Board Member Spotlight: Jim Tartal

Pictured are the 2025/2026 AMOA Principal Officers. Pictured is Secretary Jim Tartal, left; President Brian Botsch; and Treasurer Scott John. First Vice President Tommy Hendley not pictured. PHOTO FROM REPLAY MAGAZINE.

For more than four decades, Jim Tartal has been part of the amusement industry’s evolution—from changing records in jukeboxes as a teenager to leading one of the industry’s respected operating companies. Today, Jim serves as a board member for the Pennsylvania Amusement and Music Machine Association and the Amusement and Music Operators Association, helping guide the future of the industry he’s spent his life in.

Jim is the owner of Scottdale Music Service, formerly Zucco Vending. While he officially began as a route manager in 1979 and became the owner in 1994, his connection to the business actually began much earlier.

Getting Started in the Industry

“Oh man, that’s a long time ago,” Jim recalled. “My dad bought a restaurant in Mt. Pleasant in 1971 and he already knew there were older jukeboxes but he had a buddy in Scottdale that he wanted to install jukeboxes, and it was very territorial back then so he needed to get permission.”

As a young kid, Jim was fascinated by the machines.

He remembers being completely taken aback the first time he saw the jukeboxes—they were simply cool. Around age 12, he started helping Zucco Vending who serviced the restaurant. By the time he was 14, he had gotten so efficient that he was faster than the owner at changing the records. The owner, Mr. Zucco, noticed.

Jim remembers him promising that when he turned 16, there would be a job waiting for him. That promise turned into a career.

Mr. Zucco hired him, and Jim has been part of the business ever since. Eventually, when the Zucco family decided to move on, they offered Jim and a co-worker the opportunity to purchase the business.

Jim considers himself second generation in the industry. Even though he technically wasn’t born into the company, he says he always felt like part of the Zucco family.

Getting Involved with PAMMA and AMOA

Jim had been a long-time member of PAMMA before joining the board. A conversation with fellow industry leader Lou Larson helped open the door.

He had been following the work of PAMMA and realized his experience might be a good fit for the organization. With encouragement from leaders like Lou Larson, Lou Miele, Bill Fannasy, and the rest of the board, Jim joined and quickly felt welcomed.

His involvement with AMOA followed a similar path.

“I’ve always been at the AMOA show and picked up a RePlay and saw that Lou (Miele) was a director, and thought to myself ‘that could be real cool’.”

Since joining AMOA, Jim has worked his way through leadership roles and is currently moving through the organization’s leadership chairs. He is slated to become President of AMOA in 2028, an achievement that reflects his long-standing commitment to the industry.

Why the Associations Matter

For Jim, both PAMMA and AMOA share a similar mission: supporting operators.

“PAMMA and AMOA are kind of in lock step," Jim said. "It changes with the landscape of the state associations but they are both operating under the same premises—we’re here for the Operators.”

He believes one of the biggest benefits members sometimes overlook is the knowledge-sharing that happens within the associations.

“Membership doesn’t realize the amount of information and the valuable friendships you can make being a part of the state association and a part of AMOA. It really opened my eyes to a lot of things.”

He points to conversations with fellow operators as some of the most valuable moments.

“When you hear someone from Philly having success running a machine a certain way, you may have never thought about that while you’re running the same product in Pittsburgh. There’s a vast wealth of information that is out there. All you have to do is get involved in your state association.”

Jim says the key is simple: show up.

“You may think you know it and go to one of the meetings and you’ll find out something new. You just have to dive in and get involved. We’re all busy but once you do get involved you see the worth.”

Embracing Technology

Despite starting in the era of vinyl records and jukeboxes, Jim has always kept his eyes on what’s next.

“Everyone needs to embrace the electronic payment systems. Whether it’s card systems or app-based systems.”

He believes the industry needs to keep evolving to meet the expectations of new generations of customers.

“App based and electronic payments are the way of the future. Credit card readers completely reshaped the vending business. Operators need to be open to this new method to make it work for the new generation,” he said.

Even emerging technologies like artificial intelligence spark his curiosity.

“As hard as it may seem, and as threatening as it may seem, AI excites me. There is something there to be said and had that could be a tool that could help run your business. It’s just getting your feet wet in it and making it work for you.”

Favorite Memories in the Business

When Jim thinks back on his favorite memories, one era stands out: the explosion of arcade games.

Going out of Pittsburgh delivering Pac-Man machines and experiencing the early video game craze was an unforgettable time in the industry. The excitement surrounding games like Pac-Man, combined with the steady presence of jukeboxes and pinball machines, created an energy that shaped the business for years.

And it all traces back to that first jukebox he saw as a kid.

Looking Ahead

As a board member, Jim’s focus for 2026 is ensuring the future of the association by bringing in the next generation of leadership.

“My goal is to widen our director base," Jim said. "I would like to try to get more younger generations involved on our board to try to push ahead with PAMMA and get a lot of PAMMA in this new generation.”

He also knows that Pennsylvania has played a major role in his success—and he’s proud to represent it nationally.

“As I move up in the chairs in AMOA I am going to be traveling the country as the president in 2028 and I will be extoling the virtues of Pennsylvania and what Pennsylvania has done for me and what PAMMA has done for me” Jim said.

For Jim Tartal, the industry has never just been about machines—it’s about relationships, innovation, and sharing knowledge to help the next generation succeed.