IAAPA Attractions Expo 2018

Noble Coker
Chief Simian
Apex Parks and Entertainment Services


Noble was born in Wichita Falls, TX and is a fifth generation Texan (Texas law requires that to be stated upfront). Noble’s family were mostly either ranchers or preachers. Since he wasn’t big enough to be a rancher, nor smart enough to be a preacher, he decided to go into consulting. Noble worked for Price Waterhouse as a management consultant, and then joined one of his clients (Walt Disney Imagineering), which led him into the theme park business. Over a couple of decades, Noble had the opportunity to learn and grow within the Walt Disney Company, and to see how principles he saw on the ranches were applied in amazing organizations like Disney. He then had the opportunity to try to apply these same simple principles in a completely different context for the Wanda Group. After leaving Wanda, Noble was allowed to teach business strategy at the University of Southern California which he found to be his once-and-future-career. Yet again, he was able to observe and apply these same basic principles in an institution of higher learning. However, having never fully shaken the consulting itch, Noble now finds himself back in China helping to launch a new themed entertainment services organization and building resorts in Shenzhen and around the region. Noble and Eleanor have one child still at home who they are hoping will be big enough to be a rancher some day.

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