The Buffalo Zoo Has A New CEO

The announcement was made early this morning as Dr. Donna Fernandes prepares to make way for the new CEO and president of the Buffalo Zoo.  Norah Fletchall will be the person to fill her boots.

According to WKBW-TV, Dr. Fernandes has really taken the Buffalo Zoo to new heights during her tenure.  She has helped to develop $50 million in new exhibits and visitor attractions, enrolled more than 18,000 members and built annual attendance to a 30-year record high of 538,000.

She is leaving the zoo better than she found it and will now be passing that on to Norah Fletchall who comes to us from the Indianapolis Zoo.  She was the COO there and senior vice president of the Indianapolis Zoological Society.

"I am honored to be asked to lead the Buffalo Zoo and I see this as the culmination of my career work to bring people - especially children - together with animals they normally would never see in their lifetimes,"

It's exciting to see someone who is coming from a much bigger zoo to come here and help to grow ours.  The Indianapolis Zoo is actually about three times the size of The Buffalo Zoo and cares for nearly double the animals.

Fletchall will officially take her spot at The Buffalo Zoo on May 22nd.