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Davis was elected the new president of the aquarium by the Board of Trustees on Monday. He is currently the vice president of education and training at the Georgia Aquarium, and will join the Maritime Aquarium in late December.
"It was impossible not to fall in love with that aquarium. You see people engaging in the opportunity to touch the animals and ask questions of the great staff," Davis said. "It was a done deal for me."
Maritime Board Chairman Robert Rohn said that Davis was selected from a long list of candidates because of his background in education and his work with the Georgia Aquarium. Davis was the eighth person to join the staff of the Georgia Aquarium and played a large role in its development and opening. He also has a strong background in education, earning a master's degree and a doctorate in secondary science education from the University of Georgia.
"It was pretty clear that Brian was the best fit," Rohn said.
Davis will take over for Jennifer Herring, who has been president and CEO of the aquarium for the past 10 years. She is retiring at the end of 2014. Herring said she feels like she accomplished a lot during her time as president.
"I'm very proud of my legacy," she said, and said Davis will continue that legacy and devotion to education. "He'll be a wonderful next legacy."
Davis grew up in New Jersey, and said he has had a passion for rivers, streams and the ocean since he was a kid. The Georgia Aquarium is about five hours from a water source, and Davis said he is excited for the opportunity to work on an aquarium situated right on the water.
"When you're five hours away from the water, it can be tough to make people understand their connection with the water and the ecosystem," he said. But in Norwalk he will be able to "walk someone down to the water's edge and help them understand that connection."
Davis did not want to give away too much of what he has planned for the aquarium once he comes on board, but Rohn said that he has a strong short- and long-term vision. Davis said that he wants to grow the aquarium's involvement in the community.
"I want to help continue to expand Norwalk and create and maintain its destination appeal," he said. "I want our guests, when they walk through the front door, to have the most amazing experience they can have."
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