Going bold with Boldman

Bio blast: Carrie Boldman Carrie Boldman is Cedar Point's new vice president and general manager. She becomes the first woman to serve in this position in the amusement park's 151-year history. Provided photo/CEDAR POINT • Position: Cedar Point's new vice president and general manager • Experience: Worked for Cedar Point as a seasonal associate for six years and now enters her ninth year in an executive role; Previously employed with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. • Family: Mother to two teenage daughters, Lily and Mia • Favorite park ride: Millennium Force • Favorite park souvenirs: Leather hand-stitched purse covered in beads and a blue vinyl paper notebook, items she received as a child that she still keeps in her office today SANDUSKY — With each passing tunnel and hill, the joy and subsequent bond between two loved ones reached new heights. "I can still hear her laughter when we rode it," said Carrie Boldman, who vividly recounted treasured childhood moments she shared with her grandmother, Buelah, on Cedar Point's Cedar Creek Mine Ride. "Grandma, in her polyester pantsuit, rode it with me," Boldman said with a wide smile. "It is one of my best memories." Now Boldman, in her new park position, can help provide cheerful experiences others can remember for life. And, just as importantly, she wants to witness them. Earlier this month, amusement park executives named Boldman the new vice president and general manager of Cedar Point. She's the amusement park's top employee, overseeing day-to-day operations. Board members cited her passion for family entertainment coupled with years of dedication in the industry as two underlying reasons why she deserves to become Cedar Point's new No. 1 employee. "Carrie is a talented leader with an impressive track record in product development and design," said Tim Fisher, chief operating officer of Cedar Fair, Cedar Point's parent company. "We are confident that her skills and experience will help build on Cedar Point's rich legacy of creating memorable experiences for the millions of guests who visit the park each year." The announcement came with much fanfare, with literally hundreds congratulating Boldman, a 1979 Huron High School graduate. "It's been overwhelming, and I'm grateful for the opportunity," said Boldman, a self-admitted lifelong fan of Cedar Point who still lives in Huron today with her two teenage daughters, Lily and Mia. Boldman previously served as Cedar Point's vice president of merchandise and games. She succeeds Jason McClure, who was promoted to senior vice president of park operations at Cedar Fair. "As someone who grew up coming to Cedar Point and spent six years working here as a seasonal associate, I am tremendously proud to have the opportunity to lead this talented team," Boldman said. "The park has been a vital part of the Sandusky community for 150 years, and I look forward to forging even stronger connections with our guests through fun, immersive experiences." Q&A Boldman sat down with the Register for an exclusive one-on-one interview Thursday at Hotel Breakers. She answered various questions about her role and delved deeper into her passion for Cedar Point: Q: Can you share with us a little bit more about your professional background? CB: I attended Ohio University after high school and then moved to the Cleveland area and started my career with a company that was called the May Co. It's now Macy's, which was a big department store in downtown Cleveland. Then, one day, I received a call from a headhunter for a position at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in Orlando, Florida. I spent 16 years there, and I was in the product development and product design area. I worked on a team that designed and developed all of the products that we sold at the theme parks. I was the souvenir product designer: from autograph books to keychains and magnets and sort of everything in between. I touched almost all of the product, in some way, at the park resort. While working at Disney, I also spent three years living and working in Tokyo, Japan, and I opened the second theme park in Tokyo called Tokyo DisneySea. I had a three-year stint there and continued to work for Disney. I also adopted both of my children while I worked there. As a child, I had experienced Disney. My parents (Merle and Sue) took us, as a family there. They are a big brand, and they are obviously known for their product and their service, and I just thought it was a great opportunity to get experience with a big company. Q: Before this recent promotion, what's your other work experience with Cedar Point and/or Cedar Fair? Carrie Boldman, a 1979 Huron High School graduate, worked for six seasons as a Cedar Point seasonal associate during her teenage and young adult years. Provided photo/CEDAR POINT CB: This will be my ninth season in an executive role. I also worked here (as a teenager and young adult) as a seasonal associate for six years. It's a great place to work. It's one reason why I have an affinity for this strong local business. I came back to Cedar Fair as the corporate vice president of retail. I was responsible for the strategy and the business for all of the merchandise and the games across the company. I have been to all of our parks, multiple times. Q: How will your areas of expertise best prepare you for your new role? CB: I am a local born and raised in the area. I came back to raise my family here. I personally have a lot of history with Cedar Point and a lot of history with the community. It's very important to me. I feel that amusement parks are in my blood. The business is so interesting. With retail, we tell stories with the product that we sell. We are always telling the Cedar Point story with the product that we create. We are always connecting with the guests and delivering quality experiences for them so they can take home that tangible memory. Anybody who comes to Cedar Point, even a child or an adult, you have these memories. I think about memories of when I was a kid, growing up and coming here. That is what we do at Cedar Point: Our purpose is to make people happy. I feel I'm uniquely qualified to keep that tradition alive. Q: In your new role, what do you believe is the most important objective? CB: At the end of the day, it comes down to the people: the people who come work with us and the people who come to visit us. We run a people business, and I think it's really important, to me, that associates have an amazing experience and the guests have an amazing experience. Cedar Point does a great job of that, and it's something that we are going to continue to innovate on, both with the associates and the guests. We want to make sure we are delivering the high expectations people have for the park. Q: You're also making history, becoming the first woman general manager in Cedar Point's 151-year history. What does that mean to you? CB: Being the general manager of Cedar Point, the best amusement park in the world, is a great honor and privilege — and to be the first woman in the position is certainly icing on the cake. I had a friend who called me. She said, "Congratulations. You've broken the cotton candy ceiling." She really put it in context, being the first woman in the role with the park. We have amazing female leaders at the corporate level and at Cedar Point. I'm glad to be among them. For my daughters and all young people, and especially young females, I want people to know nothing is out of reach. Even if it hasn't been done before, anything that they want to do, if they work hard enough and persevere, that opportunity can come your way. Q: Your daughters also work at Cedar Point. What's that like? CB: My younger daughter (Mia, a freshman who attends Huron High School) works in park services. She sweeps and cleans patios. And my older daughter Lily (a freshman at Ashland University) worked at Bay Harbor, and, this year, she'll be working in resort activities. They don't need to work here because I work here. They're happy to work here and certainly not forced to do so. I am glad that they are here though. Cedar Point is a great place to work. Q: What do you see as a top priority for Cedar Point in 2021? CB: My No. 1 goal is to continue delivering high-quality, safe entertainment for the whole family. I would also say really getting to know all of our associates this year and really connecting with the guests. Q: This year, Cedar Point will celebrate its 150th anniversary. Why is that a big deal? CB: 150 years in business is a major milestone for any business and particularly for the amusement park business. We are so beloved by everybody, which is why we have kept this business running. Anytime you have this support, and people love this product so much, it's worth celebrating. That is a big deal. Q: Looking ahead, over the next five years, specifically, what else would you like to improve upon? CB: Continue to deliver an excellent guest experience and associate experience. I also want to continue to build out our entire property and really be that place where people want to be for their summer vacations and spend their summers on the shores of Lake Erie in Sandusky. Editor's note: Cedar Point intends to release rules and guidelines applying to COVID-19 in the coming days. For questions relating to specific inquiries about new rides, attractions and more. Boldman said, "At Cedar Point, nothing is off-limits. We take suggestions, and we take ideas. We look and see how people are experiencing the park. That's how we make decisions to enhance our current product."