Dan Koch Named New HW CEO

[bkroz]

http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?id=42288

SANTA CLAUS, IND-----Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari will continue to be owned and operated by the Koch family “into perpetuity,” according to the park’s new president and CEO, Dan Koch.

Koch, 46, takes the helm following the sudden death of his brother Will earlier this month.

“Will and I have been business partners for decades and have spoken on the phone daily for more than 30 years,” says Koch. “I consider it an honor to step in as president and continue the expansion plans my brother and I crafted together. In the meantime, Will’s three children will have time to finish their education and learn more about the family business before they decide how they would like to be involved in the future of the park.”

Koch says his mother, Pat, will continue as the park’s Director of Values, greeting guests at the front gate and providing motivation and guidance to the management and staff.

“Our company was reorganized two years ago, when Will promoted two of our park directors to general managers,” says Koch. “These GMs will keep the park running smoothly as we move into the heart of the season and prepare for next year.”

Koch adds he plans to “stay the course” with Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari’s long-range expansion plans, community involvement, and philanthropic efforts.

Koch is a partner in the law firm Koch & Trushin in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He plans regular trips to the Santa Claus park and daily communication with management. He is married and has two young children.

Along with his four siblings, Koch grew up in the town of Santa Claus; his first job was playing a costumed elf at Santa Claus Land, as Holiday World was called prior to 1984. His other seasonal jobs at the park included working in the games department, helping on the parking crew and hauling trash. He graduated from Heritage Hills High School in 1982 and the University of Miami in 1986 with a degree in Business Administration and Finance. Following a year working fulltime at Holiday World, Koch returned to the University of Miami, where he earned a law degree in 1990. He practiced law in Miami for 15 years before opening Koch & Trushin law firm in 2005.

Holiday World & Splashin' Safari are open daily for the season, featuring the new Wildebeest, the world’s longest water coaster. For more information, visit www.holidayworld.com or call 1-877-Go-Family.

Source: Holiday World & Splashin' Safari

[Dieseltech20]

Awesome. Glad it is staying in the family.

[TombRaiderFTW]

If this were Facebook, I'd click "like". SO glad to read the Koch family will still run the park. Even more glad to read that Dan intends to keep everything on track (if you pardon the pun).

Just one thing... Anyone else thinking it sounds like Dan's a placeholder until Will's children have the opportunity to take his place?

[CoastersRZ]

My question will be will he continue to be a partner at the law firm down in Florida?

Needless to say, he has some pretty big shoes to fill. I`d say eventually Will`s kids may take control of the park, but again that is a ways down the road still. And that is if they even want to run the park (although it is probably in their blood).

[Shaggy]

If this were Facebook, I'd click "like". SO glad to read the Koch family will still run the park. Even more glad to read that Dan intends to keep everything on track (if you pardon the pun).

Just one thing... Anyone else thinking it sounds like Dan's a placeholder until Will's children have the opportunity to take his place?

It's a curious comment. He may be a placeholder for a few years, but that's dependant upon whether the children will have an interest in the business.

Will's daughter is the oldest. I haven't seen her in years, but I'd guess her age somewhere around the late high school/early college. His son's are probably middle school/early high school age.

So there's AT LEAST a number of years before any of them would be able to steer the ship. And that's only if they have the proper business sense.

Shaggy

[Diamondback96]

If this were Facebook, I'd click "like".

You can like it, on HW's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/posted.php?id=35385539537&share_id=103798199671184&comments=1#s103798199671184

Glad the park's staying in the family instead of being bought out by a company like FUN or SIX.

[TombRaiderFTW]

Will's daughter is the oldest. I haven't seen her in years, but I'd guess her age somewhere around the late high school/early college. His son's are probably middle school/early high school age.

So there's AT LEAST a number of years before any of them would be able to steer the ship. And that's only if they have the proper business sense.

Shaggy

According to this Evansville Courier & Press article, Lauren is the oldest at 22, Leah is next at 19, and William is the youngest at 16. So yes, it seems Lauren would be the first up for CEO once she finishes college, followed by Leah. (Will, of course, is still in high school.)

[IndyGuy4KI]

If this were Facebook, I'd click "like".

You can like it, on HW's Facebook page: http://www.facebook....103798199671184

Glad the park's staying in the family instead of being bought out by a company like FUN or SIX.

I doubt either one of them would have the funds right now, but it would be interesting to know if they have ever been approached.

[DaveStroem]

If anyone from the outside would be considered, I would have to think that Herschend could be a front runner. I don't think that it will ever come to that.

[CoastersRZ]

I agree. Holiday World has been a family run business for years, and I think it is safe to say that it will remain that way for quite some time.

[The Interpreter]

If this were Facebook, I'd click "like".

You can like it, on HW's Facebook page: http://www.facebook....103798199671184

Glad the park's staying in the family instead of being bought out by a company like FUN or SIX.

I doubt either one of them would have the funds right now, but it would be interesting to know if they have ever been approached.

During Six Flags' buying spree under Premier Parks and later as SFI, the Kochs were approached more than once. The answer was always the same. No. And that's a very good thing....

One wonders what would have become of Kentucky Kingdom when had Holiday World been sold to Six Flags. Heck, one wonders what would have become of Holiday World. Suffice it to say, there certainly would not have been a Voyage, and probably not a Legend, either. And I doubt thoosies would be raven about the park nowadays.

[IndyGuy4KI]

News station interviews Dan. Interesting he plans to stay in FL to live.

http://www.news25.us...&autoStart=true

[CoastersRZ]

Well, as Raven Maven (Paula Werne) stated over on Coasterbuzz, Holiday World underwent a management reorganization a few years ago. As I understand it, Will was not directly involved in the day to day operations of the park anymore. Instead, he was more of the visionary working on the future growth of the park and the business side of things, leaving the daily operations to the two GMs, as noted in the end of the video.

[gigacoaster2k]

I agree. Holiday World has been a family run business for years, and I think it is safe to say that it will remain that way for quite some time.

Holiday World, in fact, has been run by the Koch family since the park opened in 1946. Last time I was at HW, I bought the book "Images of America: Holiday World", signed by Pat Koch.

It tells the story from the beginning, from Louis Koch's vision for the tiny town in Indiana in the late 1800s to today's amusement park, complete with park photos, family photos, heritage, and who played a part in the history of the park, including Pat reminiscing about her favorite (now defunct) rides back in the early days of the park.

The book is $21.99 and can be found in nearly any one of HW's gift shops. It is a spectacularly presented timetable. I highly suggest that anyone with an interest in the history of the park purchase this book.. it's well worth the price.

[TombRaiderFTW]

The book is $21.99 and can be found in nearly any one of HW's gift shops. It is a spectacularly presented timetable. I highly suggest that anyone with an interest in the history of the park purchase this book.. it's well worth the price.

I will vouch for this as well. When I first saw it, I wasn't too hot on the price. ($21.99 for an icky history book? Ew. ) I bought it anyway, though, and I'm so glad I did. It's got a ton of pictures in there from literally every stage of the park's life (including construction pictures of all 3 coasters) as well as a pretty neat background of the Koch family themselves. It's worth every last penny.

[CoastersRZ]

Hey, I have the book "Cincinnati`s Coney Island: America`s Finest Amusement Park" by Charles Jacques, Jr. I believe that when it originally came out, it retailed for around $35. Any book that chronicles the history of a park is well worth it in my opinion. Then again, I love the history of the industry and parks.