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Available Light Opens Raleigh Office Under Derek Barnwell

Raleigh, NC, USA – Available Light Senior Associate, Derek Barnwell, is returning to his southern roots and opening up Available Light Raleigh in the process. Creative Director Steven Rosen reports, “We’ve done work in Raleigh before including the RDU Triangle Icon Sculpture and the venerable North Carolina Museum of Natural Science, but with Derek working locally we are extremely excited to be bringing our distinctive lighting design style to North Carolina.” With one of the fastest growing economies, the Mid-Atlantic boasts multiple cities on Forbes’ Best Places lists (15 in the Top 100 Best Places for Business!). And with over 200 AIA Architects in the Research-Triangle, 36 museums in the anchor cities, over 1000 individual interior designers, and countless other architects, museums, and exhibition companies below the Mason-Dixon line, Available Light will be better able to serve our Southern clients.

L_derek“After nine fantastic years at Available Light and 12 in New England I am really looking forward to sharing all the beauty and charm of my home with my family. We are excited to deliver high performance lighting design with unbeatable service to the Raleigh market,” says Derek.

Available Light is an award-winning Lighting Design studio specializing in Museum Exhibition, Architecture, and Trade Shows & Special Events. Poised at the intersection of Theater & Architecture, Available Light is a leader and innovator in the Lighting Design industry. As members of the United States Green Building Council, Available Light is committed to responsible and sustainable lighting solutions.

For more info contact Derek Barnwell, [email protected]

Hero Ventures Selects Production Resource Group to Handle Technical Elements of The Marvel Experience

Los Angeles, CA, USA – Hero Ventures, a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, has announced that technical elements for The Marvel Experience, an epic-scale, immersive adventure experience in which guests step into and interact with the world of Marvel’s Super Heroes and Super Villains, are being led by entertainment event technology and service provider, Production Resource Group (PRG).

The Marvel Experience has evolved into an amazing, premier touring experience, complete with unique technical elements such as 3D 360˚ video projection, first-person ‘live’ interactive gaming and a dynamic 4D motion ride. It became apparent early on that we needed an elite team of seasoned professionals in entertainment production that could offer us real solutions to help execute our complex vision – that’s why we went to PRG,” said Hero Ventures’ Chief Production Officer, Jason Rosen.

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The team assembled by Jim Lehner, PRG Senior Vice President, Special Projects and Duke Durfee, PRG Creative Director and Design Manager, will be handling all the coordination and supervision of the design and construction for the project. While The Marvel Experience’s technical requirements pose a unique set of challenges, PRG’s global reputation has been built on its ability to bring innovative solutions to a wide range of projects including Broadway’s groundbreaking Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Olympic Opening & Closing Ceremonies, key elements of Universal Studios’ Harry Potter attraction, Super Bowl Halftime Shows and an exhaustive list of global concert tours.

“Traditional entertainment design is evolving,” explained Jeremiah J. Harris, Executive Producer of The Marvel Experience and the Chairman and Chief Executive of PRG. “Technology, guest interaction, and immersive storytelling need to be balanced seamlessly together to realize the next generation of experience-based entertainment. For Marvel Entertainment and Hero Ventures, that means taking the world of Marvel directly to fans, on a scale never before toured, and letting them enter that world fully. This is the future of entertainment; the guest doesn’t have to travel to an attraction in a fixed location, the attraction is brought to them. Of course, that takes a considerable amount of logistical planning, innovative problem solving, and meticulous coordination.”

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That same proficiency is evident in the complex control network the PRG team has designed to integrate all of the technical aspects of the production. In this case, bringing everything together “under the Dome,”The Marvel Experience is a touring complex that covers over 140,000 square feet and features seven interlocked, air-inflated Domes, with the largest towering over six stories high. Developing these new custom made Domes was a unique engineering feat in its own right.  As much like a concert tour, they had to be designed to travel from city to city, being built and deconstructed in a matter of hours.

