Paul Noland, president and CEO of global attractions association IAAPA, is stepping down from the role – a position he has held since January 2013.

IAAPA will now start the process of finding a new chief executive, with current CFO Hal McEvoy taking the reins in the meantime.

Noland, who has overseen the organisation through a period of growth and expansion – including the recent relocation of its headquarters to Orlando, Florida – has accepted a new position as CEO of technology solutions provider Accesso.

The move comes as IAAPA starts its 100th anniversary year of celebration.

“It has been one of the true joys of my career to be associated with such a talented and committed staff and volunteer leadership,” said Noland. “The association is well positioned for the future, and I know that its best days are ahead.”

As an erstwhile theme park consultant, Noland was member of the IAAPA board of directors and was an executive at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts between 1995 and 2011, and formerly with Marriott International.

“Paul has led IAAPA through some of the most successful years in the association’s 100-year history,” said IAAPA chair Andreas Andersen, who is also president and CEO of Liseberg in Sweden. “In addition, he has managed an extensive expansion of member services, the continued globalisation of the association, and the complicated relocation of IAAPA's headquarters from the Washington, DC, area to Orlando. For this, we owe him a very warm thank you.”

Attractions Management caught up with Noland during the IAAPA Expo in Orlando in November, where he was positive about the association’s move to Orlando.

“A move is a big thing, but it’s gone really well,” he said. “The expo is a good example of the fact that although we have new faces around the office, they all came with huge passion for the industry and for IAAPA. IAAPA staff will be in temporary offices for a couple of years, but we hope to break ground in May and be in our new offices by the summer of 2019."

McEvoy, who joined IAAPA in April 2017 from Busch Entertainment/SeaWorld, will be acting president and CEO during the leadership transition.

A global search for Noland’s successor will commence imminently. Details will be posted at www.IAAPA.org/JobsatIAAPA.