The activity level changed dramatically, but any time we decided to get involved with an acquisition of an animal, or a disposition of an animal, I would just simply take it to my boss, John, and others who succeeded him, and just said, “Here’s what I’m doing, here’s why. I… Read More
Now, this new position, it’s, again, all over the United States?… Read More
It is, the animals were at Busch Gardens Tampa and Busch Gardens Williamsburg, the three SeaWorld parks, ’cause Ohio now had closed. We built Discovery Cove in the early ’90s. Aquatica has animals, now across the street here in Orlando. So there are animals at all those locations. Read More
I mean, you’re the top guy now. Well, the responsibilities just got more intense. I mean, there was more meetings and more contacts and more responsibility, obviously, ’cause you’re now the one being called at four in the morning and seven at night and ten at night and things like… Read More
And as the new zoological director, do you have a voice in animal acquisitions now?… Read More
I don’t remember a notebook. I don’t know. I know he said good luck a lot of times, but I can’t remember or recall that he gave me a notebook. Okay, well, I just wanted to jump ahead ’cause you mentioned his name. But just to back up, you become… Read More
And was this, again, Ed Asper leaves?… Read More
You raised your hand, or?… Read More
No, John Roberts just called me and said, “You’re it.” And I said, “Okay.” “You’re gonna be zoological director of operations,” and I said, “Okay.” And did your responsibilities change?… Read More
And we walk up, and I kind of thought, “Well, what’s going on here?” And everybody was really quiet for a minute. And the curator kept saying, “Well, they’re not building the overhang for the monkeys, and different than the way I wanted it done.” And I go, “Well.” And… Read More
And then, a short time later, a couple of years later, Jerry decided that was it so he went to retire. So we put somebody else down there. But, still, my introduction to that group was fun. And they were good people. Read More
Did he leave you a notebook?… Read More
And when people are sitting there watching it and there’s this classical music, I’m thinking, “This is pretty cool.” And then they’d go across the water together. And then they’d separate again into three groups and four groups. And I’m watching this thinking, “This is phenomenal. These birds are doing… Read More
And, again, that’s an idea you found somewhere else in the world and you shared it with somebody and just said, “Come on, we can do this, can’t we?” And so it was that kind of growth and that type of comradery that made it work. Now, I’m going to… Read More
leaves, and he gives you a notebook with a note that says, “Good luck.” True? And what was in the notebook?… Read More
Well, (chuckles) it was sort of an ironic situation. Ed had left. (objects clattering) (door slams) Ed had left in ’91, and so I then was elevated to the top. And John Roberts, who was running Busch Entertainment, asked me at that time, he said, “Can you go down to… Read More
Well, there was different people that were running Busch Entertainment Corporation that were running the whole corporation. So Ed worked for the CEO of the corporation, and then I worked for Ed. And then Jerry Lentz from Busch Gardens retired, down in Busch Gardens in Tampa, so Ed was asked… Read More
That was new territory for you?… Read More
It was, it was new territory. It was new animals, but, again, it was, to me, the same him kinds of issues. It was people. You had to deal with the people first, find out what the relationship was with the animals, and try and provide the best practices with… Read More
It was really fun to work with them. As we were walking over here, I pointed out to you the little flamingo parade. Well, when I was in Japan years ago, I was at a park and they had this flamingo show where you’d sit down and they played classical… Read More