Our local paper, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, had a nice article Monday in the business section about Ed Grier, who most recently was president of Disneyland, but held several posts at WDW. He appears to have included involvement with the development and planning of EPCOT Center as among things he was proud of.
Anyhow, thought you might appreciate the article. The print edition had more pictures, but the link here provides a chance to comment if you wish, also.
Paul
Anyhow, thought you might appreciate the article. The print edition had more pictures, but the link here provides a chance to comment if you wish, also.
Paul
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/business/2010/jun/28/covr28-ar-232952/
Published: June 28, 2010
Ed Grier brings executive perspective to VCU
By JOHN REID BLACKWELL
Though he only recently became an academic, new VCU School of Business Dean Ed Grier says education has always been key.
Though he only recently joined the world of academics, Ed Grier says education has always been central in his life.
The new dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business says it was something his parents stressed when he was growing up in inner-city Atlanta.
"They were very hardworking people and respectful people," Grier said of his father, who worked in construction, and his mother, who was a homemaker. "They always looked at the positives, so I grew up with the attitude that there is a positive side of every situation."
Grier has carried that spirit of learning with him in a career that has included working for a major accounting firm and then for the Walt Disney Co. on three continents and in many roles in accounting and marketing to overseeing a major division.
"In any situation, I think, 'What can I learn from this and how can I use it for the next role that I have?'" he said.
The experience is something Grier wants to share in his new job as dean of the VCU business school. He began in that position in March.
He was chosen from among six finalists selected in October in a search for a successor to Michael Sesnowitz, who retired as dean last year and remains at the school as an economics professor. David Urban, a marketing professor who served as interim dean during the search process, was named executive associate dean.
Grier, 55, is one of three new deans at business schools in the Richmond area. Mirta Martin was named dean of Virginia State University's business school in April after serving in an interim role since July. And Nancy A. Bagranoff, named dean of the University of Richmond's Robins School of Business, starts Aug. 9.
Going into education appealed to Grier when he retired last year as the president of Disneyland Resort, a collection of theme parks and hotels in California that employs 20,000 and generates $2 billion in annual revenue.
"Part of what appealed to me was the idea of giving back what I have learned over the years, and that I could help influence the leaders of tomorrow," he said.
The VCU business school had 3,776 students enrolled in the spring of 2010, and 163 faculty, including full-time, part-time professionals and graduate teaching assistants.
Grier doesn't have the academic background that most deans at universities have -- he has an undergraduate degree but not a master's or doctorate.
But he doesn't see that as a major issue.
"Maybe 15 or 20 years ago, that would have made a difference," he said. "I think [universities] now are looking for leaders of complex organizations. Certainly this is a complex organization, and I have led those before.
"I view it as a great balance," he said. "I am respectful for the great contributions of our Ph.D.s. They have that respect because they have worked hard, and they are brilliant people. I can rely upon their expertise, and they can rely upon my expertise."
The norm in higher education is for deans to have doctorates, but professional schools such as business, law and medical schools do sometimes draw from industry ranks for leadership, said Scott Jaschik, editor of the journal Inside Higher Education.
"In professional schools there tends of be a mix, with some of the faculty and administrators hired for academic credentials and some for practical credentials," Jaschik said. "What will frequently matter in the success of a person coming from outside of academe is how well that person understands how it works and is sensitive to academic prerogatives."
. . .
Grier's long career as a business executive was seen as a fresh perspective for an academic setting, said Steve Markel, chairman of the VCU School of Business Foundation and a member of the dean search committee.
"It certainly set him apart from everybody else," said Markel, vice chairman of Henrico County-based specialty insurance company Markel Corp.
"At Disney he accomplished a great deal, and he understands what it takes to make an organization grow and achieve its mission," Markel said. "I think he is going to be a very entrepreneurial leader."
Grier said he wants to continue to develop many of the positive things that already have been put in place at the school, including a multidisciplinary approach to business education that involves collaboration between the business school and other academic departments at VCU. He wants to continue to build international ties, such as the school's partnership with Christ University in India.
"We have a lot of diversity in the school, and that is a strength," he said.
He also wants to develop even stronger ties with the local business community, through internships and mentoring.
"Local businesses play a big role with our students," he said. "Most of our graduates stay within Virginia."
. . .
Most of Grier's business career was with Disney, but that wasn't what he imagined he would do when he was a boy in Atlanta.
"When I was growing up, I thought I would be a football star," said the former high school quarterback, whose plans to play college football ended with an injury.
