Vero Beach, Fla. – February 4, 2026 — McKee Botanical Garden has announced the appointment of Gary D. Boivin as its first Director of Capital Planning and Operations, signaling a significant investment in infrastructure, long-range planning, and the continued elevation of the visitor experience within the historic jungle garden.
Boivin joins McKee Botanical Garden from Bok Tower Gardens, where he served as Director of Facilities and Operations. During his tenure, he played an important role in major restoration initiatives, including the Singing Tower, Exedra, Chao Research Center, and the Anton Brees Carillon Library. Prior to Bok Tower Gardens, Boivin was Vice President of Operations at Naples Botanical Garden, where over twelve years he directed facilities, security, and operations across multiple departments and led the construction of the $20 million Evenstad Horticulture Campus, incorporating advanced environmental systems.
The creation of this new leadership role follows the completion of McKee’s five-year strategic business plan, developed in partnership with Canopy Strategic Business Partners. The eight-month planning process, conducted with McKee’s Board of Directors and staff, identified the expansion of staff capacity and infrastructure as critical to the Garden’s next phase of growth.
Boivin brings a proven record of operational leadership, capital project oversight, and collaborative problem-solving, positioning him to help McKee realize its full potential as a premier visitor destination, a center for horticultural excellence, and a source of enduring community pride. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment, as McKee celebrates the Centennial of its living collections alongside the 25th anniversary of the Garden’s restoration and reopening following two decades of closure and neglect—milestones that have renewed national and regional attention on Vero Beach’s oldest cultural landscape.
“Gary will provide essential strategic oversight of facilities, horticultural operations, guest-experience infrastructure, capital projects, and the organizational systems that support a safe, high-quality, and mission-aligned environment for visitors, staff, and volunteers,” said Rochelle Wolberg, Executive Director of McKee Botanical Garden. “His depth of experience and thoughtful leadership will be instrumental as we prepare the Garden for its next century.”
