We were lucky to catch up with Steve Edwards recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Steve thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Talk to us about building your team? What was it like? What were some of the key challenges and what was your process like?

The process of hiring is constantly evolving at Coney Island. We spend hours upon hours looking into ways that we can attract employees. I have learned that our best success comes from recruiting from current employees and hiring great supervisors. We want to make this a great job for all of our employees and we believe their good experiences will travel. I believe that if an employee likes their job they will recruit their friends and other people they know. Our seasonal management staff is key to our yearly hiring success. Many of our employees have other jobs, so the dedication they offer to us during the summer is truly astounding. I am amazed by the passion our employees have for Coney Island and how much pride they take in being a part of our success. A great example of this is two of our parking supervisors, Jim and JC, who have worked at Coney Island since the early 1980s. They were teachers at a local high school. They have consistently promoted Coney Island in their everyday life for over 35 years. This attitude has helped them hire and cultivate an amazing staff. Without people like Jim and JC, Coney Island wouldn’t be what it is today.
I also want our staff to feel like a family. It’s important that all our employees, whether it’s day one or in they’re in their tenth year, know how valuable they are. I’ve learned that it’s important to try to find the right role for the right person. So when it comes to hiring, I try to put the ownership on the interviewee and really ask them what they want to do and then I try to advise them on the best job here for their interests. This approach works well because when employees feel comfortable in a job they are more successful.

Steve, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Steve Edwards and I am the Vice President of Operations at Coney Island. I oversee the daily operations of Sunlite Water Adventure, parking, maintenance, and other operational duties. I have been at Coney Island since 1998 and have been in my current role since 2018. Coney Island is a Cincinnati icon that has been providing fun family entertainment since 1886. I believe what sets apart Coney Island from our competition is the memories made here can last a lifetime. To a kid, Coney Island may be your first experience at a waterpark with the largest pool you will ever see. To a parent, Coney Island can provide a much-needed family outing full of water slides or dives into Cannonball Cove. To everyone, Coney Island can provide a day of fun that’s not too far from home. I love working at Coney Island because it brings me a different experience every day. I know it’s cliché but when I come to work, I enjoy it and it truly doesn’t feel like work. I love being able to see people enjoying what we provide. To see the happiness on a kid’s face eating an ice cream cone or watching them go down a tube on a water slide with their parent for the first time brings me just as much happiness. I don’t take those moments for granted that I work at a place that gets to provide that to people.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I think our resilience has been tested over the last few years at Coney Island. COVID-19 was such a challenge for the entertainment industry. There was so much uncertainty day-to-day about what our business would become. I have been so impressed with our staff on the calmness and care they have shown each day. I think what I learned in the last few years is that we are a much-needed outlet for our guests. The stress of life was heavy for a lot of people and when they visited our park they had time for fun and relaxation. We have focused the last couple of years on improving the guest experience whether that be small amenity upgrades or just better trained and positive employees. What I’ve learned is to stay positive for our employees and to show them strength during adversity. I pride myself on being upbeat and caring to our staff from the second I show up each day to the moment I leave. I believe that people lead the way they want to be led. I know that I wouldn’t want to work for a person who is negative and doesn’t care so I won’t lead that way. It’s easy to care about people and that’s what I do every day.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I think the lesson I’ve had to unlearn over the years is that change is bad. It’s easy in the position I’m in to sometimes think I have it all figured out and can do things by myself, but that is wrong. I need the staff I work with and I need to listen to them. They are full of great ideas and care about making Coney Island better. So as easy as is to keep doing things you’ve always done, I need to welcome change and new ideas. I want every person to feel like they can come to me when they have a suggestion. We’ve had management changes and personnel changes over the last couple of years and it’s amazing what new ideas they have come up with. I embrace the changes they suggest because I think it truly makes our team stronger when employees are heard. The opportunity to make Coney Island better each year is something I take a lot of pride in and I look forward to doing it for many years to come!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://coneyislandpark.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coneyislandpark/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coneyislandpark