Family Fun Is Job #1

(From The Newark Star-Ledger -- By Maryann Spoto)

At a gift shop at SIX FLAGS GREAT ADVENTURE this week,
a gangly, bare-chested young man asked SIX FLAGS Chief Executive MARK SHAPIRO how to get to the KINGDA KA roller coaster.

New to the job and the theme park in Jackson Township (NJ), Shapiro wasn't quite sure, but quickly beckoned an assistant to guide the patron on his way.

"Excuse me, sir," Shapiro called, walking quickly after him.
"I know it's hot, but would you please put your shirt on?"

It was a park policy that, like others, hadn't really been enforced until Shapiro, dressed in a suit and tie, showed up at Great Adventure Monday for his most recent visit since taking over as Six Flags' CEO last December.

Among his top priorities -- create a more family-friendly atmosphere.

Shapiro's mission extends well beyond Great Adventure.

As the boss of all 30 Six Flags theme parks, he's been charged with breathing new life into a company suffering from slumping attendance, declining revenue and widening losses.

Family Fun Is Job #1