THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 17, 1995 TAG: 9503170741
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAM STARR, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines
Tall, lean and . . . scruffy will be good words to use to describe Beach plastic surgeon Richard A. Mladick in the coming months.
Scruffy, that is, until his new beard grows in. Mladick, who was named King Neptune last weekend, has six months to grow the traditional royal beard.
Although the Neptune Festival doesn't officially start until late September, the king is selected in March to serve as a goodwill ambassador for the city at various activities which begin in May and lead up to the festival events.
In the past, King Neptunes have been selected among car dealers (such as Harold Heischober and Tom Barton), developers (including Frederick J. Napolitano), political figures (such as Sidney Kellam), businessmen (including Van H. Cunningham and Charles Forbes) and professors/politicians (G. William Whitehurst).
Only two kings in the 22-year history of the Neptune Festival have been medical doctors - until now.
Mladick is the third physician to be crowned King Neptune, after Dr. Clarence A. Holland (1981) and Dr. John Jay Krueger (1990). The announcement of his name at the coronation ceremony Saturday night came as a surprise to many, especially Sean Brickell of Brickell & Associates.
``I really thought it was going to be Dan Ryan (chairman of the 1994 festival),'' said Brickell. ``But I never pick the right one. I couldn't believe it when my father-in-law (Ed Snyder) was chosen. I didn't even know until the night he was crowned - and I was the emcee!''
The selection of King Neptune approaches the kind of secrecy normally found in the CIA or FBI. A special nominating committee pores over the six or so nominations it receives every year for king. The decision is made based on business, civic and community activities and past involvement in the festival. The chosen one is informed way in advance, like six to eight months, and can't tell anyone other than his spouse.
And in keeping with royal tradition, he has to grow a beard.
Neptune Festival President Nancy Creech said that Mladick had served as a Triton (member of the Royal Order of Neptune) in 1983, had been a sponsor of the festival and had volunteered on various committees.
``Kings need to have the spirit of Neptune - that the city is important,'' she said. ``They promote and represent the city. Keep in mind that being King Neptune is meant to be fun and fantasy.''
Mladick, who owns the Center for Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, predicted at his reception Sunday that he will preside over the biggest and best festival ever.
``I really think the Neptune Festival is going in the direction of an East Coast Mardi Gras,'' he said as wife Elly looked on. ``I really believe we have the largest festival on the East Coast. We have the best.''
The Neptune Festival is listed as one of the top 20 tourist attractions in the southeastern United States by the Southeast Tourism Society and generates more than $300,000 in direct taxes to the city.
Since Sunday, Mladick has been basking in his royalty and said that being king is ``such an honor.''
``I'm feeling very regal,'' he said with a laugh. ``You float for a few days.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
``I really think the Neptune Festival is going in the direction of
an East Coast Mardi Gras,'' said Dr. Richard Mladick, with his wife,
Elly. ``I really believe we have the largest festival on the East
Coast. We have the best.''
Graphic
1974 - James P. Sadler
1975 - Richard Kline
1976 - Charles Forbes
1977 - Frederick J. Napolitano
1978 - Robert H. DeFord Jr.
1979 - Sidney Kellam
1980 - Danny J. Michaels
1981 - Dr. Clarence A. Holland
1982 - R. Bradshaw Pulley
1983 - R. Dean Lee
1984 - G. William Whitehurst
1985 - Michael Savvides
1986 - Van H. Cunningham
1987 - E. Richard Cockrell
1988 - George W. Vakos
1989 - William A. Schlimgen
1990 - Dr. John Jay Krueger
1991 - Harold Heischober
1992 - Edward B. Snyder
1993 - Thomas Barton
1994 - Roger M. Pierce
1995 - Dr. Richard A. Mladick
KEYWORDS: KING NEPTUNE TIME-LINE by CNB