Jeff Vierkant is the CEO of Historic Arnolds Park, Inc. in Northwest Iowa.  Jeff oversees an amazing collection of attractions that have been serving the families of the Okoboji region for generations. 

In this episode, Jeff talks about how his previous experience in manufacturing helps him find the waste in a business, and his previous experience as a ride operator at Arnolds Park helps him relate and stay connected to the work of his front line team members.  One of the most impactful stories Jeff shares is how he and his family found an amazing community, and how that drove his decision to move to the area.

For more on Arnolds Park:

Website: https://arnoldspark.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArnoldsPark

If you have a question for the mailbag or know of a leader we should highlight on the show, please drop us a line.  If you have questions about anything addressed on the show, feel free to reach out anytime!

Josh – [email protected]

Matt – [email protected]

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We asked 25 attractions executives these questions:

• When did you realize the pandemic was going to drastically impact your business and what were some of the first actions you took?

Their responses were raw, insightful, transparent, heartfelt, strategic, caring and downright inspiring. In this episode, Josh and Matt share some of the lessons and trends from the collective responses, as well as specific quotes and insight from individual leaders. Of course you will get a lot out of listening to this episode, but you will get EVEN MORE by downloading and reading the e-book yourself.

To download the FREE Lessons from Executives e-book: http://attractionpros.com/lessonsfromexecutives/

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to each of the participants who took the time to contribute to this invaluable resource for the attractions industry.

Kurt Allen

President & CEO, Mississippi Aquarium

John Anderson

COO, Michigan Science Center

John Arie, Jr.

CEO, Fun Spot America

Jennifer Berthiaume

Vice President, Lion Country Safari

Sarah Cole

President & CEO, Glazer Children’s Museum

Matt Eckert

President & CEO, Holiday World

Eric Eimstad

General Manager, Miami Seaquarium

Roger Germann

CEO, Florida Aquarium

Christopher Gould

Senior Vice President, Iconic Attractions

Matthew Johnson

Executive Director, IMAG History & Science

AJ & Kevin Jowett

Owners, Revolution Off Road Adventures

Jim Kunau

General Manager, Island H2O Live!

Ike Kwon

COO, California Academy of Sciences

Brad Loxley

COO, Sun World

Tony Moore

Executive Director, Gathering Place

Tim Morrow

President & CEO, San Antonio Zoo

Michelle O’Brien

Owner, Fiesta Village Family Fun Center

Jonah Sandler

Founder & CEO, Scene 75 Entertainment Centers

Luke Schueler

Founder & COO, Flying Squirrel Sports

Pat Simmons

Director & CEO, North Carolina Zoo

Christina Soverns Schwartzman

Chief Business Officer, Sawgrass Recreation Park

Dennis Speigel

President, International Theme Park Services

Glenn André Viste Bøe

CEO, Skånes Djurpark

Ken Whiting

President, Whiting’s Foods

Barry Zelickson

Owner, Big Thrill Factory

If you have a question for the mailbag or know of a leader we should highlight on the show, please drop us a line.  If you have questions about anything addressed on the show, feel free to reach out anytime!

Josh – [email protected]

Matt – [email protected]

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David Rosenberg is the Vice President of Guest Experience at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California.  He also served as the 2019 Chairman of the Board for IAAPA.

In this episode, David shares his thoughts on the evolution of the aquarium experience, getting a crash course in international relations with IAAPA and how good intentions, without a plan, can yield the opposite of your desired results. 

To connect with David:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-rosenberg-65378715/

If you have a question for the mailbag or know of a leader we should highlight on the show, please drop us a line.  If you have questions about anything addressed on the show, feel free to reach out anytime!

Josh – [email protected]

Matt – [email protected]

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LinkedIn

Don Helbig is Area Manager, Digital Marketing at Kings Island. As a long time fan of the park, it was probably inevitable that he would start working there.  That didn't stop him from pursuing other interests, one of those being riding the Racer over, and over, and over, and over again!