As guests enter the Domes they instantly become an integral part of the story. While on their quest, guests will experience hands-on interactive games and a variety of show systems from 3D, 360˚ stereo projection to atmospheric lighting and audio, animatronics, virtual and augmented reality, and projection mapping—all while being interconnected to the experience via RFID in the form of a technologically advanced ‘tracking’ Super Power Band. The crowning jewel of the experience is the final battle featuring the largest touring, motion-based attraction in the world where guests are able to participate in the outcome of the mission.

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“Tracking animation, the movement of the seats, the movement of the lights, the audio levels, and combining everything else into one cohesive experience is a challenge uniquely suited to PRG,” said Lehner.  “We worked closely with the animation group and scenic fabricators to make sure that what you see and hear throughout blends with both the on-screen and physical elements that you are sitting in and walking through—and blurs the lines between fantasy and reality into what Hero Ventures is calling Hyper-Reality. Every cutting-edge, high-tech feature was designed and installed to make The Marvel Experience one that visitors will never forget.”

“Creating a themed-entertainment attraction that will redefine the ‘state-of-the-art’ requires a team of talented set designers and technical engineers to envision, produce, and execute,” noted Durfee.  “For example, Electrosonic provided groundbreaking audio and video design solutions that enabled the interactive exhibits, live gaming and virtual experiences to become a seamless immersive environment.  It is this type of innovation that differentiates The Marvel Experience from the typical traditional touring shows.”

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The culmination of the experience is an epic interactive finale in which Hero Ventures collaborated with MediaMation, the leading manufacturer of 4D/5D motion theaters, to develop a traveling, 4D motion ride. “Designing a 4D motion ride for a theater-quality ‘Dome’ experience presented exciting new challenges for our engineers and technicians,” according to Dan Jamele, VP and Chief Technical Officer of MediaMation Inc. “The unique requirements of this large scale, portable MMX®4D attraction included custom seat “tilt” angles, ensuring that the entire audience stayed fully immersed in the action regardless of where they are sitting.  Executing 4D effects such as wind and water spray also required new and innovative solutions in this unique environment.  Working alongside Hero Ventures and PRG on a project of this stature is really a unique opportunity that MediaMation is proud to be a part of.”

The Marvel Experience lands in Phoenix on December 19th and runs through January 3rd before moving on to Dallas, San Diego, and San Francisco with more cities to be announced shortly.  Tickets are available both at Ticketmaster.com and at www.themarvelexperiencetour.com/tickets.

TEA Asia Pacific Division to Host Two Day Tour of 2015 Thea Awardee Chimelong Ocean Kingdom

Zhuhai, China — Members of the theme park and attractions industry will gather Jan 30-31, 2015 at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom for a special, behind-the-scenes tour. This new destination theme park was recently named for a Thea Award by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) which has organized the upcoming tour via the TEA Asia Pacific Division.

From TEA’s Thea Awards Committee: “Chimelong Ocean Kingdom raises the bar for other Chinese park developers and demonstrates how much can be achieved with a combination of Western design and Chinese execution.”

Click here for details of the event at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, Jan 30-31, and registration information.

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As a Thea Award recipient, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom will send representatives to Los Angeles to present a project case study at the annual TEA Summit (March 19-20) and to formally accept the Thea Award at the annual Thea Awards Gala (March 21).

Click here for more information about the TEA Summit & Thea Awards Gala.

Description of Chimelong Ocean Kingdom from the Thea Awards Committee:

Mainland China’s explosion of cultural attractions, theme parks and resorts has a radiant new standard-bearer. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom is a world-class marine life theme park located on Hengqin Island, a verdant paradise just a short bridge away from the buzzing casinos of Macau. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom raises the bar for other Chinese park developers and demonstrates how much can be achieved with a combination of Western design and Chinese execution.

Guests enter the park’s Ocean Main Street under a huge, arching LED video display simulating an underwater environment. 24 attractions (including 14 animal habitats and shows) give the park an impressive array of opening day activities. The Ocean Wonders aquarium boasts a number of new superlatives: the world’s biggest aquarium, largest collection of fish, and biggest single viewing window make for a stunning undersea experience. New expansion attractions are already in the works. The beautiful Hengqin Sea lagoon at the park’s heart serves as the stage for a dazzling nighttime spectacular.

