Automation in the magic kingdom! Greg Hale to address #ISAutowk 2012 in September

Greg B. Hale, chief safety officer and vice president, Worldwide Standards and Auditing, with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts will be the keynote speaker to open ISA Automation Week 2012. The conference is scheduled for 24-27 September 2012 at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida, USA.

In his address, slated for 8:00 a.m., Tuesday, 25 September, Hale will discuss the automation and technology that make the magic of Disney come alive. He leads a global team of ride design, operations and maintenance professionals that keep Disney on the leading edge of theme-park safety, accessibility for guests with disabilities and technological advancements.

As an inventor and engineer working for the world’s greatest entertainment company, Hale believes everyone should “do what you are passionate about…and be passionate about what you do.”

Hale received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from the University of Mississippi in 1976 and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Florida. In 1988, he joined Walt Disney World Co. and has held several key positions including director of Facilities and Attractions Regulatory Compliance and director of Ride and Show Engineering. Prior to his present position, he was vice president of Design and Engineering and Regulatory Compliance.

Hale pro-actively participates in national standards committees and has been recognized for his work on accessibility standards for persons with disabilities and for amusement-ride safety standards and training. He is a member of the Amusement Industry Manufacturers and Suppliers International (AIMS) Educational Advisory Board. He has lead safety conferences and workshops throughout the US and in more than 15 countries. In 2010, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) awarded him the Outstanding Service Award, which is the highest honor IAAPA presents to an individual member or an organization.

Additionally, Hale is an active member of the (USA) National Safety Council (NSC) where he serves on the Board of Delegates and is a former Board of Directors member.

Hale served on the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board’s Recreation Access Advisory Committee, and he has contributed to numerous innovations and inventions that have advanced accessibility for persons with disabilities. Some of the more recent are handheld captioning for the deaf and audio descriptions for the blind that for the first time provide captioning and audio descriptions on moving rides and attractions. In addition, he is a co-inventor and patent holder for Disney’s FASTPASS®, eliminating long lines at Disney theme park rides and attractions. He holds 19 US and foreign patents.

Hale is also an enthusiastic supporter of the FIRST® Program (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and serves on the FIRST Executive Advisory Board. This program brings students and engineers together to compete in head-to-head science and technology robotics competitions. FIRST reaches thousands of students each year to interest and inspire them in science, math and technology. The Automation Federation and ISA are Alliance Partners with FIRST.