Universal Parks and Resorts executive Mark Woodbury is to deliver the keynote address at April’s Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) Summit in Anaheim, California, US ‒ an event at which he will also receive the TEA Buzz Price Thea Award for a Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements.

Woodbury has been vice chair of Universal Parks and Resorts since 2017, president of Universal Creative since 2006, and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Universal Parks and Resorts’ planning and design worldwide. A licensed architect, he joined Universal in 1988 and is known for a visionary approach to developing innovative theme parks and resorts.

As president of Universal Creative, he and his team have expanded Universal’s Orlando Resort into a world-class destination with the addition of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, three new hotel properties and the Volcano Bay waterpark. This team is now looking to bring Universal to China, through the proposed Universal Beijing Resort.

The three-day TEA summit starts on 11 April 2019 and closes with the 25th Annual TEA Thea Awards Gala on 13 April. Content for the summit includes a first-day focus on "the business of the business" of themed entertainment, and a spotlight on Dollywood, the Tennessee theme and waterpark complex part-owned by US singer Dolly Parton, which is due to receive the TEA Thea Classic Award, previously won by attractions such as Disney’s Epcot, Cedar Point, Europa-Park in Germany, and the San Diego Zoo.