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Since entering the theme park business in 1997, Chimelong Group has increased the scale and polish of its offerings at a dramatic pace. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom is the fifth theme park to open under the Chimelong group, and their first outside their Guangzhou home base. Each park has been significantly more polished than the one before. A number of TEA member companies contributed to this latest effort, giving the resort world-class scale and refinement.

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom stands as the biggest, grandest and best new park in China and deserving of the Thea Award because of its scale, ambition and opening day quality, along with its formidable plans for future growth.

InPark Coverage of Chimelong Ocean Kingdom:

TPG. Everything but the Creative. Really.

WhiteWater Off to Strong 2013 in Asia

Five PGAV Destinations Project Win Awards in 2014

TEA Announces 2015 Thea Award Recipients (includes full profile of all recipients)

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom Approaches End of Construction Phase

PGAV’s Chimelong Ocean Kingdom Breaks Five Guinness Records

Reynolds Polymer Provides Windows to the Underwater Worlds of Chimelong Ocean Kingdom

Project Profile: Chimelong Ocean Kingdom

The Producers Group Provides Expertise to the Creation of Four Major Attractions at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, Game-Changer: An InPark Roundtable Discussion with The Producers Group, Renaissance Entertainment and FUNA International

PGAV Destinations Project Chimelong Ocean Kingdom Awarded Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement by TEA

 

Two London Installations by Video Artist Bill Viola Brought to Life by 7thSense Design Media Servers

ABOVE: BILL VIOLA Angel at the Door 2013 Color High Definition Projection. Blain | Southern Gallery, photo: Kira Perov

Sussex, England — 7thSense Design, a specialist Media Serving technology firm for high performance attractions and entertainment spaces, has supplied Delta Media Servers to two art installations. Designed to showcase the work of internationally acclaimed artist, Bill Viola, the London-based installations use a range of new media to create art that focuses on the concepts behind fundamental human experiences such as birth, death and consciousness.

Contemporary video artist Bill Viola is globally recognized and renowned as a leading artist of the current generation. His exhibition history includes works at the National Gallery, London, Guggenheim Berlin, Whitney Museum of American Art, Getty Los Angeles and Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Delta Media Server has been integrated as the media playback engine for two recent exhibits by the acclaimed artist.

BILL VIOLA Martyrs (Earth, Air, Fire, Water), 2014 Color High-Definition video polyptych on four vertical plasma displays 55 x 133 x 4 in. (140 x 338 x 10 cm) Duration 7:15 minutes Installation view: St. Paul's Cathedral, London, photo: Peter Mallet
BILL VIOLA Martyrs (Earth, Air, Fire, Water), 2014 Color High-Definition video polyptych on four vertical plasma displays 55 x 133 x 4 in. (140 x 338 x 10 cm) Duration 7:15 minutes Installation view: St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, photo: Peter Mallet

The most recent is one of two new large-scale permanent installations at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. ‘Martyrs (Earth, Wind, Fire, Water)’ opened in May 2014 and comprises four large-format vertical plasma screens as the first moving-image artwork to be installed in a British cathedral or church on a long-term basis.

The first of the two installations, a temporary eight-week exhibition, was mounted and exhibited earlier in 2014 at London’s Hanover Square entitled ‘Frustrated Actions and Futile Gestures’. This represented nine of Viola’s works in a museum-style exhibition showcasing a mix of electronic, sound and image technology art. Presented in HD projection, the digital experience featured a range of display formats including large scale projections to both single and multi-display environments.

