By Holly Fisher
Supplements Editor

Kevin Mills jokes that the staff at the South Carolina Aquarium may be wondering when he’s going to actually do something. Since Mills joined the aquarium six months ago as president and chief executive officer, he’s been a sponge, soaking up as much information as possible.

“I’ve been talking to the staff and the volunteers about what makes this organization successful,” he said.

But Mills will have plenty to do over the next six to nine months as the aquarium begins its strategic planning process, the first since the aquarium opened in 2000. Aquarium executives are looking locally and nationally for a consulting firm to guide the nonprofit organization through the strategic steps.

The former vice president of marketing and external affairs at the Saint Louis Zoo, Mills has experience with strategic planning, although he notes each process is a little different, but with each you become a little smarter.

But the South Carolina Aquarium, now with six years of operating experience under its belt, has the benefit of better understanding the market, he added.

And he plans to collect even more market data, encouraging the local community and communities around the state to participate in the strategic planning process.

The consultant will be selected by the end of the summer, Mills said, with the planning process to begin in the fall. He anticipates the aquarium board of directors will ratify the strategic plan at its spring 2007 meeting, likely in May 2007.

While the strategic plan will be a consuming focus for the aquarium staff in the coming months, Mills is also committed to continuing to improve the visitor experience and “clarify and focus the role we play as being stewards of the environment.”

The aquarium is looking at ways to grow its educational efforts, reaching more children around the state through distance education and a possible partnership with South Carolina Education Television.

This summer’s educational efforts are focused on the sea turtle. Sea Turtle Summer launched in May and runs through Aug. 20. A corner of the aquarium is devoted to the turtles, providing information about nesting habits and what the public can do to protect the sea turtle.

On display is a TED, or Turtle Excluder Device, a net used by fisherman that allows the fish or shrimp to be captured but the turtles to escape. Visitors also can watch a live video feed from the aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital, and children can participate in a turtle-themed scavenger hunt and visit the reading area stocked with books about sea turtles.

The aquarium is also using Sea Turtle Summer to grow its relationship with local public relations and marketing firm Rawle Murdy Associates Inc. The aquarium has relied on Rawle Murdy primarily for advertising needs but is now employing more of the firm’s public relations services as part of an initiative to retool the way it uses some of its vendors, Mills explained.

The aquarium staff is also developing a new exhibit that will replace the “Secrets of the Amazon” exhibit. This fall, the staff will be encouraging visitors to take advantage of the last chance to see an anaconda and an anteater from the Amazon.

The idea for the new exhibit is being developed and produced internally, and Mills predicts it will even top the popular “Secrets of the Amazon” exhibit.

The new exhibit, set to open in spring 2007, is still in the development stages but Mills said it “will be very hands-on and interactive based on what we heard from visitors.”

Holly Fisher is supplements editor for the Business Journal E-mail her at hfisher@charlestonbusiness.com.

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