In his current role, Don is responsible for being the digital voice of Kings Island.  In this episode, we dial into what that all entails, as well as strapping in to learn about how he rode the Racer over 12,000 times.  Don also talks about a critical topic in today's digital landscape that may not be happening nearly enough - social listening.

To connect with Don or learn more:

• Twitter for Don - @DonHelbig

If you have a question for the mailbag or know of a leader we should highlight on the show, please drop us a line.  If you have questions about anything addressed on the show, feel free to reach out anytime!

Josh – [email protected]

Matt – [email protected]

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150 weeks ago, Josh Liebman and Matt Heller started the AttractionPros Podcast because they love the attractions industry and wanted to help their fellow leaders. Listen in as they celebrate this milestone by inviting past guests and listeners to share their favorite attraction industry related memories!

If you have a question for the mailbag or know of a leader we should highlight on the show, please drop us a line.  If you have questions about anything addressed on the show, feel free to reach out anytime!

Josh – [email protected]

Matt – [email protected]

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Are you looking for ways to lead your team into the "new normal"?  Schedule a FREE 30 minute call with Matt Heller to talk about anything you'd like... engaging employees, personal leadership struggles or your favorite ice cube recipes!  Just having someone to talk to can help you maintain perspective and spur new ideas.  To schedule your call, click here. When the time is right and you'd like to dig deeper, you may be interested in a coaching program, online workshop (customizable to you and your team) or a book-club style learning engagement.  Learning doesn't have to stop because we are physical distancing! Click here for virtual and online learning resources!

Steve Brown is CEO of accesso Technology Group who under­stands that tech­nol­o­gy is a crit­i­cal com­po­nent to their clients’ suc­cess and the hap­pi­ness of their guests.  Steve didn't start out at a tech company, he started his career in the merchandise department at Disney. He attributes much of his success to his ability to network and curiously explore the world around him. 

In this episode, Steve talks passionately about virtual queuing and the fundamental differences between that and a reservation system.  Steve also tells us about the ups and downs of acquiring a number of other companies in a short period of time, and how lessons from Disney and his tech companies showed up in his bakery, "The Glass Knife".

For more on accesso: https://accesso.com/

accesso on Twitter: https://twitter.com/accessotech

The Glass Knife (Steve's bakery in Winter Park, FL): https://theglassknife.com/

If you have a question for the mailbag or know of a leader we should highlight on the show, please drop us a line.  If you have questions about anything addressed on the show, feel free to reach out anytime!

Josh – [email protected]

Matt – [email protected]

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Are you looking for ways to lead your team into the "new normal"?  Schedule a FREE 30 minute call with Matt Heller to talk about anything you'd like... engaging employees, personal leadership struggles or your favorite ice cube recipes!  Just having someone to talk to can help you maintain perspective and spur new ideas.  To schedule your call, click here. When the time is right and you'd like to dig deeper, you may be interested in a coaching program, online workshop (customizable to you and your team) or a book-club style learning engagement.  Learning doesn't have to stop because we are physical distancing! Click here for virtual and online learning resources!

RAC Carroll is the SVP/COO of Ellis & Associates, an international aquatic safety and risk management consulting firm dedicated to the prevention and elimination of drowning. RAC, as he is known to everyone (including his Mom), manages the day-to-day operations of the consulting and risk management programs.  

In this episode, RAC tells the fascinating story of how he literally grew up in industry and how one phone call changed the trajectory of his career and life forever.  RAC also discusses the lifeguard sub-culture, how it was created and what best practices and lessons we can take away from the process.  

To contact RAC: [email protected]

For more on Ellis & Associates: https://jellis.com/

Help celebrate the AttractionPros 150th episode!

We've heard a lot of great stories on the podcast so far, but we haven't heard YOURS! For our 150th Episode Spectacular, and we want to highlight YOU, our listeners, by having you share your favorite attraction industry memory in 2 minutes or less!

We'll all gather on July 7 on Zoom to record this historic episode which will go live on July 14. Don't miss your chance to be part of this inspiring episode!