Long-term technology partner of Bill Viola and the company behind the installations, Associated Media Engineering (AME), provided all play-out systems design, sound playback design, control, integration and media finishing for the project. 7thSense was contracted to deliver Delta Media Server as the driving force for the displays by AME.

 www.7thsensedesign.com

Two New Thrill Rides Headed to Carowinds for 2015

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Charlotte, NC, USA /PRNewswire/ — Carowinds construction crews on Thursday December 4 installed the final piece of the 325-foot lift hill on the new Fury 325 – the world’s tallest and fastest giga coaster. After finishing work on the hill, which stands 20-feet taller than the Statue of Liberty, construction workers placed a Christmas tree at the peak, with the biggest holiday present for the Carolinas underneath.

“When Fury 325 opens this spring, Carowinds will have two of the 10 tallest rollercoasters in North America and we’ll have a total of 14 roller coasters, which is something that only several parks in the world can top,” says Mike Fehnel, Carowinds’ vice president and general manager. “The only thing as thrilling as the rides is the amazing construction story that’s currently unfolding.”

Riders will begin an ascent that takes a terrifying 63 seconds to climb, then plunge down an 81-degree drop, reaching speeds of up to 95 mph as they race through a series of hills, curves and quick transitions. All told, it will take each of the three, 32-passenger open air trains nearly 3 minutes and 25 seconds to complete the 6,602-foot ride.

The new ride will be visible from uptown Charlotte, renewing the park’s skyline along Interstate 77 and serving as a symbol of changes to come. Fury 325 is part of a planned $50 million multiyear investment to bring new life to founder Pat Hall’s original vision for Carowinds. The park is being revamped from top to bottom to celebrate Carolina culture, including new rides, attractions and food from different regions. Fury 325 will be the centerpiece of a new, 8.2-acre main entrance plaza that includes more than 900 parking spaces closer to the gate, upgrades to improve traffic flow and expanded guest service facilities.

As Carowinds construction crews build Fury 325, the park announced a second new ride Wednesday called the SlingShot. It will also debut in the Spring of 2015.

Carowinds SlingShot Debut

A pair of cables will catapult the two-person capsule nearly 300-feet into the air – nearly as high as the Statue of Liberty – at speeds up to 60 mph. After some brief weightlessness, riders will zoom back toward the ground, often rotating head-over-heels and bouncing up and down until they come to rest at the launch point.

The ride will be an additional charge attraction; costs are being determined. SlingShot marks the second new ride at Carowinds for 2015.

“Carowinds will be a destination for thrill-seekers,” says Mike Fehnel, Carowinds’ vice president and general manager. “We’ll have two of the 10 tallest rollercoasters in North America, a total of 14 roller coasters – which is something that only three parks worldwide can top – and now we’ll have two new ways for riders to scream with joy at roughly 300 feet in the air.”

Like Fury 325, the SlingShot will be visible from uptown Charlotte.

www.carowinds.com

National Geographic to Distribute “Living in the Age of Airplanes”

Washington, DC, USA (December 11, 2014) — National Geographic Studios has acquired the global theatrical rights to the film “Living in the Age of Airplanes,” which takes audiences on an epicjourney through 18 countries and across all seven continents as it presents a unique perspective on how the airplane has changed the world. It will be available to 15/70 flat and dome film screens and to all digital screens when it is released worldwide on April 10, 2015.

Produced and directed by Brian J. Terwilliger (“One Six Right”), “Living in the Age of Airplanes” is narrated by actor and pilot Harrison Ford and features an original score by Academy Award-winning composer and pilot James Horner (“Avatar,” “Titanic”). The film was shot in 95 locations around the globe, from remote places like the South Pole and the Maldives to historically significant sites of ancient civilizations. The narrative weaves together the profound ways that aviation has transformed our lives, connecting countries and cultures while expanding horizons and minds.

“Since we were all born into a world with airplanes, it‟s hard to imagine that jet travel itself is only 60 years old, just a tick on the timeline of human history,” said Terwilliger. “Yet practically overnight, our perception of crossing continents and oceans at 500 mph has turned from fascination to frustration. I want to reignite people‟s wonder for one of the most extraordinary aspects of the modern world.”

