The Bishop Announces Retirement of Longtime CEO

January 15, 2021 – Sarasota

The Board of Trustees of The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature announced the upcoming retirement of its longstanding CEO, Brynne Anne Besio, and its plans to conduct an extensive national search for the Museum’s next CEO.

Applauding her extraordinary impact and leadership of the Museum during 13-plus years as CEO, the Board accepted Besio’s retirement, citing confidence in the strong foundation she has established for The Bishopand its successful path forward.

The Bishop has grown and evolved significantly during Besio’s tenure. In the past five years alone, the Museum put a new emphasis on creating experiences to inspire curiosity and discovery, opening a new education wing and the Mosaic Backyard Universe exhibition, which is a unique resource in the area for young children and their families. The Museum also renovated and created work and education spaces and unveiled a new name and brand. Other achievements include:

• The Museum’s operating budget has grown from $1.4 million in 2007 to $3.5 million in 2020.
• Annual attendance has grown from 57,500 in 2007 to more than 73,000 in 2019.
• Financial support from the community has grown substantially, both in the form of support for the Annual Fund for the Museum’s operations and raising more than $18 million in a capital campaign.
• The Museum has been part of downtown Bradenton’s growth with the creation of programs, exhibitions and activities in conjunction with the cultural planning that resulted in the formation of Realize Bradenton.
• The Bishop is now well known within the Museum community as a result of Besio’s involvement in the Florida Association of Museums, which culminated with her serving as president of the statewide organization.
• The Bishop’s involvement in regional collaborations increased, with the Science and Environment Council of Southwest Florida as an example, of which Besio is a past president.

“The Board is committed to securing only the best talent to build upon Brynne Anne’s legacy and continue creating opportunities for The Bishop to grow,” said Board Chair Brian Carter. “We are optimistic about the prospects that await our next CEO to build on the powerful foundation she created.” 

Besio will continue serving as CEO through April 1, 2021. In addition, she will consult with The Bishop in the months afterward to help ensure the successful transition to the new CEO.  

“Together with The Bishop team, we have accomplished so much,” said Besio. “It is a good time for both the Museum and for me personally to make this transition. I’m proud of how far we’ve come in the past 13 years and I’ve been honored to work with the Board, volunteers, and staff to serve our community. The collaborations like Soar in 4 with the School District of Manatee County and others have helped us reach thousands of children, many of whom are in low-income and underserved communities.

“I also feel deep gratitude to the Museum’s supporters — our donors, members, and others — for their confidence in The Bishop,” she said. “They have stood with us, even in the extraordinary year that was 2020, because they believe in our nonprofit mission and in the Museum’s importance to the fabric of the community.”