Aquarium at the Boardwalk Hires First “Afishionado”

Kuvera Partners is pleased to announce that Steven Bitter has joined Aquarium at the Boardwalk as Director of Husbandry. He and his wife, Heidi, have moved to Branson, Mo. from Tampa, Fla. so he can fill this key role at the new attraction, scheduled to open in summer 2020.

Bitter has the critical responsibility of leading the department that will take care of the animals in the aquarium. During construction, the marine biologist will be working with the company’s multiple consultants and crews to make sure that the life support systems and exhibits are safe for the animals, bringing them in from responsible and sustainable sources, and building the team that will keep them healthy.

“We couldn’t be more excited about this first and extremely important hire,” says Partner Tej Sundher.

“Steve has proven expertise in the care of aquatic animals as both a hobbyist and professional in aquariums around the world. His positive energy and roll-up-your-sleeves approach make him a great match for Kuvera, and we’re confident that he’ll be able to draw the best animal care specialists from around the country to be part of our team,” he said.

Bitter comes to Kuvera Partners with 15 years of experience in the aquarium industry, most recently as Senior Curator of Global New Openings for Sea Life Centres. In this capacity, he traveled to open new aquarium projects in the US, China, Japan, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom. He was promoted to this position after serving as Curator of Sea Life Arizona in Tempe, where he led that facility to its first accreditation with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

Prior to this Bitter served as a Senior Biologist at The Florida Aquarium in Tampa. There, he cared for quarantine areas and public exhibits, as well as doing field work on reef restoration, endangered coral spawning research, and underwater archaeology.

“I’m thrilled to join Aquarium at the Boardwalk at this early stage because I think it’s a chance to build a terrific facility in a community that has already shown such enthusiastic support,” says Bitter.

“I think this is a great opportunity to reach a large audience with a fun and engaging guest experience, and along the way help inspire future generations toward ocean stewardship and environmental awareness.”

To get information about jobs with Aquarium at the Boardwalk, complete the “Get Updates” form at www.www.aquariumattheboardwalk.com and choose Future Employment in the “Interest” drop down.