CEC Entertainment, the parent company of iconic US FEC chain Chuck E Cheese, has appointed David McKillips as its new chief executive officer, following the resignation of Tom Leverton.
McKillips (pictured) has more than 25 years of experience in the family entertainment, media and theme park industries. Most recently, he was president of the International Development Company for Six Flags Entertainment, responsible for the operational management of all properties outside the US. In addition, McKillips served as Six Flags senior vice president of in-park services, leading the food and beverage, retail, games and procurement functions across all US parks.
Before joining Six Flags, he served as vice president of advertising and custom publishing sales for DC Comics. McKillips has also held multiple leadership roles within Sea World Entertainment and Sesame Place. He holds a BA degree in communication studies from the University of Georgia and received post-graduate certificates in marketing and finance from New York University.
“On behalf of the board of directors, I am excited to welcome David to the CEC team,” said Andrew S Jhawar, chairman of the board at CEC. “He is a proven executive with a lifetime of experience and success in the family entertainment industry, both domestically and around the world. He has demonstrated an ability to drive revenue growth through innovation, marketing, licensing, improved operations and corporate partnerships, which are skills that make him the ideal candidate to lead CEC into its next phase of growth.”
McKillips said: “I am thrilled to join CEC and look forward to working with the team to continue creating memorable experiences for CEC’s guests. With the iconic Chuck E Cheese and Peter Piper Pizza brands, dedicated employees and strategic partnerships, the company is well-positioned to expand and provide an even better guest experience going forward. I look forward to being part of the company's future success as we accelerate CEC’s growth nationally and globally.”
