Meet the Brilliant Veterans Who Work at Valleyfair

When we think about all the work our incredible military service members provide for our country, we often forget about behind-the-scenes work. The same can be said for behind-the-scenes work done at Valleyfair, which is why we want to introduce you to some of the wonderful Veterans working on the Valleyfair team who ensure safety is our top priority for guests.

We sat down for a conversation with a few of our Veterans,  Jim Boone, Ride Maintenance Manager (36 years at Valleyfair), Dan Hansen, Ride Maintenance Foreman (11 years at Valleyfair), Ride Mechanics, Stephen Hicks (two years at Valleyfair), Brian Eidam (six years at Valleyfair), Patrick Massey (two year at Valleyfair), Security Manager Daniel McKeon (four years at Valleyfair), Carpenter Joseph Yankton (six weeks at Valleyfair), Maintenence Administrative Assistant Kevin Schneider (27 years at Valleyfair), and Safety Manager Brent Weaving (two years at Valleyfair) all of whom kept the US (and Canada!) safe through their many years of military experience.

(Photo of Jim Boone)

Jim Boone grew up in a military family moving across the country, bouncing from military base to military base. Boone's father was in the Air Force his entire childhood. "I was always interested in planes growing up," Boone said. Between his love for planes and his father's experience, Boone decided to join the Air Force after graduating high school. "I am color blind, so that means I couldn't be a pilot," Boone said, "I ended up going into the maintenance side of the Air Force." Boone found a calling working on C-5 and C-130 transport planes. He traveled all around the world, keeping these giant machines operational for 21 years. “It’s a learning experience. You learn so much in the military—and get paid to do so!” said Boone.

(Photo of Daniel McKeon)

Daniel McKeon, Valleyfair's Security Manager served in the Navy based out of Norfolk, Virginia as an Intelligence Specialist. He believes that the discipline, integrity, and structure he gleaned from six years in the Navy are what has made him into the person he is today. Dan works tirelessly during the season to ensure that guests are safe in the park and helps those who visit us when they need it--a truly important role as we welcome thousands of guests each day. 

(Photo of Brian Eidam)

Brian Eidam grew up down the road from Valleyfair in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Eidam wasn't sure what he wanted to be while he was in high school, but having a father who served in the Navy, military services was on his radar. "I had always been fascinated with F-14 Tomcats like in the movie Top Gun, and I thought it would be fun to be able to work with those incredible planes," Eidam said.

Eidam served in the Navy for eight years, touring worldwide aboard the USS John C. Stennis, and completed a med cruise to the Persian Gulf aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. "The thing I miss most about being in the Navy was working on a flight deck," Eidam said, "Working on Tomcats was what I always wanted to do."

(Photo of Patrick Massey)

Patrick Massey served in the Marine Corps for nine years stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina right after high school. His father was in the aviation industry and decided to follow his legacy of taking to the skies. As a helicopter mechanic, the Marine Corps taught him the importance of mechanical and technical operations. "I loved being a part of the Marine Corps," Massey said. "Once I got to a position of leadership, I enjoyed being able to help develop the younger kids who were starting their time in the service." 

(Photo of Kevin Schneider)

Kevin Schneider got his start in the Army at the age of 17 and began basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey for basic training and came out as a private first class and went to Advanced Individual Training in San Antonio, Texas. He spent three years in the army and was sent over to Germany at "The Rock" by Butzbach. He then served three years in active reserve. Schneider feels the biggest trait that he uses day-to-day learned during his time is his people and mechanical skills. And if you ever met him, you would understand. Always with a smile, a conversation, and some special treat, Schneider understands how to navigate the various personalities with his administrative support and mechnanical know-how across the entire maintenance department. 

(Photo of Stephen Hicks)

Stephen Hicks was called by the sea—deep-sea, that is. Hicks worked as a nuclear reactor mechanic in submarines in the Navy from 2017-2022 based out of King’s Bay, Georgia with forward deployments out of Diego Garcia, a tiny island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. “What motivated me to join the Navy was the opportunity to travel…but inside of a steel tube under the ocean,” Hicks laughed. He has worked in mechanics essentially his entire life, so when he finished his tour in 2022, he joined Valleyfair to bring his passion for machinery and experience to the park.

(Photo of Dan Hansen)

Ride Mechanic Dan Hansen served in the Army National Guard. He served from 1989-1992 as a 63B (light-wheel vehicle mechanic), and he particularly loved working on Humvees. At Valleyfair, he works on our many and varied vehicles and rides ensuring they are running properly and safely. He served at Camp Ripley in Little Falls, Minnesota and Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

(Photo of Brent Weaving)

Brent Weaving serves as Valleyfair's Safety Manager and originally hails from our neighbor to the north-Canada! Brent served in the Canadian Army for three years as an Infantryman, 1st Battalion, A-Company, and Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. He was stationed at Currie Barracks in Calgary, Alberta. His fondest memory is graduating and receiving his Regimental Coin, but also the comradery of his service brothers and how close they all were. He feels the characteristics of discipline, maturity,  fierce determination, and passion for helping others honed by his service carried him through an EMS career and his current career in safety and health. 

(Photo of Joseph Yankton)

Joseph Yankton has been with our themepark for six weeks and found the skills learned during his time in the service has already proven valuable for his work at Valleyfair. "Improvise, adapt, and overcome--just be ready for anything and be a good team player," he said. In 2003, he was 17 when he joined the North Dakota Army National Guard as a combat engineer. His deployment occured right away bringing him to Iraq. Yankton spent eight years with North Dakota based out of Carrington and Jamestown, North Dakota and four with the Minnesota 2136 Bearcats in Bemidji and was promoted to Sargeant with the engineers in Hutchinson. 

Safety is paramount at Valleyfair and we are fortunate to have Veterans who deeply embody this dedication. "The Armed Services provides several valuable intrinsic values that have proven beneficial to my role as a Safety Manager," said Weaving. "Discipline, attention to detail, leadership, and a strong sense of teamwork. The sense of responsibility and commitment to the mission carries over, ensuring a steadfast dedication to safety and ensuring that all of my fellow coworkers go home safely each and every night."

All of our Maintenance department Veterans agreed that beyond the incredible mechanical skills they learned in the military and brought to Valleyfair, their keen focus on safety as paramount is what ensures visitors can feel secure on our rides. “Anytime my helicopters or their planes left the ground, people’s lives were on the line—everything had to be perfect, and it’s the same at Valleyfair,” said Massey. “Every time an airplane took off, we conducted multiple safety checks and inspections before they could take off. We do that same thing here with our rides—we go through many safety checks and inspections every morning before a ride can be deemed safe and that everyone who rides it will come back,” said Eidam. "A lot of the same skills that I learned in the Air Force set me up for success at Valleyfair," Boone said. "The discipline, the regiment, and keeping safety at the top of mind were all so similar." 

When asked what is one thing that he gleaned as his guiding principle, McKeon offered, "My advice to anyone pursuing any career would be to live by the adage, 'Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off your goals'. This was told to me when I was entering the military and I have embraced this as a guiding principle to pursue and obtain my objectives." 

McKoen, Weaving, Boone, Klein, Hicks, Eidam, and Massey's time in the military molded them into utmost professionals, and their service to Valleyfair is priceless. We cannot thank our Veterans enough for their service, and we are so proud to have them on our team. 

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Valleyfair honors POW and MIA soldiers by participating in the Missing Man Table. The Missing Man Table, also known as the Fallen Comrade Table, is steeped in symbolism and is featured in solemn ceremonies for fallen, missing, or imprisoned U.S. Military service members. You can learn more about the symbolism of this table here.