An aquarium and reptile zoo in suburban Michigan had been open less than a year when they needed their first settled General Manager. Five department heads and a team of over 85 people needed someone who was ready to lead hands-on, day in and day out.
The Client
The attraction opened in April 2025 in Utica, Michigan, a 30,000-square-foot aquarium and reptile zoo. The aquarium wing opened after the founder, who dedicated his life to reptile breeding, died in January 2024. His wife took over as CEO to guide the business through the expansion.
She runs the operation today and needs a General Manager who could lead it without close supervision. The previous General Manager had resigned within the first year, and the position had to be filled with active operations already underway.
The Challenge
The position would mean taking over five department heads and a team that had been running without a permanent leader. The Aquatics Manager position was also vacant, and the incoming General Manager would need to oversee that team alongside the owner.
Availability on weekends and public holidays was non-negotiable, and the General Manager was expected to be present at all times. The owner valued management experience as much as a real passion for the environment.
The starting salary estimate of $64,000 was below market for a role of this level. Add in the schedule demands and leadership breadth required, and the realistic candidate pool was narrower than a typical general management search.
The Solution
Keller Executive Search looked for candidates who had run public-facing operations in the entertainment and hospitality industries, where year-round schedules are the norm. Availability for the schedule was tested early on, with candidates not able to commit to weekends taken out of consideration.
Market benchmarking found that $64,000 was indeed below the range for this level of responsibility. The search went out with a revised figure before candidates were approached.
Several candidates progressed to interviews, and a few did in-person walkthroughs with the owner. One candidate was offered the position, but indicated he would not work on Sundays; the requirement held, and the search continued.
The successful applicant was from a finance and advisory background and had no direct experience in wildlife attractions. The owner was looking for character and drive over industry experience, and the search yielded someone who fit that bill.
The Results
He accepted the offer within days and sent back the signed contract on June 3. Background checks went smoothly, and the start date of June 22 was confirmed.
Keller Executive Search completed the search within 10 weeks. The final salary was $80,000; market benchmarking carried out before approaching candidates had supported the adjustment from the initial $64,000 estimate.
The Impact
Less than a year after opening, the first General Manager of the attraction left. The new hire inherited a team of more than 85 people in five departments. He also shared a vacancy with another manager. The brief was based around character and drive rather than industry experience, so the right candidate came from outside wildlife attractions entirely and was assessed on whether he would lead well in that environment, not whether he had done it before. An attraction in its first year has settled on its leadership, and the decision on who that should be was made with the long term in mind.
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