Museum mourns loss of BOT Chair Mark Buss

April 2, 2025

Appointed to the board in 2020 by then Governor Ralph Northam, Mark began his term as chair on July 1, 2024 and was highly revered by colleagues and staff as a steadfast champion of the museum with an unwavering passion for ensuring the institution's continued growth and success.

Prior to his appointment to the museum's leadership board, Mark had extensive non-profit board experience, which he masterfully applied to both the strategy and direction of VMNH. During his tenure, Mark was instrumental in spearheading the development of an internal strategic plan for the museum and its board of trustees and, as chair, Mark charged museum staff with two primary efforts: to examine the Code of Virginia, the museum's charter, and the museum budget to ensure resources are invested specifically into the tasks charged by the Commonwealth, as well as to conduct a quantitative space inventory of the museum's ever-growing scientific collections to help shape future plans for collections storage expansion.

In addition to his role as chair, Mark served on the trustees' Research & Collections Committee. In this role, Mark tirelessly advocated for the unique contributions museum curators and researchers make to the understanding of Virginia's natural heritage.

Throughout his board tenure, Mark also proved to be an ardent supporter of the museum's staff. From making certain that employees had the resources necessary to achieve success, to constantly dedicating his time and energy to ensure that staff efforts were recognized and appreciated, Mark's genuine care and concern for the people responsible for the museum's day-to-day functions was well known and greatly admired.

While Mark's leadership will be incredibly missed, he has left the museum well positioned for continued success thanks to his highly impactful years of direction, dedication, and support.