Vero Beach - Saturday July 22, 2023: After 25 years of exemplary service, Executive Director Christine Hobart has announced her retirement from McKee Botanical Garden to pursue personal adventures that she has been putting off as she devoted her professional career to McKee.
Christine has guided the magic of this historic Garden with wisdom, inspiration, and unflappable determination. She has played a significant role in McKee’s venerable history. Under her leadership, attendance grew from 20,000 to 120,000 annual visitors with over 7,700 members. She has nurtured a unique botanical collection with award-winning water lilies, champion tree species, and exhibits that inspire visitors of every age. Her vision brought the Children’s Garden to McKee – now recognized as one of the best in the State of Florida. Among her top goals, she leaves us with a financially stable operation – annual balanced budgets, an endowment over $8 million, and cash reserves for hurricanes and capital improvements. Her legacy is remarkable, and she will forever be a part of the rich history of the Garden. Christine’s leadership has transformed McKee’s fortunes and its future, which the Board of Directors wishes to acknowledge with tremendous gratitude.
The Board of Directors has formed a search committee to find a new Director.