Meet Chuck Winstead

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chuck Winstead.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies has been my work home for the last few 21years. I was first hired to work in Guest Services. I learned a lot immediately after being hired. We were so busy with guests pouring into the newest attraction in Gatlinburg.

All of us had so many tasks to take care of in Guest Services. Not only did we just sell a ticket for guests to come in. We also printed season passes, set guests up with wheelchairs, helped busses park, ran change to the different departments, and gave breaks.

After just three months in Guest Services, an opportunity to work in a different department was given to me. It was to manage the various food carts inside and outside of the building. There were two Dippin Dot carts, a drink and snack cart, and a hot dog station. That job was more physical labor but there still wasn’t much time to stop with the amount of guests we were having.

A few years in to managing the carts an opportunity came up to help one of the marketing employees set up a food booth at a local charity event. Our job was to create the booth that our food and beverage department would use to give out samples of their food. I enjoyed doing that so much that I made sure to tell marketing that any time they needed help with special events, I would be glad to help.

I didn’t realize that offer would lead to helping in parades, decorating the building for Holidays and traveling and spotting our mascot Sharky. Our GM saw how busy I was with running one department and had added a whole new position with Special Events. He said I needed to choose between the two. I chose Special Events.

Years later, I am still doing Special Events mixed with group sales, area sales, and leader of the daily penguin parade. That is a job that is hard to believe you get paid for. I am the MC of the daily parade of penguins that marches through the building.

I am very proud to work for Ripley’s Entertainment. So many opportunities and lessons that have been given to me have been amazing. We are strongly urged to volunteer in our community. I have done that several times with Art Festivals, Music Festivals and even helped hang over 7,000 scarecrows throughout the City. One year was awarded the Volunteer of the year for the entire city. Very thankful and humbled.

I am currently representing Ripley’s in a dance competition. It is called, Dancing with the Sevierville Stars for United Way.. This is an all-around new experience with learning how to dance and the working out to get ready for it. I am a little terrified but will make it through it. Through it all I do feel like I have “made it.”

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road I have traveled on with Ripley’s has been “fairly” smooth. The rocky areas, for myself, were due to my own challenges. I am very fortunate to work for a company who support unexpected occurrences. A few unexpected surgeries have happened in the last 21 years. Each time I was told to take all the time I needed to get well. Then you just have regular life happenings such as family deaths. Each time with support from coworkers and management.

The area where I work (Gatlinburg) had a major wildfire in 2016. It changed our entire town with the deaths of 14 people and the loss of so many homes and businesses. It also shut the town down for quite a while. 33 of our employees lost their homes during the fire. Ripley’s, along with several businesses and individuals, donated items to help get those who lost everything back on their feet.

Then we faced Covid. Besides the wildfire, this was the only time our company has had to close its doors. We were closed for 65 days. We kept a skeleton crew to take care of the animals and perform maintenance on the building. So many of us, all over, have dealt with the mask issues, quarantines, and sickness. Through it all, we came out changed, a little stronger, and faced a new normal.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have always wanted to be an actor. Over the years I had been in several community plays but wanted to be on the big screen. I saw an ad for extras in a movie in Nashville and did get to participate. That led to a few more extra jobs. Although they were fun, I didn’t enjoy them like I thought I would. My boss actually pushed me to search out better roles. I eventually found a talent agency and signed up with them.

That was just what I was looking for. I have now been in over 70 episodes of different TV shows, a couple of movies and a few print jobs. Memories go through my head sometimes of when I was so scared of being in front of the camera to not even thinking about it now. I won best actor for a short film In 2017 and been nominated a few times for other awards.

There is a Community Theater in our area that I have been involved with for a few years. The relationships that were built from that building has truly been a blessing. Lifelong friends. One person who played my wife in the theater is now teaching me how to dance for an event I am doing in April.

I often tell people that, “I know I won’t be a Tom Cruise” but I am doing just what I like.” I do want one role that will stand out and continue showing for years after I am gone. Who knows, right?

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I have been fortunate/lucky to have successful mentors that surround me in my work life. So many tasks that I do today are due to being taught by the best in the marketing and management fields. Thankfully I am able to learn not only by doing but also by watching.

Image Credits
Jessica Hale, Ripley’s Aquarium, and Moana