TALLAHASSEE, FL (May 12, 2016) – Rebekka Wade has been named vice president/chief operations officer of the Tallahassee Museum, one of Florida’s leading museums. Wade, who joined the Museum as director of finance four years ago, will assist president and CEO Russell Daws with strategic planning and operations management. Wade, the first female vice president in the museum’s 59-year history, will be charged with promoting an organizational culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality.
“Rebekka’s leadership and accomplishments have had a significant and positive impact on the Museum’s financial and retail operations, human resources, risk management and IT operations,” Daws said. “In her new position, she will be the chief business officer, responsible for planning, managing, and directing the Museum’s administrative and financial operations.”
Wade will recommend policies and procedures to more effectively and efficiently operate the Museum in collaboration with directors, managers and administrative staff.
Wade was recently accepted into the Jekyll Island Management Institute, a nationally recognized museum management training program, through which she completed an intensive two-week training in January.
“Her selection and participation in this program will further our efforts to build the Museum’s institutional capacity and raise our stature nationally,” Daws said.
Suzie Buzzo Named Assistant Curator of Animals at the Tallahassee Museum
TALLAHASSEE, FL (May 12, 2016) – Suzie Buzzo has been named assistant curator of animals at the Tallahassee Museum, one of Florida’s leading museums. In her new position Buzzo will oversee, track and manage the department’s operational activities and projects. Her responsibilities include assisting in planning, scheduling, and implementing construction, repair and maintenance of animal exhibits; working with and advising the education staff on the proper care and use of the education animal collection; and assisting the animal curator in budget preparation and monitoring.
Buzzo has served the Museum for 15 years, initially as a part-time animal care assistant, then as a full-time animal keeper, and for the past 12 years as animal care supervisor/registrar.
“Suzie has done an excellent job in maintaining our animal records, building our intern and volunteer program within the animal department, providing supervision and direction to our animal keeper staff, and providing support to Mike Jones, our animal curator,” said president and CEO Russell Daws. “Her promotion to this position not only recognizes her accomplishments but also her potential to be an important contributor to the Museum’s interpretive plan goals and objectives and to contribute to making the Museum’s future vision a reality,”
In February Buzzo attended the one-week Association of Zoos and Aquarium program, “Managing for Success: Career Development,” in Wheeling W.Va. The program examines management disciplines with emphasis on their application to zoos and aquariums. There she gained practical tools and skills to bring back to the Museum, including an increased network of resources and heightened leadership skills.
