Walter the VW Bus rolled slowly along the route to a cheering crowd during the 2012 Fiesta Bowl Parade in downtown Phoenix – until it made an unscheduled stop as it approached the finish.
 
Parade officials were initially concerned but quickly understood when a group of people jumped out holding balloons with the name Paulie on them. They released the balloons simultaneously in tribute to Paul Steinman: the man who floated more than 30 years of entertainment to Fiesta Bowl event spectators.
 
“That was the year my dad passed away,” reflected Andy Steinman, Paul’s son, and CEO of Next Generation Inflatables. “(Life Member) Terry (Ricketts) and the Fiesta Bowl staff arranged a tribute to my dad without me knowing it.
 
“They had blown up about 30 or 40 giant 36-inch balloons with my dad’s name on them. It was a tribute to how he got initially involved in the Fiesta Bowl. It is still my favorite memory.”
 
Paul formed his company Balloons & Stuff in 1979 – the same year his connections in the gas business introduced him to the Fiesta Bowl. This started a relationship that will celebrate its 44^th season with the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe on December 16. His first production was the halftime show of the 1979 matchup between the Arizona Wildcats and Pitt Panthers at Sun Devil Stadium.
 
Originally from the Midwest, Paul’s career revolved around balloons and entertainment. He started by providing balloons to theme parks throughout the country and eastern seaboard. This led him to a memorable moment in 1976 when he orchestrated a balloon release at the Summer Olympics in Montreal.
 
Looking for warmer climates and a potential career change, Paul started to make a move out west. He never made it to the Golden State during that trip, but fate brought him to the Valley of the Sun. This proved beneficial to a young organization still trying to make its mark within the college football landscape.
 
“My dad owned this Cadillac El Dorado, and it broke down in Phoenix when temperatures were more than 100-degrees,” recalled Andy. “They decided to stay, but my dad wanted to get out of the business. The challenge was that the balloon industry was what he knew.
 
“His initial focus was wholesale. Before the internet, there was a more traditional hierarchy – wholesalers, distributors and retailers. He was one of the biggest balloon wholesalers west of the Mississippi with an extensive inventory. People would call him from across the country. “
 
According to a postgame article in the Arizona Republic, Paul, and a crew of 40 people utilized 28 cylinders of helium each containing 213 cubic feet of gas to blow up approximately 27,000 red, yellow, silver and blue balloons for a release that accompanied fireworks at the conclusion of the halftime show.
 
The company expanded its footprint in 1980 when it started introducing advertising balloons. Phoenix was one of the fastest-growing cities at the time and homebuilders were looking for new ways to promote its developments. His first balloons were shapes and spheres.
 
Later that year, the company participated in its first Fiesta Bowl Parade. It branded large balloons with the Fiesta Bowl logo. This was also when the company developed its concept of customized balloons. One of its first balloons was a birthday cake for the APS Clown Troupe.
 
Andy has attended every Fiesta Bowl Parade since 1990 when he was five-years old. He also has fond memories of traveling to other parades and events throughout the country. It was during this time that Paul changed the company name to I’ve Got Big Balloons in 1999.
 
After graduating from Pinnacle High School (2004) then Arizona State University (2008), Andy moved to California. He embarked on a career in the audio-visual industry and was not looking to join the family business.
 
That all changed in March 2012 when his father tragically passed away. Facing a crossroads in life, Terry Ricketts, a long-time friend and Fiesta Bowl Committee Life Member, provided a gentle reminder about the importance of family and tradition.
 
“Terry played a vital role in introducing our company to the various parades throughout the valley – Fiesta Bowl, APS Electric Light and Scottsdale Parada Del Sol,” said Andy. “He attended my dad’s funeral. I remember him saying there was no pressure, but he hoped I kept the legacy going here.
 
“That echoed and made an impact on me. It was important that we keep the tradition and legacy alive.”
 
The first thing Andy did when he took over the company was change the name to Next Generation Inflatables as his tribute to family and tradition.
 
“The Fiesta Bowl is one of the most special partnerships we have because it is multi-generational,” said Andy. “It is also one of the main reasons we have the Next Generation name.
 
“The children and grandchildren of those who founded the event are attending it now. It is one of the premier events both from an economic standpoint and legacy perspective.”
 
Under Andy’s leadership, Next Generation continues to take creativity to the next level by providing standard and customized inflatables over the years for Auto Nation Drive Pink, Houston Thanksgiving Day Parade, London New Year’s Day Parade, and Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital. He will be the first to tell you the personalized approach is one of the company’s secrets of success.
 
“Most (inflatable) companies outsource the work and do not have that connection with the customer,” said Andy. “There is no equipment you can buy to establish that personal relationship when creating an inflatable.”
 
Balloons date back to the early days of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1927. Technology has changed, but Andy quickly points out one thing that remains consistent.
 
“There is nothing quite like the excitement when a parade balloon floats down the route,” said Andy. “It is a brief 15-20 second opportunity to connect with the spectators watching the parade and an experience you cannot duplicate on social media.”