The Inaugural Expedition FAA was an enormous success, premiering on Thursday, November 8 at ZooTampa at Lowry Park. The event drew capacity attendance and featured a day filled with informative presentations, engaging discussions, and valuable networking opportunities. FAA members were encouraged to arrive early to explore the award-winning zoo before the start of Expedition FAA.

The event took place in the zoo's Africa realm in Riley's Reserve and kicked off with an informal lunch where Chairman Dan Donovan (Universal Orlando Resort) provided an update on the FAA's strategic plan rollout and the ongoing efforts of the Board of Directors. Bill Lupfer shared insights on the election night results, the contributions made by the Florida Attractions Political Action Committee, and the potential impact of the 2025 Florida Legislature on the industry. Mike Donaldson, Members Services Manager, highlighted upcoming FAA events, including the 2025 Annual Conference scheduled for June 8-11 in Ponte Vedra. Jennifer Berthiaume (Lion Country Safari), Chairman of the Florida Attractions Scholarship Foundation, announced the opening of the 2025 Scholarship and Grant application period in February. Then Melissa Vogt (Broadway Palm Dinner Theater), Chair of the FAA Board Events Committee, revealed that the next Expedition FAA will take place in St. Augustine in January 2025.

The highlight of the event was a presentation on the rebranding and transformation of ZooTampa. Scott Rose, the COO of ZooTampa, and Kristi Chase Tozer, President of RumbleBuzz Marketing and former CMO of the zoo during its 4-year rebranding process, shared the inspiring story of the zoo's journey from its previous downtown Tampa location to its current home in Lowry Park. Scott discussed how the zoo evolved alongside the city and its residents, while Kristi detailed the rebranding process from start to finish, emphasizing the importance of stakeholder engagement, long-term planning, and effective internal and external brand communication strategies.

During the recent Expedition FAA event, Scott shared exciting news about the zoo's rebranding efforts, which have sparked a renewed sense of optimism for the future. The zoo has ambitious plans to renovate and update older areas, as well as create new sections that represent different geographic regions and the wildlife they house.

Attendees of the event were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of ZooTampa, where they got a glimpse of the support areas that play a crucial role in caring for the animals. The zoo's dedicated animal team works tirelessly to maintain, rehabilitate, enrich, feed, and curate the wildlife collection with professionalism care.

Following the tour, attendees participated in roundtable discussions on opportunities and considerations of branding. Included were discussions about the creative journey behind FAA’s logo rebrand, effective branding strategies for celebrating business anniversaries and special events, Utilizing mission and vision statements to drive company culture, strengthen your business and encourage customer loyalty, and maximizing brand impact through strategic public relations and community engagement.

A workshop on the Clifton Strengths Survey was also presented, with FAA Chair Dan Donovan presenting each attendee with their personalized survey results. The survey results were discussed in terms of how they can be used to build strong teams and ensure that team members' strengths are effectively utilized in the workplace. The FAA plans to offer more opportunities for members to experience this valuable human resources tool in the coming year.

The event concluded with a gathering at the Boomerang Bar in the Australia realm, where attendees had the chance to unwind and network with fellow FAA friends and colleagues.

The FAA expresses its sincere gratitude to the ZooTampa team for their exceptional hospitality and generous support in hosting Expedition FAA. We also extend our appreciation to the FAA leaders who served as RoundTable hosts, facilitating engaging discussions throughout the event. Kristy Chase Tozer, RumbleBuzz Marketing; Cameron O’Connell, ZooTampa at Lowry Park; Retta Logan, A3 Visual; Nick Romeo, Guest Services; John Dent, Walt Disney World; Christina Schwartzman, Sawgrass Recreation Park; and Melissa Vogt, Broadway Palm Dinner Theater.

Lastly, we would like to thank our Expedition FAA Sponsors for their invaluable investment in our industry, without which these professional development programs would not be possible.