MPCC Monthly Luncheon: Kevin Mills, President & CEO of the South Carolina Aquarium

Description

Kevin Mills is President and CEO of the South Carolina Aquarium, a role he assumed in January 2006. Under his direction, the Aquarium has become a global leader in sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation, served more than 2 million schoolchildren around the world with STEM curriculum and instruction, and engaged local communities with tools to make our environment more resilient in the face of climate change. The Aquarium is the most visited paid destination in the region, and its annual economic impact is $413 million.

Prior to joining the Aquarium, he was Vice President, Marketing and External Affairs for the Saint Louis Zoo, rated America's #1 Zoo by Parenting magazine and the Zagat Guide. He grew the Zoo's attendance to more than 3 million annual guests, and helped direct the successful public launch and branding of the Zoo's WildCare Institute, an international field-based conservation consortium. He is an active leader in the zoo and aquarium profession, having served on the board of directors of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (2011-2014) and as chair of AZA's Aquarium Affairs Committee (2012-2017). He currently serves on the membership committee for the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). Kevin also spent ten years as a sales and marketing executive for Cunard Line, Ltd, then based in New York City, directing the passenger loyalty program for the luxury cruise line. He began his career with the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and also worked in the publishing and advertising industries. He is a native of Kansas and a graduate of the William Allen White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas. He lives in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, with his wife, Suzy, and they have two adult sons, Zack and Sam.