John M. Duffey (born 1961) is an American businessman and the former chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation from 2016 to 2017. He was originally the successor to Jim Reid-Anderson, before leaving the company abruptly, giving Anderson his former title back.^[1]

Prior to that, Duffey served as chief financial officer of the company from 2010 to 2016. He also worked with Jim Reid-Anderson and other Six Flags executives at Dade Behring and Siemens Healthcare.

History

Early life

At a young age, Duffey got a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting at Michigan State University.^[2]

Dade Behring (?–2007)

At Dade Behring, Duffey served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of the company. He negotiated and led Dade Behring through a debt restructuring and was responsible for its entry into the public equity market. He was instrumental in realigning the company's cost structure, leading to improved profitability, cash flow, and a better debt profile.^[2]

Siemens Healthcare (2007–2010)

In 2007, Dade Behring was acquired by German conglomerate Siemens AG, and Duffey was responsible for the integration of Dade Behring into Siemens.^[2]

Six Flags (2010–2017)

On September 7, 2010, Six Flags announced that John Duffey would be joining the company as chief financial officer, taking over for Jeffrey Speed.^[2]

On February 18, 2016, Six Flags announced that John Duffey had been promoted to chairman, president, and CEO of Six Flags, taking over for Jim-Reid Anderson.

On July 18, 2017, John M. Duffey abruptly retired from the company, with his predecessor Jim Reid-Anderson, who had been serving as executive chairman, re-assuming his previous role of chairman, president, and CEO. Six Flags assured that his reason for leaving was for "personal reasons" and not due to any health issues, however no further explanation was given. Markets were baffled, and shares dropped 3.33%.^[1]

References