12/05/2024
VBHA appreciates all that Caryl has done for the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center.
Best wishes in the next chapter.
We extend our congratulations and heartfelt appreciation to our Chief Operating Officer, Caryl Thompson, who will retire on December 20, 2024 after a dedicated career in public service. She joined the City of Virginia Beach in 1986 in part-time roles, and has worked full-time since 1992, spending nearly ten years at the Virginia Aquarium.
“Cultivating positivity with an unwavering work ethic every single day, Caryl has been a trusted, diligent, reliable colleague to all, and her years of work at the Aquarium will have a rippling impact that will last beyond her days in the office,” said Aquarium CEO, Cynthia Whitbred-Spanoulis, “It has been an honor to work alongside her.”
During her 5 years as Chief Operating Officer, Caryl has coordinated, evaluated, and improved the daily operations of the Virginia Aquarium. She implemented strategies and programs that emphasized the department’s mission while delivering a positive guest experience and accomplishing financial goals. The breadth of her role spans from leading and developing the Aquarium’s employees, to overseeing the daily operations of the Virginia Aquarium, to writing and deploying internal and public communications, including the arrival and death of high-profile animals and weather-related emergencies. Caryl has led major operational projects, most recently, directing the opening of the $28.9M newly renovated and expanded South Building. Caryl is known for fostering positive professional relationships, from Aquarium board members and department leadership to peers and staff, to the media and the public.
Throughout her career, Caryl has also received numerous accolades including the P.E.E.R. Award in 2007, 2003, and 1997; the City Manager’s Creativity, Innovation & Public Service Award in 2001, 1999, and 1997; and the 2017 City of Virginia Beach Employee Hall of Fame Award.
We thank you for your years of devotion to our mission and wish you all the best in retirement, Caryl! Read more about Caryl's rich career with the City of Virginia Beach in our latest press release, linked in the comments.
