Matt Ouimet Joins Board of Herschend

As U.S.-based operator Herschend faces a new era after recent acquisitions of parks including Kennywood, Lake Compounce, and Silverwood, a new partner joined their board of directors: Matt Ouimet.

Previously serving in key leadership roles in the attractions industry, including president of Disney Cruise Line, president of the Disneyland Resort, and CEO of Cedar Fair, Ouimet’s transformational legacy and humble character is cited as the perfect match for Herschend’s board of directors. Chris Herschend, third-generation owner and board chair of Herschend, spoke exclusively with IAAPA News on Wednesday to discuss the importance of Ouimet’s appointment as the operator continues its path of creating memories worth repeating.

“We reached out to Matt originally as a resource for our board,” Chris Herschend tells IAAPA News. “We always bring in speakers to board meetings throughout the year as an educational resource. Our board is made up of non-industry people, dominated by our independent directors—which by design are from outside the industry.”

What served as an educational introduction grew into an idea to have Ouimet join Herschend’s board of directors. “We spent several months kind of wooing him,” Chris Herschend explains. “The fact that he [Ouimet] wasn't looking for this, or campaigning, was one of the things that made him so appealing,” Herschend says of why Ouimet was identified as a board candidate. “He's a driver, a thinker, a hard worker. He commands the respect of everybody he works with.”
 

A Respected Leader

Ouimet is well-known in the attractions industry for his transformational leadership in the positions that he led, such as leading Disneyland through an era of rejuvenation for the park’s 50th anniversary and re-centering Cedar Point back to its core identity as a beachside resort, where he led an extensive renovation of the then 110-year-old Hotel Breakers in 2015. Today, the resort retains its 1900s era charm while serving as a modern facility sporting 669 rooms that drives solid incremental revenue. 

As Herschend brings their recent acquisitions into the family, Ouimet’s experience can help them lead them into their next era. “Matt is a perfect match for running a complex, multi-site business, just a perfect fit,” Chris Herschend explains.“He's used to the leadership challenges, the environmental challenges, the governance, all of it. Matt’s seen it all.”

Through leading attractions, both Herschend and Ouimet recognize the importance of putting local heritage first and at the forefront of a park’s identity. “The most important thing is the local guest,” Herschend says. “Nobody at corporate matters more than what a local guest sees and touches, and so we think a lot about the things that are really important and … branding, guest experience [should] stay as local as possible.”

The Importance of a Board of Directors

Matt Ouimet’s appointment is the latest keystone in the importance of the Herschend board in continuing to grow the company, while staying aligned with core values. “We had all kinds of things that have helped [the company] over the years,” Chris Herschend reflects, emphasizing the importance of leaning upon the expertise of a board of directors, especially in a family-owned business. 

Chris Herschend says the board empowers his family to still see transformational change following the leadership of founders Jack and Pete Herschend. “Thirty years down the road now, and we can still see a growth, healthy growth pattern that's consistent with our culture, consistent with our values, and across four, non-family CEOs over the last 30 years,” Herschend shares.
 

Additional Expansion Opportunities

In addition to the appointment of Ouimet, Chris Herschend shared exclusively with Funworld how he sees additional growth as integral to the near future of the company—but not without reason—and not without the backing of Herschend’s board of directors. 

“When you see a good one [attraction] that aligns, we're absolutely going to be interested,” Herschend shares about potential future investments. “We are not going to finance a binge with excessive debt, or crazy financial engineering. That's the very kind of thing our board really helps us to think through. CEO Andrew Wexler or I may have eyes that might be bigger than our stomach, but they're [the board] always going to bring us back to a healthy, disciplined reality.”

As Herschend continues to grow into its next era, the Herschend family and the board of directors stand strong and committed to the future of the attractions industry. Chris Herschend, who will become chairman of the IAAPA Board of Directors at IAAPA Expo in 2027, provides advice for other attractions operators. “I would encourage anybody in this industry to think about what it takes to be in growth mode,” he says, once again emphasizing the importance of the disciplined growth of a business and insight from a trustworthy board. “A steady, controlled, healthy growth mode is really good for team members, leaders, guests, lenders, and investors—everybody in the communities we serve. Everybody benefits.”