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Get filing alertsSix Flags appoints Mark Pauls as COO to drive operational efficiency and profitability
Filed July 2, 2026 · Period ending July 1, 2026 · ~1 min read
Key Changes
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Mark Pauls appointed COO effective July 15, 2026, bringing nearly 50 years of theme park experience including recent role leading Palace Entertainment's operational efficiency and cost reduction initiatives that improved EBITDA performance.
Item 5.02 — Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Compensation verify on EDGAR → -
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Tim Fisher stepping down as COO on July 15, 2026, transitioning to Special Advisor role through December 15, 2026, per previously disclosed June 25, 2026 employment agreement amendment indicating planned succession.
Item 5.02 — Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Compensation verify on EDGAR → -
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Pauls' compensation includes $600,000 base salary, 90% target bonus ($540,000), and $1.56 million annual equity grants under three-year employment agreement, totaling approximately $2.7 million target annual compensation.
Item 5.02 — Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Compensation verify on EDGAR →
Summary
Six Flags has appointed Mark Pauls as Chief Operating Officer effective July 15, 2026, replacing Tim Fisher who will serve as Special Advisor through December 2026. The transition appears planned, as Fisher's departure was contemplated in a June 25, 2026 employment agreement amendment disclosed prior to this announcement. Pauls brings extensive theme park operations experience, most recently as Senior Vice President of Operations at Herschend Family Entertainment where he led Palace Entertainment's integration following its December 2025 acquisition.
In his prior role as VP of Operations at Palace Entertainment, he developed operational efficiency and cost reduction initiatives that improved profitability and EBITDA performance. CEO John Reilly emphasized that Pauls was selected to enhance operational rigor and build a more resilient company with stronger financial performance, suggesting Six Flags is prioritizing operational excellence and margin improvement under new leadership.
Section-by-Section Diff
Event · Exhibit 99.1
Added in current filing · verify on EDGAR →
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: FUN) (“Six Flags” or the “Company”), North America’s largest regional amusement park operator, today announced the appointment of Mark Pauls as Chief Operating Officer, effective July 15, 2026. Pauls succeeds Tim Fisher, who will serve as a Special Advisor to the Company through December 15, 2026, to ensure a smooth transition.
Six Flags has appointed Mark Pauls as Chief Operating Officer effective July 15, 2026. Pauls brings nearly five decades of entertainment industry experience, most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Operations at Herschend Family Entertainment. He succeeds Tim Fisher, who will transition to a Special Advisor role through December 15, 2026.
Added in current filing · view on EDGAR →
Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Operations at Herschend Family Entertainment, where he played a key role in the integration of Palace Entertainment. Prior to its December 2025 acquisition by Herschend Family Entertainment, Pauls was the Vice President of Operations at Palace Entertainment. In that role, he oversaw the operations of the company’s nationwide portfolio and developed and directed operational efficiency and cost reduction initiatives that resulted in improved profitability and enhanced EBITDA performance.
Pauls has extensive operational experience in the theme park industry, including leading Palace Entertainment's operations where he drove operational efficiency and cost reduction initiatives that improved profitability and EBITDA performance. He also played a key role in Palace Entertainment's integration into Herschend Family Entertainment following its December 2025 acquisition.
Added in current filing · view on EDGAR →
Mark is a results-driven executive with deep experience in the theme park industry and a proven track record of instilling operational rigor, driving profitability and delivering exceptional guest experiences. He understands that strong operational execution not only enhances business performance, but also creates a better experience for our guests through improved reliability, service and overall park quality. We are confident he is the right leader to help us bolster our operating model and build a more resilient company with a stronger financial position to drive value creation for shareholders.
CEO John Reilly emphasized that Pauls was selected to enhance operational excellence and improve performance. The company is focused on bolstering its operating model to build a more resilient company with a stronger financial position and drive shareholder value creation through improved operational rigor and profitability.
Event · Item 5.02 — Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Compensation
Six Flags announced COO Tim Fisher's departure and the appointment of Mark Pauls as new COO effective July 15, 2026.
Added in current filing · verify on EDGAR →
On July 1, 2026, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (the “Company”) announced Tim Fisher’s departure from the role of Chief Operating Officer of the Company, effective July 15, 2026. Mr. Fisher will remain with the Company through December 15, 2026 in the role of Special Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer, as contemplated in his previously disclosed employment agreement amendment with the Company dated June 25, 2026.
Tim Fisher is stepping down as Chief Operating Officer effective July 15, 2026, but will remain with the company as Special Advisor to the CEO through December 15, 2026. This transition was previously contemplated in an employment agreement amendment dated June 25, 2026, suggesting an orderly planned departure rather than an abrupt exit.
Added in current filing · verify on EDGAR →
On July 2, 2026, the Company also announced the appointment of Mark Pauls as Chief Operating Officer of the Company, effective July 15, 2026. Mr. Pauls, age 63, has served from December 2025 to the present as Senior Vice President of Operations at Herschend Family Entertainment. As Senior Vice President of Operations, Mr. Pauls was responsible for the coordination of operations, retail, food and beverage, engineering and maintenance, workforce management, and entertainment events for Herschend’s regional amusement parks.
Mark Pauls, age 63, will become COO on July 15, 2026. He brings extensive theme park operations experience, most recently as Senior Vice President of Operations at Herschend Family Entertainment since December 2025, where he coordinated operations across multiple functional areas for regional amusement parks. His background includes leadership roles at SeaWorld, Palace Entertainment, and Kennywood spanning over three decades in the amusement park industry.
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Added in current filing · verify on EDGAR →
In the event of involuntary termination by the Company without Cause or by Mr. Pauls for Good Reason (each as defined in the employment agreement), Mr. Pauls would be entitled to (i) a cash payment equal to two times the sum of his base salary and target annual incentive award, payable in installments, (ii) any unpaid annual incentive award for the year prior to the year of termination, (iii) a pro-rata annual incentive award for the year in which termination occurs, (iv) reimbursement or cash payment equal to the cost of participation in the Company’s group medical plans for 18 months, and (v) any outstanding equity awards that are scheduled to vest within the 18-month period following termination shall become fully vested with performance-based awards subject to achieving performance goals.
If terminated without cause or if Pauls resigns for good reason, he would receive two times his base salary plus target bonus, plus unpaid and pro-rated bonuses, 18 months of medical benefits, and accelerated vesting of equity awards scheduled to vest within 18 months. In a change-of-control scenario within 18 months of termination, all outstanding equity awards would vest immediately.
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Figures/quotes linked to EDGAR · Narrative written by AI · Jul 3, 2026 · How we verify