Andrew Chafatelli

Andrew Chafatelli was born in Bradenton, Florida, and his family later moved to Nashville. He attended Western Kentucky University and is Chief Operating Officer of Turk Hospitality Group, which operates Rocking Horse Ranch Resort and SplashDown Beach Waterpark. “Growing up in Bradenton, Florida, my family never ran out of attractions to visit,” Andrew said. “Within two hours’ drive, we were able to visit the most renowned amusement and water parks in the world. My parents took me and my siblings to Disney World, Universal Studios and EPCOT often. Our family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in March 1993. Even though it wasn’t the amusement park capital of the world, I was determined to get a job at Opryland Theme Park. Sadly, the park closed before I was old enough to work there. Instead, I became a lifeguard at Nashville Shores Waterpark in 1998. “As a college student, I was able to gain management experience at the waterpark and eventually became the Director of Operations after graduating from Western Kentucky University. In 2009, I took all my previous experiences and moved to the Hudson Valley to take on the role of General Manager at SplashDown Beach Waterpark in Fishkill. In 2017, I was promoted to Chief Operating Officer of both companies and have loved every minute of it.”