Management Shake Ups Beginning?

[DizneyFreak2002]

Waiting for official word but some of this is being passed down:

George Kalogridis named President of WDW.

Michael Colglazier of DAK is new Pres of DLR.

Meg Crofton remains Pres of Ops US & France.

Tom Wolber from DCL to head Downtown Disney and Disney Sports.

Josh D'Amaro from ABD to be VP of Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Claire Bilby named SVP of Sales and Marketing Disneyland Paris and Europe.

Ken Potrock from DTD and Disney Sports to head DVC and ABD.

Thanks to figgy999 on Twitter for the info... If Claire Bilby is leaving DVC already, I fear it may be a big loss... She seemed like she got it... Don't know anything about the rumored replacement, Ken Potrock...

I'm shocked to see Meg still has her position honestly... Unless she is just helping with the transition for George K? Or maybe she decided not to leave after all.... But, regardless, as promised, management shake ups have begun...

[VWL Mom]

Did you get the member letter from Claire?

[DizneyFreak2002]

Did you get the member letter from Claire?

No... For some reason I never get anything from DVC in any timely manner... other than the dues bill of course LOL...

When did the member letter come out and what did it say?

[VWL Mom]

No... For some reason I never get anything from DVC in any timely manner... other than the dues bill of course LOL...

When did the member letter come out and what did it say?

Just posted it here (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=197009)

[DizneyFreak2002]

Just posted it here (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=197009)

Just saw your post... Going to go read it now... I need to figure out why I never get any emails or notifications from DVC... Thanks!

Claire seemed like she understood what it took to make DVC members happy... Let's hope the trend continues under Ken...

[DizneyRox]

When did the member letter come out and what did it say?
Once it hits my inbox, it's public...


Claire Bilby Message to Members

Dear Members,

I want to share an important Disney Vacation Club organizational announcement with you, our Member families.

As Disney continues to identify ways to deliver the best-possible vacation experiences, the company is providing new growth opportunities for members of the leadership team. In this case, Disney is giving me the opportunity to lead the Sales and Marketing organization at Disneyland Paris, leveraging my depth of international sales experience.

I am thrilled about this new opportunity, which begins February 1, and also deeply proud of the great work our team has done over the past couple of years at Disney Vacation Club. The team has accomplished so much and truly elevated the benefits, perks and experiences we provide to our Members.

You will be pleased to learn that longtime Disney leader Ken Potrock is succeeding me at Disney Vacation Club as Senior Vice President and General Manager. I can tell you that you're in great hands with Ken. He is a wonderful leader, full of creativity and passion for the Disney brand, and extremely talented. Most recently, Ken has served as the Senior Vice President of Disney Sports Enterprises and Downtown Disney in Florida. I have known him for a long time and couldn't be more delighted with his passion for the Disney brand, for innovation, and for always putting our Guests and Members first. In his new role, Ken will also have responsibility for Adventures by Disney, our family guided-tour business.

As I say "au revoir" for now, please know how much I have enjoyed my time with Disney Vacation Club and the privilege of getting to know so many of our Members. I look forward to Ken and the rest of the organization continuing to enhance the Member experience in creative and magical ways!

At Disney Vacation Club, it's all about you - the Member - and that commitment will never change. Thank you for vacationing with Disney year in and year out. We look forward to delighting and surprising you each time we welcome you home.

Sincerely,

Claire Bilby

[DizneyFreak2002]

The changes are now hitting the news wire...

[March Hare]

Lets hope this will be the beginning of an era of repairs, rehabs, and park expansions just like he did in DL :thumbsup:

[Ed]

From today's Orlando Sentinel ~~



The Walt Disney Co. shook up its senior theme-park management ranks Wednesday, reassigning more than a half-dozen top executives — including a new president for Walt Disney World.

Disney said George A. Kalogridis, now president of Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., will move East to take over as president of Disney World, the company's biggest and most-profitable resort.

He will succeed Meg Crofton, who will focus exclusively on her duties as president of all operations for Disney theme parks in the United States and Europe — a new position created a year and a half ago amid another management restructuring.

The move instantly elevates the 59-year-old Kalogridis — a University of Central Florida alum who began with Disney as a hotel busboy in Orlando — to a position as one of the most influential corporate executives in Florida, atop a sprawling resort with four theme parks; two dozen hotels and time shares; and more than 66,000 employees.

Crofton, 59, will move to Disney's corporate headquarters in Burbank, Calif. She has been the face of the company in Central Florida in recent years, serving on the governing boards of entities ranging from the University of Central Florida to the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission.

The changes were ordered by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs and are designed, the company said, to give upper managers "the opportunity to broaden their knowledge" of Disney's global vacation empire.

The logic evoked a higher-management shakeup orchestrated three years ago by Disney Co. President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger, who had Staggs, then the Disney Co. chief financial officer, trade jobs with Jay Rasulo, then-chairman of parks and resorts.

"With all that we currently have in flight across our resort destinations in the U.S. and France, the time is right to move forward with this leadership transition," Staggs said in a prepared statement. "This group of Disney veterans has the knowledge and expertise needed to continue delivering on our legacy of creating unforgettable experiences that our guests have come to know and expect."

Disney would not make Staggs or Kalogridis available for interviews.

The company said no one would leave Disney as part of the changes. All appointments are effective Feb. 1.

The movement extended far beyond Disney World. To replace Kalogridis atop Disneyland, which has experienced enormous growth this summer following the opening of a "Cars"-themed land, the company tapped Michael Colglazier, vice president in charge of Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park in Central Florida.

Kalogridis and Colglazier will both report to Crofton.

Replacing Colglazier at Animal Kingdom: Josh D'Amaro, who currently runs the company's Adventures by Disney packaged-tour business.

