Paul Pressler
Good morning and welcome to our Main Street window dedication ceremony for our friend and colleague, Jim Cora. I’m going to have to go off script now already, Jim. (audience laughs)

But it's not clear to me - I know Jim, most of us know Jim as one who has been known to create many rules throughout his illustrious career. Today I am dumbfounded that Jim would actually break a rule. (laughter) And standing here before you for this ceremony with facial hair I’m just not sure we can go on. (laughter) So let’s see Ron (Presser turns towards Ron Dominguez) I need a ruling because this is completely new. I didn’t ask Marty because I knew it would be phftt! Forget it! Anyway.

As you know, having ones contributions immortalized here on Main Street is the highest honor we can bestow upon a Cast Member. This tradition began in 1955 when Disneyland first opened and Walt Disney wanted to recognize those who had helped make his dream a reality. Over the years a Main Street window dedication has become a timeless tribute to the remarkable individuals who have brought the magic to life in so many extraordinary ways. Today, its' my great pleasure to honor someone whose legacy will be commemorated here and whose impact has been felt around the world.

On several occasions since Jim initially announced his retirement I’ve had the impossible task of attempting to capture in a very limited stretch of time all that we have learned from him and all that he has meant to the growth of the Disney brand on a world-wide basis. This moment is, of course, no exception. So while we scratch the surface of Jim’s career, my hope is these efforts will do justice to his legacy.

All of you are here today because either directly or indirectly you have been an important part of Jim’s history with Disney and an important contributor to his success. Many of you know Jim throughout his entire career from his beginning at Disneyland to his early years in leadership roles at both Disneyland at Walt Disney World including his international assignments at Paris and Tokyo. You’ve been with him through his toughest challenges and shared in his most incredible achievements. Although there are many things that I can point to as enviable accomplishments, perhaps the most significant to the Walt Disney Company are first his role as Chief Operating Officer of Disneyland Paris and his early work in what has today become the most highly visited tourist destination in all of Europe. And it clearly goes without saying that his most remarkable achievements are, of course, the development of Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea - widely recognized as the most successful and many would argue the most beautiful theme parks in the world.

While these accomplishments have had an indelible affect on the Disney Company the story of Jim’s impact would fall short if I stopped here because it is in his role as mentor, his passion for efficiently run operations, his dedication to the ideals of guest service, his excellence as an operator and his example as a leader that complete the script. You are among a much larger group of people whose lives have been made fuller by your connection to Jim and his legacy to Disney.

Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Paul Pressler
Click here for a much larger version of this picture
(1024 X 768, 118,125 bytes)

RealVideo: Paul Pressler's Opening Comments (4 minutes, 21 seconds)
Low Bandwidth (160 X 120)
High Bandwidth (320 X 240)

Before I invite our guest of honor to join me at the podium, I’d like to take a moment and recognize another important person who has helped Jim tremendously throughout the years, his loving wife, Mimi. (applause) As most of us know the brains behind the operation.

Now ladies and gentlemen, with your help I’d like you to welcome Jim Cora.

(The band plays "it's a small world")