Riverside Discovery Center board members have narrowed down the search for a permanent director to two candidates.
Scottsbluff City Council Liaison Matt Salomon says one of the finalists is from Pennsylvania and one is from South Africa.
“Whichever one they do decide to go with, they’re going to offer a multi-year contract with the incoming director. So there’s continuity within the government,” explained Salomon. “So it’s not moving Director from Director, we will have consistency for a few years. So that’s kind of the main goal.”
Former zoo Director Anthony Mason stepped down from the post in late 2022, followed by a brief stint by Hawk Buckman. In February, 2023 Desiree Drane Davison was hired on as Executive Director, and she resigned in May. During this constant change in leadership, the zoo lost its AZA accreditation and many of its bigger animals died after tainted meat was donated and fed to its tigers, pumas and bears.
