Executives

Greg Scheid was the General Manager and Executive Vice President of Kings Island from June 2006 through October 2016. He then served as a Regional Vice President from October 2016 through June 2018. Prior to his role at Kings Island, he was the Vice President and General Manager at Dorney Park.

Nelson Schwab III led the group of park executives who bought-out Taft Broadcasting’s theme park division in 1983. He was the CEO of the newly-founded Kings Entertainment Company (KECO) from its inception in 1983 until it was sold to Paramount in 1992. Schwab was then the CEO of Paramount Parks until 1995.

Jane Cooper was the CEO of Paramount Parks from May 1995 through May 2002. The area around Flight of Fear was originally referred to as Fort Cooper, a reference to her. Cooper is now the President and Chief Operating Officer of Herschend Family Entertainment.

Alexander Weber Jr. was named the CEO of Paramount Parks in June 2002, replacing Jane Cooper. He had previously served as Executive Vice President and COO of Paramount Parks. Weber had his start in the theme park industry at Cincinnati’s Coney Island and was the Director of Operations at Kings Island when it opened in 1972. He later served as the park’s General Manager from 1992 through 1998. After his time at Paramount, Weber served as the CEO of Palace Entertainment, the interim CEO of Six Flags theme parks, and started Apex Parks Group. Weber passed away in 2016.

Craig M. Ross was the General Manager and Executive Vice President of Kings Island from June 2002 through 2006. He started his career at Kings Dominion in 1975 in the food and beverage department.

Tim V. Fisher has been the COO of Cedar Fair since December 2017. He previously served as the Executive Vice President for Paramount Parks and Viacom Recreation from 1996 through 2006 and was the General Manager of California’s Great America before that.

Don Miller was the Head of Operations at Kings Island until he retired in 2006. Miller started his Kings Island career running the Bavarian Beetle, a former steel roller coaster located where Festhaus now sits.

Actor Dick Van Dyke served as Kings Island’s commercial spokesperson in 1978 and 1979. He also dedicated the International Showplace in 1977. Dyke was quoted as saying “Believe me, I know talented performers when I see them. And Kings Island has them.”

Ruth Voss was appointed as a Kings Island spokesperson in 1975 and remained in the park’s marketing department until she retired in 1989. Voss took a daily ride on The Beast to help loosen her joints, which were tightened due to arthritis. She invited coaster enthusiasts to join her on this morning ride, which led to the creation of The Beast morning walkback. The park continued this tradition until 2009. Voss was heavily involved in several major Kings Island events and additions, including Evel Knievel’s motorcycle jump in 1975, naming The Beast in 1979, and touring Hanna-Barbera cofounders Joseph Barbera and William Hanna around in conjunction with the opening of the new Hanna-Barbera Land in 1982. Upon her retirement, park staff presented Voss with a lead car from The Beast, named The Ruth Voss Special. The vehicle was a spare from when the park removed the ride’s fourth train from service. It was refurbished for Voss and hand delivered to her home. Voss passed away in 1998 and was posthumously inducted into the Kings Island Hall of Fame in October 2011.

Jack Rouse began his career at Kings Island as a live show producer. He later became a full-time staff member and became involved with producing shows for all of the Taft parks. In 1983, he was one of the ten investors led by Charles Schwab III that purchased Kings Island and formed the Kings Entertainment Company (KECO). Rouse left the company in 1987 when the investors sold their shares to Carl Lindner and American Financial. Rouse then opened his own firm, Jack Rouse Associates (JRA). JRA has since worked with Kings Island on several projects, including Bubba Gump Shrimp Shack in 2003 and the first return of WinterFest in 2005.

Dennis Speigel began his amusement industry career at Cincinnati’s Coney Island in 1960 as a ticket taker. When Kings Island opened in 1972, he was the Assistant Park Manager. Speigel later moved to Kings Dominion and then up the Taft Broadcasting ladder. Speigel founded International Theme Park Services, Inc. (ITPS) in 1983, which he continues to run to this day. Speigel was inducted into the Kings Island Hall of Fame in 2008.

Bruce D. Robinson previously worked at Kings Productions as the Director of Design. Robinson started his own firm, today known as the BDR Design Group, in 1983.

Actress Carmen Electrca began her acting career at Kings Island in 1990 in the show It’s Magic. Electra would return to the park 18 years later in August 2008 to be among the first inductees into the Kings Island Hall of Fame.

Janeen Coyle worked as a ride operator at Kings Island starting in 1976. After her time at Kings Island, Coyle had a long and successful career in radio. Coyle was among the first inductees into the Kings Island Hall of Fame in 2008.

Gary Wachs was the son of Cincinnati’s Coney Island last president, Ralph Wachs. Gary was instrumental in conceiving and executing the idea of relocating the former park away from the Ohio River, which led to the creation of Kings Island. He was the park’s first General Manager. Gary was inducted into the Kings Island Hall of Fame in September 2009.

Rich Walburg worked at Kings Island from 1983 through 1991 in various departments, including ecology, admissions, communications, and food service. Walburg then went on to work at 700 WLW Radio in Cincinnati. He was inducted into the Kings Island Hall of Fame in September 2009.

Lewis Johnson wasa  seasonal Kings Island associate from 1981 through 1987, working as an associate and then supervisor in the park’s ride department. After his time at Kings Island, Johnson served as a broadcaster for ABC Sports, ESPN, and NBC, including the Olympics. Johnson was inducted into the Kings Island Hall of Fame in August 2010.

Pottorf was a Kings Island entertainer from 1980 through 1985, as well as a cast member for the short-lived Pumpkin Creek television show filmed at the park. He also served as the senior composer for Paramount Parks for 11 years. Pottorf has also been involved in composing and scoring soundtracks for parades and shows for Disney theme parks and other entertainment locations. Pottorf was inducted into the Kings Island Hall of Fame in August 2010.

Chuck Ingram worked at Kings Island as a seasonal associate from 1978 to 1985. He then spent two decades in radio with 700 WLW. Ingram was inducted into the Kings Island Hall of Fame in October 2011.

Ed McHale oversaw the transportation of the rides and attractions from Cincinnati’s Coney Island to Kings Island in 1971, completing the task in only 30 days. McHale started as the Park Operations Manager at Kings Island in 1972 before becoming the new park’s second General Manager. He held that position through 1976. McHale was inducted into the Kings Island Hall of Fame in October 2012.

Don Helbig first achieved Kings Island fame when he rode The Racer a cumulative 97 times on August 9, 1981. Helbig then continued making headlines for the cumulative number of rides he achieved: 2,000 (1982), 5,000 (1984), 6,000 (1986), 7,000 (1987), 8,000 (1989), and ultimately 10,000 (1990). Helbig joined the Kings Island staff in June 2007 as the Public Relations Area Manager before later transitioning to the role of Public Relations Area Manager.

Celebrity Nick Lachey worked at Kings Island in the early 1990s in the park’s entertainment department. He returned in May 2003 with his new wife, Jessica Simpson, for an episode of their new show, Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica.

Dan Patrick worked as a landscaper and one of the performers on the Kings Island and Miami Valley Railroad in the 1970s. Patrick has since served as an American sportscaster, appearing on CNN, NBC Sports, and ESPN.

Vickie Lewis worked on the Kings Island and Miami Valley Railroad in 1976. She has since starred in shows like How I Met Your Mother and voiced characters in the 2003 film Finding Nemo.