Richard A. Zimmerman, president and CEO of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, will step down from his role by the end of 2025, the company announced today. Zimmerman will remain in his position until a successor is named and will continue serving on the company’s board of directors during the leadership transition.
Zimmerman, who has led the company through the transformative merger of legacy Cedar Fair and Six Flags in July 2024, has spent nearly four decades in the amusement park industry. His tenure includes key leadership roles dating back to his start at Paramount Parks in 1987.
“Richard has successfully led Six Flags through a period of significant evolution, with a clear vision to optimize the Company to deliver greater value to our guests, associates, and shareholders,” said Executive Chairman Selim Bassoul in a statement. “Despite recent economic uncertainty and weather headwinds, we are confident Six Flags has the right strategy in place to drive meaningful long-term growth.”
The Six Flags board has launched a search for Zimmerman’s successor with the help of a global executive search firm. Both internal and external candidates will be considered.
Reflecting on his time with the company, Zimmerman said it has been an honor to lead through periods of transformation in the industry. “We have made significant progress on our integration efforts and cost synergy goals,” he said. “There remains an immense opportunity to further optimize the portfolio and unlock the full value of the Company’s unique assets and intellectual property.”
Bassoul said the board is committed to a smooth transition and praised Zimmerman for continuing to support the company during the CEO search. “We are focused on identifying a strong leader with a proven track record of operating successfully at scale while defining and executing a growth strategy driven by innovation, operational excellence, and world-class talent development.”
Six Flags, the largest regional theme park operator in North America, trades on the NYSE under the ticker symbol FUN.
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