Today, SIX sent an innocent looking email to its interested recipients, announcing a new CFO and a new General Counsel.  Both come from exactly the same background as the new CEO, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics and prior to that, Dade Behring Inc.  The executive bio for the new CFO says, in part, that he:


I consider this the most significant news to come from Six Flags since the appointment of James Reid-Anderson as CEO.  Much can be learned about where this company is headed from reading the bios of these three gentlemen and divining what is in common betweenst them.

http://investors.sixflags.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=61629&p=irol-govManage#Duffey

It's all about the $$$$$$$$$$$. Take that how you will...

The new management is no better or worse than the old, just different. Looking at the history of the park, everything goes in cycles. Each change in ownership and management put their own stamp on the company and park with their own priorities.

Each team brings in its own people with their own idea of what the mission of the company is.  They try "their" way of doing things and if it works, great, if not they go back to the way things used to be.  Look at the team that just left (Shapiro and crew) and all the things they thought the Premier team did wrong (discounting tickets, Mr. Six, etc.) and how they got rid of all that, then quickly brought it all back.   

The only thing the park needs to "clean" is the way some of the vendors act, a lot of them act like they have better stuff to do than work at Great Adventure. Unfortunately, a LOT of people act like that these days and there are always people who are worse than them (I know this all to well).

Mr. Speed, the former CFO for the company, who was relieved of his duties without cause, is contesting that action and has filed for arbitration.

Perhaps more importantly, Mr. Al Weber has received a salary increase back to what he had been making as President and Interim CEO, $800,000.  Amendments to his employment agreement were filed with the SEC today.