The executive director of Botanica has announced his retirement, effective August 26th.

Marty Miller has been the director at Botanica for 15 years but he has been with the City of Wichita since 2000.  He worked for the city as a grants coordinator and then served as the assistant director of housing before moving to Botanica in January, 2007.

Miller is credited with leadership in a number of enhancement and improvement projects at Botanica, including the Downing Children’s Garden, the restoration of the Joyland Merry-Go-Round, and the Koch Carousel Gardens.   He has also been instrumental in the development of Illuminations, the largest light show in Kansas, which has been ranked number five in the nation by USA Today.

Miller also worked with the city after the COVID-19 pandemic on programs to boost the mental health of the community, and Botanica provided free access to front line health care workers.

In a press release, Miller expressed thanks to the Wichita community for its support for Botanica.