EcoTarium Leadership Transition

July 30, 2012

Board of Trustees announces that Joseph Cox has been appointed new EcoTarium president

I am pleased to announce that Joseph P. Cox has been appointed the EcoTarium's next president and will officially assume the position on October 1st. He succeeds Steve Pitcher, who has served as EcoTarium president since 2005 and will be continuing his career in non-profit transitional management.

Joe brings to us impressive accomplishments in the museum field. Most recently, he served as the founding executive director of the Golisano Children's Museum of Naples, Florida. There he was responsible for the master planning, exhibit design and construction oversight. Under his leadership, the museum raised more than $26.5 million to open the 30,000 square foot building – the first of its kind in Southwest Florida. In its first five months, the museum welcomed over 100,000 visitors, surpassing all projections.

Before that, Joe served as nature center director for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, where he oversaw operations and management for the 14-acre nature center, including its award-winning education programs. Prior to that he was the director of marketing for the Malta Ornithological Society, the oldest environmental organization in Malta.

Born in Great Britain, Joe is a graduate of St. Mary's University, London, with a degree in environmental science, and earned a master's degree in museum studies from the University of Leicester. He also completed a residency at the Getty Museum Leadership Institute and a fellowship in museum practice at the Smithsonian Institution.

The EcoTarium and our community will benefit from Joe's passion, ability to build strong partnerships, and skills in strategic planning and sound fiscal management. We are confident that he will help us continue the growth and success that we have enjoyed under Steve Pitcher's leadership.

I hope you will join me in welcoming Joe to the EcoTarium and to Worcester when he arrives in the fall. In the meantime, let me take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and dedication to this very special organization.

Todd E. Brodeur, Esq.

Chair, Board of Trustees

For more information, please read the full press release.