“Living in the Age of Airplanes‟ is the perfect film for National Geographic,” said Mark Katz, president of distribution for National Geographic Studios. “Its visuals are breathtaking, it tells an amazing story and will engage audiences on a variety of levels, from adventure to geography to exploration and more, which aligns completely with National Geographic‟s mission to inspire, illuminate and teach.”

www.airplanesmovie.com

IAAPA Institute for Executive Education Now Open For Registration

Alexandria, VA, USA (December 11, 2014) – The IAAPA Institute for Executive Education is a weeklong professional development experience tailored to meet the needs of today’s senior-level leaders in the global attractions industry. In addition to professional networking, senior-level management participants take part in specialized educational opportunities that supplement classroom learning with hands-on experiences in some of Southern California’s world-class attractions. The program is offered by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) in conjunction with San Diego State University’s L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality Management; it takes place Jan. 25-30, 2015, in San Diego, California, United States.

The IAAPA Institute for Executive Education will enhance and further develop the critical leadership and attractions industry business management skills owners, CEOs, and senior-level executives need to grow and compete in today’s business world. The program consists of presentations from San Diego State University (SDSU) faculty as well as attractions industry leaders and includes behind-the-scenes learning experiences at some of San Diego’s renowned attractions, including SeaWorld San Diego and the San Diego Zoo.

The content presented is tailored specifically to the attractions industry by the leading professors at SDSU. Topics include: sense of-urgency marketing, the importance of compelling branding, public relations, balancing capacity with guest satisfaction, managing a young workforce, government relations, risk management, revenue management, working with financial partners, and managing a complex, asset-intensive organization.

The IAAPA Institute for Executive Education is open to senior-level management and all segments across the attractions industry will find value: amusement and theme parks, family entertainment centers (FECs), water parks, zoos, aquariums, museums, science centers, attractions, and manufacturers and suppliers.

“The IAAPA Institute for Executive Education is a dynamic leadership experience like no other. Attendees leave with a new group of lifelong friends and colleagues, a binder full of strategies for how to grow their businesses, and a mind full of inspirational ideas that will prepare them for their next leadership opportunities,” said Rebecca Turner, IAAPA’s vice president for education, professional development, and training services.

Participants will receive credit that can be applied toward IAAPA’s new certification program for attractions industry executives.

Space is limited. Additional details and registration are available at www.IAAPA.org/events-education/events/IAAPA-institutes/executive-education

St Louis Zoo Audit Shows Increases in Donations and Volunteer Hours

St. Louis, MO, USA (December 12, 2014) — The Associated Press reports on the recent St. Louis Zoo audit conducted by the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District:

“Among the highlights the zoo auditors found were thousands of volunteer hours logged at the facility and a $17 million increase in donations over three years. The zoo also spent less than it budgeted to buy, demolish and landscape the grounds of the former Forest Park Hospital, according to the report.

“Despite a clean bill of financial health, auditors had criticisms. They noted the zoo hadn’t been following its policy requiring companies bidding for work to certify that no zoo employee has a financial interest in the work. The zoo also claimed it collected nearly 100 percent of donation pledges, but auditors found $120,000 written off as uncollectible in 2012 and $170,000 in 2013.”

FULL STORY HERE FROM ST LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

BRC Imagination Arts to Receive Thea Award for Korea’s AMOREPACIFIC Story Garden

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Burbank, CA, USA /BUSINESS WIRE/ — BRC Imagination Arts, an experience design agency that turns brands into destinations, has received the Themed Entertainment Association’s Thea Award for Outstanding Corporate Brand-land for The Story Garden at the AMOREPACIFIC Beauty Campus in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. The award honors creative excellence in theme parks, museums, and corporate attractions.

The Story Garden by AMOREPACIFIC opened in September 2013 and reinvents the concept of the factory tour and brand center. It immerses visitors in the philosophy that beauty is a gift that has the power to transform the world. Studded with fine-art installations, media experiences, contemplative spaces and blended musical effects, The Story Garden uses a predominantly non-verbal approach to tell the emotional story of AMOREPACIFIC’s journey. It began with humble origins in a mother’s kitchen, and became a symbol of hope and opportunity for the post-war generations of women in South Korea. Today, it’s one of the most successful skincare companies in the world today.

