Build Your Own Tiki Bar Conference
Two day pre-event symposium on design/build tiki bars, featuring an all-star lineup of guest speakers, fabricators & visionaries. June 4-5, 2025.
Rodney "HeadHunter" Ray
HeadHunter Props & Fabrication is a premier design-build-install firm specializing in the creation of fully immersive, escapist environments. Known for their meticulous attention to detail and cinematic realism, HeadHunter delivers turnkey themed spaces that blur the line between fantasy and reality. From initial concept through final installation, every project is a carefully orchestrated transformation rooted in narrative, artistry, and expert craftsmanship.
Their team spans the full creative spectrum - sculpting, molding, casting, scenic painting, mural work, design, and more. With decades of experience in both commercial and residential settings, and an extensive background in global theme park fabrication, HeadHunter Props crafts transporting environments that go well beyond the expected — each one a living, breathing world in its own right.
At the creative helm is Rodney Ray - HeadHunter’s Concept Designer, Creative Director, and Lead Fabricator. With a mastery of material formulation and chemistry, prop design, and scenic fabrication, Rodney has become a trusted consultant for many of the top theme park projects in Florida, California, and abroad. His work fuses visual storytelling with structural integrity — ensuring each element is not only believable but built to endure.
When authenticity and visual aesthetics matter most, HeadHunter Props brings imagination to life — with precision, permanence, and impact.
Billy Crud
Billy Crud has been carving tikis for over 20 years and crafting immersive tiki environments—both residential and commercial—for the past 15. His work focuses on creating authentic, transporing escapes that channel the spirit of Polynesian pop and island living.
Billy's journey began shortly after the renowned Oki Oki event in San Diego, honing his craft at the legendary backyard chops and art jams hosted by Bill Collins in Oceanside and Babalu in Lemon Grove—epicenters of the Southern California Tiki resurgence.
Now based primarily in Las Vegas, with part-time roots in Kihei, Maui, Billy has brought tropical ambiance to countless private homes and played a key role in building several well-known commercial tiki bars across the country.
Frank Simotics
Frank Simotics, renowned in the tiki community as Tiki Rancher, has been creating immersive tropical escapes since 2010. As a master tiki carver and concept designer, Frank excels at transforming both commercial and residential spaces into vibrant, Polynesian-inspired environments—blending art, architecture, and atmosphere seamlessly.
With over 50 custom sculptures crafted from wood, foam, and various materials, Frank is dedicated to advancing the craft of tiki carving. His journey into commercial tiki design began in Atlanta with Tiki Tango, a landmark project that propelled his work into cities nationwide, including Boston, St. Petersburg, Charlotte, Savannah, Miami, and Palm Springs. Most recently, he returned to Atlanta to unveil his latest large-scale endeavor: the dynamic and atmospheric Duke’s Hideaway.
As a licensed commercial contractor in multiple states, Frank possesses a comprehensive understanding of construction processes and regulations. This expertise enhances his ability to execute complex projects with precision and efficiency, ensuring that each tiki-inspired environment is not only visually stunning but also structurally sound and compliant with local codes.
Frank’s exceptional carving skills and distinctive aesthetic have garnered him international acclaim, including an invitation to the Summer Surf Festival in Livorno, Italy, where he joined four of Europe’s top carvers in a celebration of global tiki artistry.
In addition to his sculpture and design expertise, Frank is proficient in structural bamboo construction. After completing formal training at Bamboo U in Bali, he has integrated sustainable architecture into his creative repertoire, grounding his work in traditional island-building techniques.
Whether crafting a standalone sculpture or designing an entire themed environment, Tiki Rancher approaches each project with profound respect for tiki tradition and a bold, hands-on methodology that ensures every creation is unforgettable
Ignacio “Notch” Gonzalez
Ignacio “Notch” Gonzalez isn’t just a designer — he’s an architect of alternate realities. A visionary force in immersive theming and industrial fabrication, Notch conjures entire worlds from raw steel, firelight, and folklore. From the heart of downtown San Jose, where his workshop Top Notch Kustoms hums like a forge of forgotten gods, he has spent over 15 years crafting some of the most iconic escapist environments on the planet.
Raised in Northern California, Notch has risen to global acclaim as the definitive master builder of tiki temples and atmospheric venues. His creations don’t just decorate spaces — they transport guests into cinematic dreamscapes: exotic, surreal, and steeped in storytelling. Whether channeling Polynesian pop, vintage steampunk, Latin modernism, or sci-fi nostalgia, Notch transforms vision into visceral experience.
His work has been featured in The New York Times, Esquire, and Architectural Digest, and his creative fire brought him to television screens as a featured artist on History Channel’s Assembly Required with Tim Allen.
Among the legendary destinations Notch has helped bring to life:
California Gold, Dr. Funk, Espadín, False Idol, Hale Pele, Inside Passage, Max’s Hideaway, Mothership, Mister and Mrs. Pirateship, The Royal Hawaiian, Smuggler’s Cove, The Old Clam House, Thompson & Twain, Trader Vic’s, White Chapel, and Yours Truly.
He doesn’t just build bars — he builds destinations.
Scott Scheidly (aka Flounder)
Scott Scheidly (aka Flounder) is a celebrated fine artist, illustrator, and master of Tiki lamp craftsmanship. His bold, irreverent style bridges the worlds of pop surrealism and vintage Polynesian pop, with a portfolio that spans gallery walls, gig posters, and some of the most iconic Tiki spaces around. A pivotal force in the restoration of The Mai-Kai, Flounder brought his signature vision to one of Tiki’s most sacred spaces. From his electrifying paintings to his handcrafted lamps that glow with mid-century charm, Flounder’s work is a beacon of creativity, wit, and pure escapist magic.
“Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller
Typhoon Tommy" Allsmiller is a master scenic artist and Tiki bar designer known for bringing immersive Polynesian environments to life. With a background in theme parks, and specialty fabrication, his work fuses vintage Tiki aesthetics with bold craftsmanship. He’s the creative force behind projects like The Mai-Kai restoration, The Suffering Bastard the Mananui Airbnb and most recently Dirty Birds in Cocoa Beach—each a tribute to traditional island style with modern flair. A returning favorite at The Hukilau, Typhoon Tommy doesn’t just build bars—he builds worlds to escape thru!