On Wednesday, The Walt Disney Co. reassigned several of their senior theme-park management personnel, including appointing a new president for Walt Disney World.
George A. Kalogridis, currently the president of Disneyland Resort, will make the move to the east coast to take over as president of Walt Disney World Resort. He will take over for Meg Crofton, who will now focus on her position as president of all Disney theme parks throughout the U.S. and Europe. This position was created about a year and a half ago, when the company went through a previous personnel restructuring.
Says Kalogridis:
I am excited to return to my roots and have the opportunity to lead our talented Walt Disney World Resort cast. I look forward to again working with my Florida-based colleagues and reconnecting with Central Florida’s community and business leaders.
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs ordered the management changes, saying that they were designed to give “upper managers the opportunity to broaden their knowledge” of Disney’s global vacation empire.”
Crofton and Kalogridis are far from the only upper-level employees affected by this move, however. To replace Kalogridis as president of Disneyland Resort, Disney appointed Michael Colglazier whose title is currently that of vice president of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Josh D’Amaro, an executive who runs Adventures by Disney, will take over Colglazier’s position.
Meanwhile, Disney also shook up the ranks at the Disney Vacation Club division, promoting Ken Potrock to senior vice president and general manager of DVC and Adventures by Disney. He will replace Claire Bilby, who will head to Europe to run the sales and marketing division for Disneyland Paris and Europe. Tom Wolber will take over Potrock’s former position and head Disney Sports Enterprises.
All of these changes are certainly a whirlwind for the employees involved, but Disney promised that no one would leave the company due to the upper-management restructuring.
