From the Sandusky Register…

SANDUSKY

John Hildebrandt can’t just walk Cedar Point’s midway.

He stops and greets people, he talks to employees and he picks up other people’s trash — something he does a lot.

“I carry two of these with me all the time,” Hildebrandt said as he pulled out two hand wipes from his pocket. “We keep the park immaculate for the guests. That is our promise.”

Hildebrandt picks up cigarette butts, drink containers and other trash to throw out at the nearest trash bin.

Hildebrandt is vice president and general manager at Cedar Point. He is the man who is responsible for the daily operations of the park. And he likes a clean park.

During the park-operating season Hildebrandt starts his day before he walks into the park. He said he reads reports of what has happened in the park the night before. As he drives up the causeway, as he walks the park, he is looking for anything out of place, anything not right.

As Hildebrandt walks around the park he listens to how employees interact with guests. He walks up to ride platforms and listens to see if ride operators are following the script of greeting guests and discussing the ride’s safety procedures.

As new CEO Matt Ouimet has said: It is Hildebrandt’s park.

And on the park’s 143th opening day, Hildebrandt arrived before the park opened and was there until after it closed.

“It is tradition that on opening day and on closing day I am here from morning to close,” Hildebrandt said.