Millions of people likely see Herschend Family Entertainment theme parks annually, but considerably fewer might know the inner workings of the Branson- and Atlanta-based company’s parks.
That could change after Sunday.
Joel Manby, president and CEO of Herschend Family Entertainment, will be the CEO to go undercover on the next episode of the CBS reality show “Undercover Boss,” which airs at 8 p.m. Sunday on KOLR-10.
The proposal was presented to Herschend Family Entertainment last fall, according to Brad Thomas, senior vice president for Silver Dollar City, one of the Herschend Family Entertainment properties.
"After a lot of conversation and discussion, we agreed to actually participate so we’ve known now for almost six months," Thomas said. "We’ve all had to keep our mouths shut.” Thomas noted that there were about six people who knew the full story.
The biggest reason for agreeing to do the show is the publicity it brings to the company’s parks.
“An hour’s worth of television programming on CBS is significant,” Thomas said. “The full hour is not all about Branson, but it is about Herschend Family Entertainment and that all started with Silver Dollar City.”
The premise of the show, according to the CBS Web site, is that CEOs go undercover inside their own companies working at various jobs.
CBS film crews followed the stories of five employees at four Herschend parks: Adventure Aquarium, Philadelphia; Stone Mountain Park, Atlanta; Showboat Branson Belle and two at Silver Dollar City, both in Branson.
Thomas couldn’t divulge details about the five individuals’ stories, but
click here to catch a preview of the show.
“We’re excited that Silver Dollar City and Showboat (Branson Belle) end up on national television so folks that are watching CBS in Little Rock, Dallas or Tulsa or Milwaukee, they’ll all see that program," Thomas said. "It certainly doesn’t hurt that it’s about the time of the year when Mom makes the decision about where she’s going to vacation,” Thomas said.
Herschend Family Entertainment owns and operates 26 properties, including Ride the Ducks and Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede, across the country.[[In-content Ad]]