The 10,000 square foot multi-level Story Garden is surrounded by a lush botanical garden and greenhouse, reflecting the company’s commitment to nature and plant-based ingredients. The surroundings immediately convey to visitors a company deeply rooted in nature’s wisdom. Individual rooms interpret the company’s core values as physical spaces, creating a deeper connection between visitors and the brand.

The Story Garden was originally intended for only a limited audience of the company’s employees and beauty consultants; the tour experience has become so popular it now welcomes guests six days a week, with limited public tours also available.

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“The Story Garden was a labor of love and an invigorating challenge for our team,” said Christian Lachel, Executive Creative Director and Vice President at BRC Imagination Arts. “The AMOREPACIFIC brand holds tremendous cultural and historical significance in South Korea, but it also appeals to people in China, Japan and other parts of the world. Our opportunity was to bring the company’s values and history to life in an emotionally evocative and universally accessible way. The result is a deeply touching experience that honors the company’s legacy. We hope it will inspire visitors for years to come.”

The Story Garden project has achieved additional recognitions and honors for its design and social impact on visitors. It received an International Design Award, Bronze Award for Interior Design in the categories of professional, conceptual and other interior design.

The Story Garden also received an Environments Finalist award from the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) sponsored by IDSA, Core77, Fast Company and more.

And earlier this year The Story Garden received the Silver SPARK Design Award for Experience Design.

The Thea Awards were created by the Themed Entertainment Association to help realize a key mission of the association: bringing recognition to achievement, talent and personal excellence within the themed entertainment industry. From a modest beginning in 1994, the Thea Awards have become internationally recognized as a symbol of excellence. Recipients will be honored at a black-tie gala on March 21, 2015, at the Disneyland Hotel, Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, California.

www.brcweb.com

SeaWorld’s Jim Atchison Stepping Down as CEO and President, Company Has Launched Search for Replacement

Orlando, FL, USA (December 11, 2014) /PRNewswire/ — SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:SEAS), a leading theme park and entertainment company, today announced that, effective January 15, 2015, Chairman David F. D’Alessandro will serve as the Company’s interim CEO until the Board of Directors (the “Board”) selects a permanent successor to current CEO and President, Jim Atchison, who will become Vice Chairman of the Board. Mr. D’Alessandro, who has been Chairman of the Company’s Board since 2010, will continue in that position. He served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of John Hancock Financial Services from 2000 to 2004, having served as President and Chief Operating Officer of the same entity from 1996 to 2000.

In addition, Mr. Atchison will serve as a consultant to the Company with respect to international expansion and the Company’s conservation initiatives. The Company will also nominate Mr. Atchison to serve as the chairman of the board of the not-for-profit, independent SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund.

“On behalf of the entire Board, I’d like to thank Jim for his contributions to the Company and express our ongoing support for our long-term strategy. Jim has helped the Company realize its vision of becoming a leader in the theme park industry, one of the world’s foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal care,” Mr. D’Alessandro said. “We remain committed to our growth agenda and enhancing value for our shareholders. The Board intends to complete the search process deliberately and thoughtfully to find the right individual with the experience and qualifications to lead the Company into the future.”

“It has been an honor to lead SeaWorld,” said Mr. Atchison. “I am so proud of this Company and our dedicated team members. I look forward to serving as Vice Chairman and continuing to work with the Board, David, and our exceptional team to assure a smooth transition,” said Mr. Atchison.

The Board of Directors, which expects to complete the search in six to nine months, has engaged a leading executive search firm to assist in the search for Mr. Atchison’s successor.

In addition, the Board of Directors appointed two new independent directors, The Honorable Ellen Tauscher, a strategic advisor at the law firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC who previously served as a Member of Congress and as an Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of State, and Mr. William Gray, the former Co-Chief Executive Officer of Ogilvy North America of Ogilvy & Mather Inc. Their appointments are effective immediately.

