Geoff Chutter, founder and president/CEO of waterparks powerhouse WhiteWater, has been honored by two organizations this fall.
Earlier this month, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions presented Chutter with this year's Outstanding Service Award at the IAAPA Expo 2019 in Orlando. The honor is presented to individuals who work to foster the spirit of goodwill, professionalism, and higher levels of performance within the industry. Said IAAPA of Chutter:
"A longtime attractions industry veteran whose involvement in IAAPA spans more than three decades, Chutter leads one of the largest designers and suppliers of water parks in the world. In 1981, Chutter opened WhiteWater Waterpark in Penticton, Canada, and began manufacturing his own water slides. As an industry pioneer, his strategic vision diversified WhiteWater’s product range to cover a variety of water park rides including water slides, wave pools and rivers, wet interactive play, and surfing systems. Under Chutter’s leadership, WhiteWater has been committed to safety and continues to play key roles in IAAPA and ASTM International Committees."
Last month, Ernst & Young named Chutter an EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 Pacific.
EY said it recognized Chutter, in part, because of the way he positively approaches challenges head-on with perseverance and an entrepreneurial spirit. “When an economic downturn comes knocking, consumer discretionary spending is typically the first to go," said Lui Petrollini, EY Entrepreneur of the Year Pacific Program Director. "But Geoff didn’t let this stop him in the early 2000s. Instead, he turned it into an opportunity and has made WhiteWater a force to be reckoned with ever since.”
At the awards ceremony, Chutter recognized those who helped him along the way. “Thank you to my grandfather for exposing me to entrepreneurship, my parents for introducing me to globalization, and my colleagues for finding the right people," he said. "What we do is make families happy, and that makes us happy."
