Guests: Sara Seay, Vice President of Administration, Sales & Marketing, Premier Rides Chloe Hausfeld, Director of Marketing & Business Development, JRA Katrina Verweel, Tradeshow & Events Manager, WhiteWater Dennis Speigel welcomes three

Episode 25: Ash Smart talks about European family park operations

Sep 9th, 2021 1h 3m

Dennis Speigel welcomes Ash Smart, Chief Financial Officer at Harbour Park in the United Kingdom. Ash’s family has owned and operated the park since 1977, but the family link to the entertainment industry spans back to 1910 with a single-hand c

Episode 24: Two seasoned leisure industry veterans discuss USA and global industry matters.

Aug 25th, 2021 1h 8m

Guests: Chip Cleary, Senior Consultant at Europa Park and Rob Norris, President of Seabreeze Amusement ParkDennis Speigel welcomes two seasoned industry veterans who share their unique insights and experiences as globally renowned amusement op

A leading waterpark safety and operating expert discusses current trends, global waterpark safety programs, and issues that will shape the future.

Aug 11th, 2021 1h 5m

Dennis Speigel leads a discussion in global trends in the waterpark sector of our industry, specifically relating to waterpark operations as part of tourist-based resorts. Joining the podcast is Chris Perry, current VP of Resort Operations at B

Episode 22: What a leading operator of multiple amusement facilities has learned in the last 18 months and how to be properly positioned for future success

Jul 15th, 2021 1h 5m

Guest: John Reilly - COO, Palace Entertainment Dennis Speigel welcomes industry veteran, John Reilly. John is Chief Operating Officer of Palace Entertainment. He has more than 30 years of experience in the amusement industry, starting with

Episode 21: Three leading manufacturers provide collective insight with a unique glimpse on the future of the rides and attractions business.

Jun 30th, 2021 1h 4m

Guests: Sascha Czibulka Executive Vice President and Managing Director INTAMIN RIDES Kelven Tan Vice President, Business Development Asia DYNAMIC ATTRACTIONS Valerio Ferrari Chief Sales Officer ANTONIO ZAMPERLA AMUSEMENT GROUP Dennis Spei

Episode 20: The legend behind the beloved Garfield the Cat cartoon character..........Jim Davis

Jun 17th, 2021 1h 2m

SHOW LESSOn Episode 20 of the ITPS I’M4FUN podcast, Dennis Speigel welcomes Jim Davis, Creator of Garfield the Cat. Garfield debuted in 1978 in 41 US newspapers. Today, Garfield is read in over 2,400 newspapers by 200 million people globally, a

Episode 19: I'M4FUN….A Trip Down “Amusement Park Memory Lane”

Jun 14th, 2021 1h 8m

Reminisce With Dennis, Tim, and Jim as they discuss the history of the Amusement Park and Attractions Industry! Guests: Tim O’Brien and Jim FutrellOn Episode 19 of the ITPS I’M4FUN podcast, Dennis Speigel takes a step back in time to take a

Episode 17: I'M4FUN….”How the Asia-Pacific region continues to be a global amusement industry powerhouse."

Jun 14th, 2021 1h 7m

Guests: Mario Mamon, Chairman and President of the Enchanted Kingdom Theme Park in Manila, Philippines, and Tan Sri Richard Koh, President of the Malaysian Association of Amusement Theme Parks & Family Attractions (MAATFA)Episode 17 of the ITP

Episode 16: I'M4FUN….”Proven and creative strategies for operating a successful human resources program, including J-1 Visa discussion."

Jun 14th, 2021 1h 1m

Guest: Denise Beckson - Senior Executive, Morey’s PiersEpisode 16 of the ITPS I’M4FUN with Dennis Speigel welcomes Denise Beckson, Senior Executive with the Morey Organization (Morey’s Piers). Family owned and operated since 1969, Morey’s Pier

Episode 15: I'M4FUN...."A strategic discussion on the Global Leisure Industry......what to plan, look for, and act upon."

Jun 14th, 2021 1h 4m

Guest: Andreas Andersen - CEO & President of LisebergAndreas Andreas is the CEO and President of the Liseberg Group in Sweden, which operates one of Scandinavia’s most visited amusement parks. Andreas has a strong amusement industry background

Episode 14: I'M4FUN...."Two respected South/Latin America leaders discuss the positives and negatives of 2020’s impact on the leisure industry and share their forecast for the future."

