G. McLeod
Staff Writer
Everyone travels in Howard Kelley’s industry and he has earned his fare share of frequent flyer miles, but Kelley adamantly says there’s no place like home.
Kelley serves as president and director of Jacksonville-based Sally Corporation, an animatronics warehouse that produces work that both inspires and mesmerizes. From dark rides to children’s entertainment and evolutionary tales, Sally Corp. has taken the tickings of the brain to a whole new animated level.
Kelley recently returned from Romania, Austria and Spain. His next venture is to Sweden and Iceland, where two new rides are being developed. Then it’s back to Spain to oversee production of a large boat-ride in Teruel, depicting the story of the evolution of man.
Kelley spent more than 25 years in broadcasting including 10 years in television management before joining Sally as president in 1985. His list of accomplishments reads like a Chinese menu including director of TiLE/Europe as well as a member and honoree of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. He has served on the boards of a number of U.S. corporations and is currently serving as a director of Environmental Tectonics Corp. and American Access Technologies, Inc. Kelley is a past president of the Jacksonville World Trade Center, a frequent lecturer and is actively involved in civic and education affairs. He also served as a gubernatorial appointee and chairman of the Florida Community College Board of Trustees.
Kelley has been married to his high school sweetheart, Ann, for 42 years. They have two children, Shannon and Adam, and a grandson, Tony, who attends Douglas Anderson School of the Arts.