The Georgia Aquarium’s executive director, Jeff Swanagan, is leaving the organization for the top post at he Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio, reports The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Mr. Swanagan will return to his roots in Columbus, where he was once zookeeper and later, from 1982 to 1987, the Columbus Zoo’s education director, the newspaper reports. Mike Leven, a Georgia Aquarium board member who is also vice chairman of the Marcus Foundation, is now acting chief executive.

Mr. Swanagan helped develop the Georgia Aquarium with the billionaire Bernie Marcus, who provided $250-million for the facility. It has the world’s largest fish tank.

Read a Chronicle article about the aquarium in our special report on charities and design, and read this profile of Mr. Marcus.

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