From volunteer to CEO: New Sedgwick County Zoo leader ‘hatched’ at the zoo

Scott Newland has gone from a teen volunteering at the Sedgwick County Zoo to now being named its fourth president and CEO.

Newland will transition from deputy director to the top spot on April 24, the zoo said in a news release Wednesday. He is only the fourth person to hold the top spot in the zoo’s 50-year history. Newland said his colleagues joke that he was “hatched” at the zoo, having started as a volunteer there when he was 13.

“You could say I’ve spent my whole life at the Zoo,” Newland said in the news release. “Wichita is my home and zoos are my passion. I truly believe our Zoo is one of the best in the country – we’re doing amazing things for wildlife here and all over the world.”

The Sedgwick County Zoological Society and Sedgwick County officials chose Newland to replace Jeff Ettling, who announced in January that he would take a new job as the president and CEO of The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in Jacksonville, Florida.

“(Newland) is the right person to lead our Zoo into the future,” zoological society board of directors chair Sheryl Wohlford said in the release. “He has a lifetime of experience at SCZ and has already done so much to prove his passion and commitment toward the Zoo’s vision.”

Newland has been the zoo’s deputy director since 2020. Before that, he served as the curator of birds and a zookeeper in the bird department. He has been at the zoo for 22 years.

“Sedgwick County is proud of our Zoo and its dedicated staff,” Sedgwick County Commissioner David Dennis said in the release. “Scott is the pinnacle of that dedication and the passion required to continue developing world-class exhibits and experiences at SCZ.”

The zoo is currently a few years into an expansive 25-year master plan. Under the master plan, the zoo’s new entry has been completed and an expansion finished in September on its Slawson Family Asian Big Cat Trek.

This story was originally published April 20, 2022 at 10:43 AM.