UVA Today

Dunlap continued working in the hotel industry until accepting a position as the director of the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Leveraging his hospitality experience, Dunlap managed, among many entities, 11 food and beverage outlets, 10 retail stores and some 1,600 employees.

It was while at the zoo that Dunlap’s devotion to animals – especially flamingos – went to new heights.

Dunlap worked at the zoo until 2013 before starting Iconic Attractions Group, an attractions management company in which he served as president and CEO.

In April, Dunlap took over as the president of one of the best-known marine life attractions there is: SeaWorld San Diego.

UVA Today caught up with Dunlap – who lives in San Diego with his wife, Jenny, and their three children – to learn about his hopes for the park.

Q. You’ve worked at the San Diego Zoo, have overseen the development of other safari parks and now you’re at SeaWorld – so we’re guessing you love animals. When did that love affair begin, and do you have any favorite stories you can share about some of your experiences with them over the years?

A. Having grown up in Annapolis and living on the Chesapeake Bay, I always had a relationship with the sea. I was 8 years old when I started sailing competitively and I spent every summer sailing, skiing, crabbing; I was always out on the water and that impacted my enthusiasm for adventure and animals.

Growing up and navigating through career choices, I didn’t know you could work with animals as a career. When I moved into my position at the zoo, my job was to help the teams that cared for the animals; I got hooked and wanted to learn more. In addition, the zoo was my first job working for a nonprofit organization, and I became inspired and enthralled working for an institution with a mission to save species. I was excited to go to work every day and work for one of the most well-respected organizations with regard to wildlife management and conversation.

Every day I felt a sense of satisfaction working for a mission-driven industry, from that moment I knew I always wanted to work with animals and conservation. This passion led me to start Iconic Attractions Group, a company I created to help other institutions optimize their mission-driven institutions.

Q. As many people are aware, the San Diego Zoo had a program that helped bring giant pandas back from the brink of extinction. Was that a pretty gratifying thing to be able to do, and did you ever get to witness any births in person? If so, what was that like?

A. All of the above; the zoo was most well-known for pandas, yet there is a vast number of species that would not exist without the expertise of the staff at San Diego Zoo. I did have the opportunity to witness, firsthand, the birth of many species, including a baby panda. The experience was surreal. The cub was so little and there were so many smart people working to make sure the cub was healthy and safe. It was truly an experience I will never forget.

Q. What were some other animals – ones that may not be as highly publicized as pandas – that the zoo helped keep from extinction during your time there?

A. Out of the many species the San Diego Zoo worked to protect, no initiative was more personally gratifying than the organization’s role in establishing endextinctionsandiego.org, a coalition of partners brought together to protect the more than 200 at-risk plant and animal species in San Diego. While conserving plants and animals around the world is important work, serving as a leader in conservation within our own community provides a special call to action.

Q. What are a few of your favorite animals and why?

A. I love all animals, but I have become quite fond of flamingos. During my time at the zoo, I was involved with a particular hatching of a flamboyance of 17 flamingo chicks. I visited them frequently at our Avian Propagation Center and I developed a special bond.

I am also drawn to sea life of all kinds, including sea lions and dolphins. In fact, on any given day out of the office, you just might find me in La Jolla observing/admiring the thousands of harbor seals and California sea lions.

Q. What gets you most excited about your new position at SeaWorld? What are some things you’ll be striving to accomplish there?

A. I look forward to being a champion for all the great things SeaWorld does and helping to tell our story. We offer a place that combines fun and education while doing good for the world. Our park is a place where you can learn about marine animals and marine habitats and, above all, a place where you can participate and contribute to making the world a better place for marine animals and marine habitats based on all the great work that we do.

I want to help connect our millions of visitors a year and give them an opportunity to become as inspired as I am coming to work every day and having a role in animal conservation.

SeaWorld’s legacy of animal rescue spans more than 50 years. In that time, SeaWorld’s rescue teams have come to the aid of more than 38,000 sick, injured and orphaned animals in need, giving them a second chance at life. None of this would be possible without the continued support of our partner agencies, park guests, pass members and dedicated team members, as well as the people across the globe taking action to protect these amazing animals and their habitats. Our teams are on call 24/7/365, partnering with multiple government agencies to rescue and help animals in need of our care.

Q. There’s been public debate the last several years related to SeaWorld’s marine mammal collections, specifically whales. Where do you stand on this, and is this one of the big challenges you face in your new position?

A. We are an accredited zoo and aquarium, and we take great pride in that. Our care practices meet rigorous and independent accreditation standards that uphold the highest standard of care for all our animals. SeaWorld has so many fans and advocates that love everything about the park and our mission. I focus on those who are passionate about what we do each day.

Q. With the world starting to return to normal after the pandemic, it seems like people will be flocking back to theme parks. Is that the hope, and are there perhaps any silver linings or things you think the industry as a whole learned during these trying times that can make for even better customer experiences in the future?

A. Like the rest of the world, we are eagerly awaiting a return to normal. We want to bring people back responsibly. Our goal is to educate, entertain and inspire millions. COVID has made that more challenging, and we are systematically bringing guests back to the park in a safe and meaningful way.

During the pandemic, part of the business had to take a pause. When you “turn things back on” and have had time to assess aspects of your business, you can be more deliberate in your decisions. We are hiring talented new ambassadors, trying to put our people in a place to be creative, and elevate our experiences at all levels.

Q. Looking back on your time at UVA, did you have any professors or classes that made big impacts on you?

A. My favorite class was “How Things Work” by [physics] Professor [Louis] Bloomfield. Another favorite professor of mine is Larry Sabato; he was terrific. I took his class during a presidential election year and it was fascinating to hear from such a knowledgeable political mind regarding the intricacies of the political process as it was unfolding.

Q. How do you think the overall UVA experience helped shape you into the person and leader you are today?

A. I am grateful for the rigorous academic experience. Courses were challenging and relevant; professors were thought-provoking and absolute subject matter experts. There was a stringent expectation for students and graduates; the professors challenged us to go out and make a difference in the world.

There’s something to be said about going to a university with such an incredible history and a such an important founder in Mr. Jefferson. To me, it was inspiring to follow in the footsteps of someone who changed the world.