Brad Hahn
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Class: |
2009 |
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School: |
South High School |
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Inducted: |
2022 |
Brad Hahn is the Executive Director of Explore Buffalo, Buffalo’s leading nonprofit tour organization. As Executive Director, Brad is responsible for organizational leadership and strategy for the growing array of tours and educational programs that Explore Buffalo offers.
During Brad’s time as Executive Director, Explore Buffalo has grown from annual attendance of 6,000 in 2014 to more than 25,000 in 2019. Explore Buffalo has significantly expanded its presence across the region and has been included in travel profiles of Buffalo in national and global publications including the Wall Street Journal, the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, and many others.
While the COVID-19 pandemic presented a significant challenge for Explore Buffalo, Brad led the organization to adapt creative new approaches to continue its mission of educating the public about Buffalo’s history and architecture. Today, Explore Buffalo has more than 200 volunteers who lead over 80 different walking, bike, bus, and boat tours across our region, with more than 1,500 tours scheduled per year.
An essential part of Explore Buffalo’s programs are its tours for K-12 school groups. Explore Buffalo school tours visit places including City Hall and Canalside, and inspire an appreciation for Buffalo history and architecture in our next generation of Buffalo citizens. The school tour program is especially important to Brad because of his memories of his Buffalo tour in Mrs. Syracuse’s second grade class at Forest Elementary.
Brad has fond memories of his four years at South, including playing trumpet in the band and pit orchestra, writing for the school newspaper, and taking all the architectural design classes possible. After graduating from South, Brad was a Presidential Scholar at the University at Buffalo where he received a degree in English, Geography, and Political Science. Brad is now on the interview committees for the Presidential Scholarship and the Prosperity Fellowship at the University at Buffalo. Brad grew up in Williamsville and now lives in North Buffalo.