Instead, he went to Duquesne University in Pittsburgh on an academic scholarship.
"I didn't know what I wanted to do," he said. "I thought business would be a good option for me. But in business, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, so I settled on accounting."
After graduating, he went to work in 1977 for the accounting firm of Ernst & Young in Pittsburgh, an experience that he describes as "tremendous" -- not just because that's where he met his wife of 30 years, Valerie, who also is a CPA. They have three sons.
"In Pittsburgh, I had a variety of clients, ranging from colleges to steel companies," Grier said. "In going through that process, you learn all the business disciplines and what is important for making them successful."
Though he loved the theory behind accounting and the time he spent with clients learning about their businesses, "in the end, I said 'this is not what I really want to do.'"
Instead, he wanted to do something more on the creative side.
"I knew I wanted something that would be closer to the product and a closer relationship with the end customer."
Also lured by the prospect of living in a warmer climate, Grier headed in 1981 to Orlando, Fla. to take a job as an auditor for Disney.
Grier had been a fan of Disney since childhood. "But who is not a Disney fan in some form or fashion?" he said. "It is a great brand, and an intriguing brand. Whether you like the parks or not, I think there is something about what it does that is magical."
Grier first worked as an auditor for Disney before moving into finance and capital planning. The projects he was involved with included developing and opening Walt Disney World's Epcot Center in 1982.
"You work on a project and actually see it come to life -- it was quite an amazing feeling to see that happen," he said.
He later moved into the marketing division, at a time when Disney was expanding from "a good company into a great behemoth of a company," he said. His work in marketing led to his first overseas assignment as Disney planned the opening of its theme park in France. In 1991, he and Valerie and their three young sons moved to Paris.
"I had never lived abroad before," Grier said. "It was an unbelievable experience living in Paris, and it was great for our kids."
His next international move came in 2004 when he became a managing director at Disney's theme park in Tokyo.
"The best place to live for me would be Tokyo," he said. "It was a wonderful environment, and we loved the culture. We lived on the 39th floor, and, on a clear day, we could look out of our apartment and see Mount Fuji. "
Driving in Tokyo was a different experience, though, especially getting a driver's license.
The driving test involved navigating a narrow, curvy course designed to simulate Tokyo's challenging traffic, with an instructor who was not afraid to point out each driver's weaknesses in front of everyone taking the test that day.
Sixteen prospective drivers took the test that day including Grier and his wife.
"My wife was one of the first and she passed, so the pressure was on," Grier said. Two teenagers took the test just before him and failed.
"Luckily I passed," he said. "But after I got out, the instructor said 'your wife drives better than you.'"
Two years into their time in Tokyo, Grier was offered the job of president of Disneyland Resort in California. He spent three years there, retiring last year after 28 years with the company.
. . .
Now, Grier and his wife are settling into Richmond, a city that Grier says offers a nice change of pace from California.
"I hear people talking about rush hour here, but this is not really rush-hour traffic," he said, smiling.
Grier's office in the business school's Snead Hall holds memorabilia from his career, including photos of him at various Disney parks with people he met during his tenure with the company, including California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former L.A. Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda.
On his window is a stone engraving given to him by a former colleague that offers the advice: "Dream Big; Revise Often."
Grier's advice to students is similar. Take calculated risks and don't be afraid to fail, he said. "Obstacles are going to be out there, but if you are not trying to do that you are just going to stagnate."
As he told an accounting class at the school recently, "You have to find something you love doing and do that, and get good at what you do," he said.
"Finding what you are passionate about is important because work is going to take up a big part of your life, and your family's life. You won't always find it right away, but keep looking for it."
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Contact John Reid Blackwell at (804) 775-8123 or jblackwell@timesdispatch.com.
Ed Grier
Born: Feb. 15, 1955, in Atlanta
Education: bachelor's degree in accounting from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, 1977
Career Path: Auditor and senior auditor, Ernst & Young, in Pittsburgh, 1977-1981; senior auditor, senior financial analyst, manager of finance and strategic planning at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla, 1981-1991; manager of marketing development and planning at Disneyland Paris, 1991-1992; manager of special projects at Disney World, 1992-1994; manager of main entrance complex and general manager at Disney's Hollywood Studios, 1994-2004; vice president and representative director at Walt Disney attractions in Tokyo, 2004-2006; president of Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., 2006-2009.
Hobbies: Exercise and watching sports
Family: wife, Valerie; sons, Joshua, 25 (works for Disney), Michael, 23 (started a production company in California), and Daniel, 19 (a student at Stanford University)