Jun 14th, 2021 1h 8m

Dennis Speigel welcomes two very special guests from South America, Gerardo Arteaga Jr. of Chile and Marcelo Gutglas of Brazil, to the ITPS I’M4FUN Podcast. These two long-time industry veterans have spearheaded the development and growth of th

EPISODE 13: A perspective on product changes, consumer expectations, and safety in the amusement and waterpark industry

Jun 14th, 2021 1h 5m

The special guest for this I'M4FUN podcast is Franceen Gonzales, Chief Experience Officer with WhiteWater West Industries. Franceen’s background in senior roles with Great Wolf Resorts and Six Flags, coupled with her 7+ years with WhiteWater, h

EPISODE 12: Creating a superior guest experience in any leisure venue and how the animal, museum, and attractions segments of our industry are adapting their business model to survive

Feb 24th, 2021 1h 2m

Guest: David Rosenberg - Vice President of Guest Experience at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in CaliforniaDennis Speigel welcomes David Rosenberg, Vice President of Guest Experience at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. David is responsible

EPISODE 11: A look into the global attractions industry in Europe and the Middle East, with unique insight from the supplier side

Feb 24th, 2021 1h 3m

Guest: Jeroen Nijpels - Owner & Managing Director of JNELCDennis Speigel welcomes Jeroen Nijpels, Owner & Manager of JNELC. JNELC is a consultancy company specializing in supplying High-End Attractions and services from various industry suppli

EPISODE 10: The foundations of successful Food and Beverage programs and what the incoming chair of IAAPA envisions for the future

Feb 10th, 2021 1h 5m

Guest: Ken Whiting, President of Whiting’s FoodsThe ITPS I’M4FUN podcast with Dennis Speigel is pleased to welcome Ken Whiting, President of Whiting’s Foods. This special podcast episode focuses on the foundations of successful food and bevera

Episode 9: Pamela Landwirth

Jan 13th, 2021 1h 3m

How “Give Kids the World Village”, a non-profit organization, makes dreams come true with the support of generous donors, community partners, and volunteers, as well as with IAAPA supportGuest: Ms. Pamela Landwirth, President & CEO - Give Kid

Episode 8; I'M4FUN - Richard Zimmerman, Cedar Fair

Dec 16th, 2020 1h 5m

Episode 8: How our leisure industry historically rebounds after significant setbacks; an industry leader’s look at the current status of amusement and theme park operations. Guest: Richard A. Zimmerman, President & CEO of Cedar Fair The IT

I'M4FUN...with Dennis Speigel - Episode 7 - Amanda Thompson, OBE

Dec 3rd, 2020 1h 1m

Episode 7: The Leisure and Attractions Industry in England and in Europe, a short and long term outlook on the road to recovery Guest: Amanda Thompson OBE, Managing Director of Blackpool Pleasure Beach Amanda Thompson OBE, Managing Directo

Episode 6: "How the European Attractions Market has taken steps to address 2020 challenges and seize opportunities for the short and long term……from both an operator and manufacturer perspective."

Nov 23rd, 2020 1h 6m

Guest: Roland Mack, Managing Director at Europa-ParkFor Episode 6, the I’M4FUN Podcast welcomes Mr. Roland Mack, Founder of Europa-Park in Rust, Germany. Roland founded Europa-Park in 1975 with his father, and today Europa-Park is Germany’s l

Episode 5: "Covid has changed our world and created challenges for all of us. Are there opportunities within this environment? Any key learnings from our experiences?"

Nov 5th, 2020 1h 2m

Episode 5: "Covid has changed our world and created challenges for all of us. Are there opportunities within this environment? Any key learnings from our experiences?"Guest: Jane Cooper, President & Chief Operating Officer - Herschend Fami

Episode 4: The Mexican/Latin American Attractions Industry Outlook, Current Status and Short-Long Term Forecast

Oct 21st, 2020 1h 3m

Our special guest for Episode 4 of the ITPS I’m4Fun Podcast is Rene Aziz, CEO & President of Grupo Divertido in Mexico. Dennis and Rene engage in an energetic discussion about the status of the attractions industry in Mexico and Latin America.

Episode 3, Rick Hunter, Global Water Park Changes, Challenges, and Trends

Oct 8th, 2020 1h 3m

Dennis Speigel, Founder & CEO of ITPS and Rick Hunter, Chairman & CEO of ProSlide Technology discuss the continued growth of the waterpark industry, and the shakeouts that have resulted from Covid-19 impacts. Rick provides insights on both dome

I'M4FUN...with Dennis Speigel - Episode 2: Attraction Design Challenges in a New Operating Era

Sep 24th, 2020 1h 4m

Dennis is joined by Keith James, Owner & CEO of JRA, a world-class attraction design company that has planned, designed, and produced hundreds of experiences for international audiences. Listen to Dennis and Keith as they discuss how the design

I'm4Fun...with Dennis Speigel: Episode 1, Jim Seay of Premier Rides

Sep 9th, 2020 1h 7m

For this inaugural ITPS podcast, Dennis is joined by Jim Seay, President & Owner of Premier Rides. Jim is a safety industry expert and a globally respected industry icon. Hear how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted manufacturers and suppliers a