Gary Colabuono loves his job more than any sane person has a right to.

Colabuono, an NIU alumnus and former Northern Star employee in the ’70s, is in charge of marketing one of the most popular arcade video games in the country. He does so as marketing director for Incredible Technologies.

“Incredible Technologies is the largest manufacturer of coin-operated video games in the country,” he said. “I’m responsible for putting a spotlight on our company, its people and its products. I’m in charge of all our advertising, publicity and public relations. I’m also responsible for all our media relations. Our best-selling and best-known product is Golden Tee Golf, the most successful coin-operated video game in history.”

The game is available at many of DeKalb’s bars and restaurants.

Jeff Dobie, owner of Fatty’s, 1312 W. Lincoln Highway, said Incredible Technologies has become well-known for its Golden Tee golf game.

“It’s very much an established game, but of course, they were really pushing it when it came out,” he said. “However, they [Incredible Technologies] still do a good job of getting the tournament info. out on the Web and letting people know when there are events.”

Colabuono said his job is a lot of fun.

“Nothing is more exciting for me than to see regular guys hanging out at their favorite bar, enjoying a beer and a sandwich, playing Golden Tee. That scene is repeated thousands of times every day around the country,” he said.

Colabuono caught the marketing bug as a kid.

“When I was a kid, most of my friends had Kool-Aid and lemonade stands; I had a comic book stand. I figured I’d let them fight it out for the juice business. I’ll be the only guy selling them something to read as they drank,” he said. “I was so successful selling comics as a kid that I ended up selling them as an adult, too.”

NIU helped Colabuono enter the business world with a fresh perspective.

“My professors got me to look at getting a job in a practical way,” he said. “They said you may not be able to get in the front door, but the back door ain’t bad. You need to be as creative about finding a job as you’ll be once you’re working.”