In announcing the Board’s appointment of Ms. Tauscher and Mr. Gray, Mr. D’Alessandro said, “We are delighted to welcome Ellen and Bill to the Board. They bring us an extraordinary breadth and depth of experience relevant to the Company’s business.”

The Company continues to advance its previously announced company-wide cost initiative, including its plan to deliver approximately $50 million of annual cost savings by the end of 2015. As part of that plan, the Company also announced today a restructuring program across its entire 11-park enterprise. This effort will centralize some operations, reduce duplication of functions and increase efficiencies and accelerate execution. The restructuring will result in the loss of some positions, and the Company will offer severance benefits to those impacted.”In order to achieve the goals of our business realignment, we regret that some positions will necessarily be eliminated. However, our cost savings effort is part of a broader program to position us for long term growth,” Mr. Atchison said.

 

Biographies of David D’Alessandro, Ellen Tauscher, and Bill Gray

David F. D’Alessandro

Mr. David D’Alessandro has been the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company since 2010. He served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of John Hancock Financial Services from 2000 to 2004, having served as President and Chief Operating Officer of the same entity from 1996 to 2000. He led the company in its successful initial public offering in 2000 and through a subsequent merger with ManuLife Financial Corporation in 2004. He is a former Partner of the Boston Red Sox. He currently serves on the board of directors of APX Group Holdings, Inc. (the parent holding company and 100% owner of Vivint, Inc., one of the largest home automation services provider in North America), and Vivint Solar, Inc. a leader in home solar energy systems. He is the author of three national bestselling business books. A graduate of Syracuse University, he holds honorary doctorates from three colleges and serves as vice chairman of Boston University.

Ellen Tauscher

 

The Honorable Ellen Tauscher currently serves as a strategic advisor at the Washington DC law firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC. She has spent much of her career in public service, most notably representing California’s10th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. During her 12 years in Congress, Ms. Tauscher served on the House Armed Services Committee and chaired the Strategic Forces subcommittee. Ms. Tauscher left Congress in 2009 to join the U.S. State Department as Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Affairs. She also served as special envoy for Strategic Stability and Missile Defense at State.

Prior to serving in Congress, Ms. Tauscher worked in investment banking and the financial industry in various roles for Bache Halsey Stuart Shields, Bear Stearns & Co., Drexel Burnham Lambert and as an officer of the American Stock Exchange. From 1977 to 1980, Ms. Tauscher was a member of the New York Stock Exchange representing Bache Halsey Stuart Shields.In 2012, Ms. Tauscher was named vice chair of the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security. Last year she became independent board chairman of the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, a coalition of 26 retailers and clothing brands led by Walmart.

 

Ms. Tauscher, a Seton Hall University graduate, serves on a variety of boards, including Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC. She is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Bill Gray

Mr. William Gray is currently a co-founder and director of Hulls Highway, Inc., a consulting firm.  Since 2010, Mr. Gray has also been a senior advisor to Blackstone, a leading global investment and advisory firm and minority shareholder of SeaWorld Entertainment. Prior to joining Blackstone, he was North American Co-Chief Executive and Vice Chairman of Ogilvy North America, one of the world’s largest communications companies.

Mr. Gray served as the President of Ogilvy & Mather Inc. from 1997 to 2005 and Managing Director of Ogilvy Advertising New York from 1994 to 1996. He held other positions of increasing responsibility from the time he joined Ogilvy & Mather Inc. as an Assistant Account Executive in 1978. Mr. Gray retired from Ogilvy in 2010 after more than three decades of service.

Mr. Gray is a trustee of the Century Family of Mutual Funds and an independent director of HealthMarkets, Inc. He is a past Board Chairman of the American Red Cross of New York and is currently a member of the board of directors of the New York Public Library. Mr. Gray graduated from Harvard College and earned an MBA from the Darden School of the University of Virginia.

www.seaworldentertainment.com