Six Flags is reinstating park presidents: what does this mean for guests and employees?
Six Flags has announced the return of park presidents at several properties, reversing an earlier move that shifted toward more centralized leadership. But what does this mean for the guest experience and for team members?
The move comes after Six Flags previously eliminated the park president role at many locations as part of a broader restructuring effort following the company’s merger with Cedar Fair.
While the change may sound like a corporate update, it could have real impacts for both guests and employees.
April 22, 2026 Update – the official list of returning park presidents is published, see below.
The basics of Six Flags decision
Six Flags will reintroduce park presidents in 10 key markets after eliminating the positions at all 27 amusement parks in the chain in May 2025. So while some headlines across various publications have said this is a “flip-flop” or a “reverse” in their decision, that’s not entirely true.
“Six Flags is moving to a new operating structure designed to better support the unique needs of each park,” according to Six Flags officials. “This change reflects our commitment to being more strategic, flexible and responsive as our business evolves. It positions Six Flags to continue growing while staying true to what makes each of our parks special.”
Courtesy of Six Flags
Which Six Flags locations are impacted?
According to a report from the Orange County Register, Six Flags said the complete list of parks receiving returning presidents would be announced this week.
Today, April 22, 2026, Six Flags published the official list of returning park presidents.
- Canada’s Wonderland: Christopher Mortensen
- Carowinds: Bridgette Bywater
- Cedar Point: Colleen Brady
- Kings Island: Tony Carovillano
- Knott’s Berry Farm: Raffi Kaprelyan
- Six Flags Great Adventure: Mike Fehnel
- Six Flags Great America: John Krajnak
- Six Flags Magic Mountain: Brian Oerding
- Six Flags Over Georgia: Richard Pretlow
- Six Flags Over Texas: Pete Carmichael
As you can see, Raffi Kaprelyan will return to Knott’s Berry Farm as vice president and park manager after serving as vice president at Carowinds.
Brian Oerding will take on the role of vice president and park manager at Six Flags Magic Mountain after 18 years at Carowinds.
What does a park president do?
At many regional theme parks, a park president serves as the top on-site executive. That role can oversee day-to-day operations, staffing, guest experience, budgeting, seasonal events, and long-term planning for the park. Park presidents also often act as the public face of their park, representing the property in the local community, with business partners, and through media appearances.
Being in the theme park media business for about a decade, I have had the pleasure of speaking with a variety of theme park presidents. It is an important role that you may not see when you visit a theme park, but their leadership permeates throughout the culture of park operations.
By reinstating the role, Six Flags may be signaling that individual parks benefit from having dedicated local leadership rather than relying entirely on regional management structures.
What it could mean for guests
For visitors, leadership changes behind the scenes can sometimes influence the overall park experience. A local park president often sets the tone for park-specific needs, whether that involves staffing during busy seasons, improving guest service, or determining other important priorities.
Because each Six Flags park serves a different market, local leadership can also help tailor decisions based on attendance trends, weather patterns, and regional competition. Guests may never directly interact with a park president, but decisions made at that level can affect operations throughout the park.
What it could mean for employees
For employees, reinstating park presidents could create clearer chains of leadership at the local level. Having a top executive based at the park may improve communication, accountability, and faster decision-making for staffing and operational concerns.
Visible local leadership can also play an important role in employee morale, particularly at large seasonal operations that hire thousands of workers each year.
A sign of evolving strategy
Six Flags has spent the past two years aligning operations after its merger with Cedar Fair. Bringing back park presidents suggests the company is still refining how it manages its parks for long-term success. Perhaps this move comes on the heels of the sale of six domestic parks for a reason.
For guests, the change may be largely invisible at first. But over time, stronger local leadership could influence everything from service levels to future investments. As Six Flags continues reshaping the combined company, this latest move shows that on-the-ground leadership still matters in the theme park business.
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