|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
John Reilly
Executive Vice President and General Manager
John Reilly was recently promoted to Executive Vice President and General Manager of Busch Gardens Europe and Water Country USA. Before coming to Williamsburg, Reilly, 39, was Vice President of Merchandising for Busch Entertainment Corporation. He led the company’s corporate merchandising group since April 2006.
In addition to working in the corporate office in St. Louis, MO, Reilly also has leadership experience working in three of the ten Worlds of Discovery parks, including Busch Gardens Africa and SeaWorld San Diego.
The move to Virginia is a homecoming for Reilly, who grew up in Newport News and worked in the Culinary Operations
|
department for Busch Gardens in Williamsburg from 1985 – 2001. For the last four years, Reilly was Director of Culinary Operations.
Reilly, a Spanish and history graduate of the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, joined BEC 23 years ago as a culinary operations cart worker at Busch Gardens Europe. He has fond memories of selling popcorn and soft drinks at the park’s Loch Ness Monster roller coaster.
|
Mark Pauls
Water Country USA
Vice President
Mark Pauls became the Vice President of Water Country USA in 2005, but his history with the company dates back much further when Pauls was a high school student. “This is my first and only job,” said Pauls. “I’ve never had an interest to go outside the Worlds of Discovery family of parks.”
Pauls started working at Busch Gardens Europe in 1979 as a grounds assistant. Since that humble beginning, he has steadily worked his way up the leadership ranks. His first position at Water Country USA in 1995 was as the director of park operations. Four years later, he returned to Busch Gardens as the director of environmental, health and safety, and then as director of ride operations and grounds.
|
As the vice president, Pauls oversees the entire Water Country USA operation, from merchandise and culinary operations to water quality and ride management. Since his promotion in 2005, he has focused on building a stronger leadership team, providing better customer service and offering more high-end amenities to guests.
Pauls may have started with a humble job, but he turned it into an impressive career. He may have predicted his success nearly 30 years ago to his family. “I told my parents when I was in high school that it would become my career.”
|
David Heaton
Director of Park Operations
Water Country USA
David Heaton became the Water Country USA director of park operations in 2005. He began his career directing traffic for the company.
Heaton joined the company in 1997 as a parking lot supervisor, and then he joined the operations department two years later. After a short tenure as a supervisor at Busch Gardens Europe, Heaton returned to Water Country USA as an operations manager in 2004.
Heaton focused on safety and cleanliness when he became the operations director. “We’re always looking for ways to improve,” he said. “Safety and cleanliness for our employees goes hand-in-hand with creating a safe and clean
|
experience for our guests.” Heaton’s direction is getting attention. The National Safety Council recognized Water Country USA in 2004 for its perfect safety record and in 2005 for “Excellence in Achievement.”
|
Dan Dipiazzo
Vice President of Marketing
Water Country USA, Busch Gardens Europe and Kingsmill Resort & Spa
Dan Dipiazzo joined Busch Entertainment Corporation in 2002 as the vice president of consumer marketing. He was the vice president of marketing strategy and planning when he left St. Louis in February 2007 and moved to Williamsburg to work at Busch Gardens Europe, Water Country USA and Kingsmill Resort & Spa. He’s the vice president of marketing, and oversees all aspects of consumer marketing, promotions, sales, brand management and communications. “Working at the corporate level was like working for the legislative branch,” said Dipiazzo. “This is like moving to the executive branch where it’s more hands-on and near the action.”
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
