Gary Chubb

Home > Hall of Fame > Gary Chubb
Gary was born in 1953 and spent the first 5 years of his life living next to Hersheypark. Several years after moving to another part of town, he became neighbors and good friends with the Fasnacht Family who at the time owned the now defunct Willow Mill Park. (Fasnacht’s now own and operate Funland in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware).

Gary Chubb

Senior Director of Maintenance, Hersheypark

Year Inducted:
2018

Early Life and Education

 Around the age of 10 he would occasionally get to “work” at Willow Mill Park on a “Cat Rack” Game where he grew interested in the amusement industry and never looked back.

At the age of 14, he started as a part-time employee at Hershey Park in the Foods area.  He eventually moved on to the Rides Department, and Maintenance areas.  During the winter months he was a “Rink Rat” at the Hershey Sports Arena where he drove the Zamboni, sharpened ices skates, and worked for various events.

Upon graduation from Hershey High School in 1971 he started to further his education at a local business school but dropped out after one semester when he was offered a fulltime job as a Ride Mechanic at the expanding and improved Hersheypark (now one word).  In 1972 Chubb won the lottery – the draft lottery.  He enlisted in the United States Army where he served in the United States between 1972 – 1975.  He trained for Heavy Equipment Operation and Maintenance but ended up being the Company Clerk by the time he was discharged.

Fulltime Amusement Industry Career

Starting in 1975 he started his assent to various management roles at Hersheypark, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts (HE&R), and Dutch Wonderland.  While at Hersheypark he held positions as Operations Manager, Operations Director, and Assistant General Manager until 1989.  From 1989 until early 1994 he served as the Corporate Safety & Security Director with HE&R.  While at the corporate offices, his work schedule allowed him to have off in the evenings and weekends.  Gary and his family along with Jack Silar and his family formed a small traveling show with 6 amusement rides where they moved, set up, tore down and ran rides for various church festivals, fire company carnivals, and other events.

In 1994 he was successfully recruited by the Clark Family to get directly back into the park and working for them at Dutch Wonderland as their Park Manager.  His time with the Clarks lasted until November 2001 when the Clarks sold Dutch Wonderland to Hershey Entertainment & Resorts.  Gary was deeply involved in the transition of Dutch Wonderland to Hershey and was offered a job back at Hersheypark.  Chubb spent the rest of his park career at Hersheypark when he retired in May 2019 as the Senior Director of Maintenance.

Industry and Community Leadership

Gary has held leadership roles in PAPA as a Board Member, and President.  During his Presidential term he started the process of getting PAPA more organized with Meeting Agendas, and oversaw updates to the PAPA Bylaws.  Within PAPA he started the “Round Table” discussions held annually following the Winter PAPA meeting.  He is one of the original ASTM F-24 Committee members from 1978 and served as the F24.40 Operations Sub-Committee Vice Chairman and Chairman for 8 years during the 1980s.  He is still a member of the F24 Committee as of July 2025.   In addition, he served on the IAAPA Safety Committee for several years during the mid-1980s.  Other affiliations include serving on the Board of Directors of NAARSO (National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials), and serving as the PACE Ride Safety Seminar Coordinator starting in 2008 to the present.

Within the community of Hershey he served as a volunteer firefighter for 43 years, 10 of those years as an Assistant Fire Chief.  He is a member and Elder of Derry Presbyterian Church, and is a 32nd Degree Freemason.

Awards and Recognition

Gary’s many industry related awards and recognition include the following:

  • 1996 AIMS (Amusement Industry Manufacturers and Suppliers) JOHN ALLEN AWARD – for most outstanding contribution to Safety within the Park industry
  • 2011 – IAAPA – awarded CERTIFIED AMUSEMENT EXECUTIVE designation
  • 2012 PSSA (Pennsylvania State Showmen) PRESIDENTIAL AWARD – for service and coordination of the PACE Ride Safety Seminar
  • 2015 NAARSO (National Associaiton of Amusement Ride Safety Officials) JIMMY FLOYD SAFETY AWARD – for outstanding service to the Amusement Industry
  • 2016 OABA (Outdoor Amusement Business Association) – RED WOOD AWARD – for dedication and support of Safety in the Amusement Ride Industry
  • 2018 PAPA HALL OF FAME inductee
  • 2019 NAARSO – JACK SILAR AWARD – for dedication to Amusement Industry Training