It's episode 150... and we're just getting started!

#weareallAttractionPros

http://attractionpros.com/ap150/

Josh – [email protected]

Matt – [email protected]

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Facebook

LinkedIn

We've all been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic - there is no escaping it. In this episode, Josh and Matt explore how their businesses have changed, what changes they see carrying over post-pandemic and advice for people utilizing a greeter position for the first time.  This wide-ranging conversation covers how both the guest experience and employee experience are changing, and how leaders can adapt to these changes to see success as we all navigate this new territory.

One of the things Matt will be continuing are the FREE 30 minute calls. To book your time: https://calendly.com/matt-810/30min

To enroll Amusement Advantage's VIRTUAL WORKSHOP on June 29th: Aligning Guest Experience with Shifting Expectations, click here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CH77sdJFRO2mBTuGNwnp_g

And to help us celebrate 150 episodes, register here for the history-making recording: http://attractionpros.com/ap150/

Help us celebrate 150 episodes! We've heard a lot of great stories on the podcast so far, but we haven't heard YOURS! For our 150th Episode Spectacular, and we want to highlight YOU, our listeners, by having you share your favorite attraction industry memory in 2 minutes or less! We'll all gather on July 7 on Zoom to record this historic episode which will go live on July 14. Don't miss your chance to be part of this inspiring episode! It's episode 150... and we're just getting started!

#weareallAttractionPros 

David Bromilow is Global Director - Parks and Attractions for Mobaro, although you won't hear us talk much about his current position on this episode. Instead, we tap into David's 42 years as a maintenance and safety professional in the attractions industry to find out more about how these dedicated folks keep us safe and entertained.

David starts off by telling us he literally "grew up" at Blackpool Pleasure Beach where his dad worked. From there his story is about building rides, traveling to and living in the US, pioneering safety protocols and working with everyone from a traveling carnival to the big theme parks. We literally only scratch the surface of all the great insight David has to share!

For more on David or Mobaro:

• https://mobaro.com/

Help celebrate the AttractionPros 150th episode!

We've heard a lot of great stories on the podcast so far, but we haven't heard YOURS! For our 150th Episode Spectacular, and we want to highlight YOU, our listeners, by having you share your favorite attraction industry memory in 2 minutes or less!

We'll all gather on July 7 on Zoom to record this historic episode which will go live on July 14. Don't miss your chance to be part of this inspiring episode!

It's episode 150... and we're just getting started!

#weareallAttractionPros

http://attractionpros.com/ap150/

Josh – [email protected]

Matt – [email protected]

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Robbie Kellman Baxter is an expert on subscription and membership programs, and is the author of The Membership Economy and The Forever Transaction. Her knowledge of what it takes to create a successful subscription or membership program is wide and deep, and this discussion will help us all understand how this powerful model can benefit our businesses.

She warns, however, that your product and offerings have to be big enough to sustain an membership model, and that if you only focus on getting people in the door, you are missing the boat.  To Robbie, a membership program is about telling people you want to have a relationship with them forever, and that you are going to provide a high level of value and trust to keep that relationship alive. 

For more on Robbie: https://robbiekellmanbaxter.com/

Special resources for the AttractionPros audience: robbiekellmanbaxter.com/audience

If you have a question for the mailbag or know of a leader we should highlight on the show, please drop us a line.  If you have questions about anything addressed on the show, feel free to reach out anytime!

Josh – [email protected]

Matt – [email protected]

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Are you looking for ways to lead your team into the "new normal"?  Schedule a FREE 30 minute call with Matt Heller to talk about anything you'd like... engaging remote employees, personal leadership struggles or your favorite ice cube recipes!  Just having someone to talk to can help you maintain perspective and spur new ideas.  To schedule your call, click here. When the time is right and you'd like to dig deeper, you may be interested in a coaching program, online workshop (customizable to you and your team) or a book-club style learning engagement.  Learning doesn't have to stop because we are social distancing! Click here for virtual and online learning resources!