Bill Warren, longtime Disney World executive and founding editor of the Orlando Business Journal has died at age 68.

Cinderella Castle

Warren, a native of Virginia, passed away on March 26th after a long battle with early-onset Alzheimers.

The Orlando Business Journal reported that Warren had participated in two medical trials to try to help others impacted by Alzheimer’s and also donated his brain to research the disease.

©Disney

Warren spent 10 years as a business journalist and editor for several well-known news organizations in Jacksonville and Tampa, before coming to Orlando in 1984 as the first editor and vice president of the Orlando Business Journal at age 28.

He later joined The Walt Disney Company in 1995 as vice president of public affairs and was later promoted to vice president of government relations for Disney in 2008. Warren was named Orlando’s Outstanding Public Relations Professional in 2000 by the Florida Public Relations Association.

His relationship with Disney didn’t stop there, as in 2010, he was named district administrator and CEO of Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District (now called the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District).

Reedy Creek Improvement District

Warren held a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Virginia Commonwealth University and was honored as a Davenport Fellow in Business and Economics Reporting at the University of Missouri. In addition, he held an MBA from Stetson University.

He is survived by his wife Lisa Warren, sons Jonathan and Chris, daughter-in-law Lauren, and grandson Owen.

“To me, Bill was defined by his acts of caring and his love for his family, friends, and colleagues,” said Lisa Warren. “He was brilliant, modest, kind, and honest, and I hope he will always be remembered for the way he touched people and cared about his community.”

Our thoughts are with Warren’s family and friends during this difficult time.