Disney also appointed a new head of Disney Vacation Club, its Celebration-based time-share arm. It promoted Ken Potrock, a highly regarded Central Florida executive currently in charge of the company's sports-tourism businesses and the Downtown Disney retail complex, to the position of senior vice president and general manager of DVC and Adventures by Disney.

Potrock will replace Claire Bilby, who had run Disney's time-share business since August 2011, after former unit President Jim Lewis was ousted. Bilby will move to Paris to become senior vice president of sales and marketing for Disneyland Paris and Europe.

Tom Wolber, No. 2 executive at Disney Cruise Line, will succeed Potrock as head of Disney Sports Enterprises, which includes Disney World's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and the company's rapidly growing runDisney marathon program, as well as Downtown Disney.

For Kalogridis, the appointment as president of Disney World is a homecoming. The 41-year company veteran began his career as a busboy in Disney's Contemporary Resort in 1971, the year Disney World opened.
He has held an assortment of positions for the company, ranging from vice president in charge of Epcot to chief operating officer for Disneyland Paris. He has been president of Disneyland, which has two theme parks, three hotels and about 25,000 employees, since 2009.

He most recently steered Disney's original theme-park resort through a period of dizzying growth after a $1.2 billion makeover of Disneyland's second gate, Disney California Adventure, which culminated this summer with the opening of the 12-acre "Cars Land." He has also become a favorite of Disney's passionate, and sometimes critical, fan blogosphere.

"I am excited to return to my roots and have the opportunity to lead our talented Walt Disney World Resort cast," Kalogridis said in a prepared statement distributed by Disney. "I look forward to again working with my Florida-based colleagues and reconnecting with Central Florida's community and business leaders."

[BrerGnat]

Not thrilled about the replacement for DL. The guy who is responsible for the Yeti still being down...now in charge of Disneyland? Great...

[TinkerbellT421]

Not thrilled about the replacement for DL. The guy who is responsible for the Yeti still being down...now in charge of Disneyland? Great...

I'm also concerned about the guy being now in charge of DVC. Used to be in charge of Sports and Downtown Disney? Oh great, now even more stores will start popping up instead of DVC rooms and hotels lol. Maybe rip out OKW and make it a shopping mall? lol

But, I'm a little excited to see the VP of DL to head over here, sounds like we may begin to see the repairs and changes we need to see and he sounds like just the person to make that happen!

[Butters]

Sounds promising but he is still reporting to the person who caused many of the issues at WDW... Wonder if his hands will get tied

[Ian]

Sounds promising but he is still reporting to the person who caused many of the issues at WDW... Wonder if his hands will get tiedThat was my thought, as well.

[Jared]

Not thrilled about the replacement for DL. The guy who is responsible for the Yeti still being down...now in charge of Disneyland? Great...
It is unfair and inaccurate to say that Michael Colglazier is responsible for the broken yeti. That problem goes well beyond his authority and really starts with Imagineering. To blame the Animal Kingdom vice president is to simplify an extremely complex issue.

Those who know Colglazier has good thing to say about him -- and I'm talking about people who are in the position to speak candidly about him.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Lets hope this will be the beginning of an era of repairs, rehabs, and park expansions just like he did in DL :thumbsup:

Burbank is fully aware of the path TDO has taken... it took a lower than normal spring break attendance and lower than normal summer hotel occupancy rate, oh a a certain boy wizard who for two years has been kicking the mouse's tail to wake Burbank up and pay attention... Burbank is stepping in...


Sounds promising but he is still reporting to the person who caused many of the issues at WDW... Wonder if his hands will get tied

Meg Crofton is more of only a figure head at this point... I wouldn't worry too much about who George K is reporting to... Burbank is wielding all the power until TDO is cleansed...

[Tink1]

Burbank is wielding all the power until TDO is cleansed...

Please, Please, Please let this be true!

Nanc

[Butters]

Meg Crofton is more of only a figure head at this point... I wouldn't worry too much about who George K is reporting to... Burbank is wielding all the power until TDO is cleansed...

I know this is life in corporate America today but how sad is it that she will collecting her millions to be a figure head while they lay off 100's of hard working employees. :ack:

[DizneyFreak2002]

Please, Please, Please let this be true!

Nanc

it is true... The shroud has been removed.. TDO can no longer hide its business practices... Now, will things change over night? Nope... Things may still get worse before they get better... But Burbank knows the deal... They know how WDW has been abused and neglected by TDO for the good portion of 10 years, maybe more... They saw how money saved from cutting maintenance, and raising prices while lowering offerings, were done only to pad the bottom line (and executive bonuses)... They see the outdated rides, stale parks, decreasing hotel occupancy, and yes, declining spending... They could only blame the economy so much, especially when Universal has seen SKYROCKETING jumps in merchandise sales (thanks to the boy wizard)... They are scared... They know they lost a lot of the market share in Orlando... And will lose more before anything ever comes to fruition in WDW... Good times are ahead, just expect things to get worse (especially this next gen nonsense) before you see a turn around...


I know this is life in corporate America today but how sad is it that she will collecting her millions to be a figure head while they lay off 100's of hard working employees. :ack:

Yep... While I have ragged on her before, she was also blamed for a lot of things that were out of her control, so some of it may have been unfair... She had no business running the resort, that much is evident... But, she isn't a moron either, just was put into the wrong position... She has done stuff to hurt WDW, though a lot of it came from Weiss...

There is some more to the story about why she was kept on, but I honestly am not comfortable sharing it, in public anyway, because I don't know how true the story is.. I trust the guy who shares the information, he really knows his stuff, but since this is part of the inner politics of the company, there is no way to really prove it, ya know? I'll just say, it isn't bad or malicious, or degrading to anyone...