Eugene Naughton

Short biography

Eugene Naughton, a true stalwart of the theme park industry, has dedicated his career to some of the largest and most renowned attraction companies. His journey began while pursuing a degree in culinary management from Radford University in Radford, Virginia. Despite the distance, he would travel backand forth to his hometown of Richmond, Virginia, to work at Paramount’s Kings Dominion, showcasing his unwavering commitment to the industry. Putting his degree to work after graduation, Naughton moved up through the culinary positions at Kings Dominion before earning the title of Vice President of In-Park Services. His next move—which kept him with Paramount—saw him in a dual role overseeing revenue for the Charlotte, North Carolina-based company while working at Paramount’s Carowinds in Charlotte. Naughton spent an impressive 19 years with Paramount Parks and was with the company when Ohio-based Cedar Fair bought it. Seeing the opportunity for change in 2006, Naughton seized a chance to join Six Flags at the corporate level, where his focus was on in-park revenue-building strategies. During his last four years at Six Flags,he led international development and was responsible for designing and building parks in the UAE, China, and Saudi Arabia. Naughton spent 14 years at Six Flags before he was approached with anopportunity to join The Dollywood Company. Naughton's strategic vision and leadership have been instrumental in steering The Dollywood Company through the challenges of the global pandemic. Naughton earned his MBA in Strategic Leadership from the University of Tennessee in 2022. His meticulous attention to detail and unwavering efforts have positioned the company for continued success. In a significant move, Naughton and DollywoodDreamer-in-Chief Dolly Parton announced a 10-year, $500 million investment strategy in June 2021. This visionary plan will see multiple resort properties and attractions added by the end of the decade, setting a promising course for the company's future. The first projects in this ambitious investment campaign, Dollywood’s Big Bear Mountain Coaster and The HeartSong Lodge & Resort, were opened in 2023.