Disney World - The Online Guide

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Biographies

Al Weiss - President, Walt Disney World Resort

Al Weiss serves as president of the number-one vacation destination in the world -- the Walt Disney World Resort. He began his impressive 28-year Disney career in 1972 as an hourly cast member and worked his way up through a variety of roles, eventually holding senior leadership positions in both the Resorts and Finance divisions. He rose to the company’s top post in 1994.

Today the Walt Disney World Resort is the largest single-site employer in the nation, with a work force of more than 56,000 cast members. Weiss is responsible for the entire 47-square-mile operation, which includes four theme parks, two water parks, 18 resorts, five Disney Vacation Club properties, five championship golf courses, Disney’s Wide World of Sports, Disney Cruise Line and the Downtown Disney area. Weiss also oversees all the company’s support functions, including Entertainment, Finance, Marketing and Sales, and all future attraction, resort and theme park development. He reports to Paul Pressler, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.
In his role, Weiss has directed the largest resort expansion in Walt Disney World history, overseen the successful opening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, initiated the launch of Disney Cruise Line, and led the property’s 25th Anniversary Celebration and the Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration.
He has received the Pop Warner organization’s most prestigious national award -- the Warner Award -- for achieving excellence in athletics, scholarship and life’s endeavors with integrity and humanity. Weiss has also been named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International and has been designated as a distinguished alumnus by his alma mater, the University of Central Florida -- the same institution that inducted him into its Business Hall of Fame. The National Conference for Community and Justice named him the 2001 Humanitarian of the Year, honoring his work to promote respect and understanding among all races, religions and cultures.
Weiss serves on the UCF Foundation Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, is chairman of the Foundation’s Investment Committee and is involved in the Central to our Future Campaign. His commitment to higher education extends to Stetson University, where he sits on the Board of Trustees and the Athletic and Finance committees. He is active in the community, serving on the Florida Council of 100, the Osceola County Tourist Development Council, the Orange County Minority/Women Business Enterprise Alliance and the Give Kids the World Advisory Board. Because of his support of the Heart of Florida United Way, he is a member of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society.
Within the company, the community and the corporate world, Weiss is known for his passion for providing an unparalleled experience for each and every guest, taking the business to new heights year after year, and creating a world-class work environment for all cast members. Under his guidance, the Walt Disney World Resort has been named one of the top 10 family-friendly companies in Central Florida for the last five years.
An advocate of maintaining balance in life, Weiss makes his family and his faith the top priorities. He is very involved in his church, where he has served as a deacon, worship team leader, chairman of the building committee and Sunday school teacher. At home, he has been an avid Little League coach in years past, and enjoys playing basketball and golf with friends and family.
A native of Chicago, Ill., Weiss is a graduate of the University of Central Florida. He received his MBA from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. He and his wife, Doreen, have two children, Randi and Jason, and live in Kissimmee, Fla.

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