Even though I did not personally know Tim Delaney, I have been deeply saddened by his forced departure from WDI. Since Iger took over day to day operations from Eisner in the spring of 2005, I've seen one senior Imagineer after another, shoved to the street. Nina Rae Vaughn, Barry Braverman, Bruce Gordon, Cory Sewelson, Rick Rothschild, John Horny, and now Tim Delaney. There are numerous others whom I've failed to mention, but you get the gist of things in Glendale. If you're at least a 20-year veteran and make more than slave wages, your job security ain't worth squat.
As far as I can tell, Mr. Iger believes that his compensation is more valuable to the company than the compensation of the artists who create the magic that the company profits from. His contributions are seemingly worth TENS OF MILLIONS each year, whereas six-figure salaries for those executives who create the product and mentor the future creators of said product is excessive. Really? You're worth an eight-figure compensation? But the veterans who keep the company products in such high demand are worth much, much less than six? Unbelievable the arrogance and self-importance you embody. I'm guessing you probably think Walt was grossly overpaid as well.
I'm fortunate to have the Walt Disney Family Museum just a few miles from my front door. I became a Founding Member earlier this summer, and look forward to the special events, films, and lectures that the Museum will host over the coming months. I've already spent several hours perusing the exhibits, and still haven't experienced but a small portion of all it offers. I could literally spend another hour or two hovered over the Walt's Disneyland model. The golden memories of my childhood summers at Disneyland, embodying the Golden Age of Imagineering, all contained in this fabulously detailed model. But the model and my memories are also bittersweet, knowing what is happening in Glendale, with the systematic dismantling of WED/WDI, Walt's magic factory.
Here's to all the Imagineers who helped to make my fantasy dreams come true inside Disney parks. Thanks for the memories.