Annual Report
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| 1 2016Annual Report | 1 The mission of Nashville Zoo is to inspire a culture of understanding and discovery of our natural world through conservation, innovation and leadership. CONTENTS 2 Year at a Glance 26 Veterinary Animal Care 44 Attendance & Membership 3 Notes from Board Chair & Zoo 28 Ambassador Animal Programs 45 Financial Report President 30 Education 46 Grow Wild 5 Leadership 36 Events & Fundraisers 52 Sunset Safari 6 New in 2016 39 Group Sales & Social Events 54 Donor Society 10 Conservation & Sustainability 40 Community Engagement 56 Cumulative Giving 20 Animal Births & Additions 42 Volunteers, Employees & Interns 64 Photo Credits Year at a Glance 2 | YEAR AT A GLANCE 10,000,000 guests since opening in 1997 894, 161 attendance in 2016 $500,000+ given to conservation this year 186,589 Ambassador Animal presentation attendees 97,000 Soaring Eagle rides 48,500+ Field Trip Students 33, 393 members 1,939 Ambassador Animal presentations “100” Charity Navigator score Palawan Binturong, photo by: Joel Sartore / National Geographic Photo Ark Notes from Board Chair & Zoo President | 3 DEAR FRIENDS, What an exciting year 2016 was! The Nashville Zoo Republic of Congo with the GRACE Project (Gorilla ground on a new Veterinary Hospital, a new Animal made significant strides in its capital expansion Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Ambassador Building and will expand our parking and improvement plans. In April, we celebrated Center), a gorilla rescue and survival facility. to meet the needs of our growing attendance. the successful completion and opening of the Our new Entry Village won a first place award The Nashville Zoo has many to thank for helping us new Entry Village with a Ticket Sales building, a for Excellence in Construction from the Greater achieve our success. Thank you to the thousands fantastic new Gift Shop, a Membership building, Tennessee Chapter of the Associated Builders of donors who have supported our organization, office space and public restrooms. The complex and Contractors. The Tennessean’s Readers’ to our elected officials who have acknowledged includes waterfalls, stunning landscaping and new Choice Awards recognized the Nashville Zoo as our importance in the community and to the avian exhibits. We reached almost 900,000 visitors the “Best Regional Attraction in the Southeast” as almost 900,000 of you who visited the Zoo in (a record-high attendance) in 2016 and ended the well as being the “Best Place to Take the Kids.” 2016. year in excellent financial health. The Nashville Zoo has come a long way since its relocation to One of our important board goals for We look forward to the coming years and can’t wait Grassmere in 1997 twenty years ago! the organization moving forward is to be to share our continuing progress with you! Please recognized by the Nashville community for our visit often so you can experience the excitement From a board perspective, we are proud of conservation efforts. A new tagline you will see of our 20th Anniversary year at Grassmere as we the outstanding leadership and passion of on Zoo communications is about our Wild Works grow and evolve from our wonderful “city” zoo our executive management team and their program, which states our commitment to global into a world-class one. experienced and dedicated staff. and local conservation through research, habitat The recognition the Zoo has received as a result protection, breeding programs and education of their efforts is both impressive and deserved. initiatives. The Zoo is involved in multiple initiatives Charity Navigator, the “Good Housekeeping seal throughout the world and here at home. You will of approval” for non-profits, gave the Nashville get a glimpse of these projects in the following Zoo a perfect score of 100 based on fiscal pages. The successful efforts of our research responsibility and donor relations. The Zoo is one teams are internationally recognized and serve as of only 49 non-profits in the nation that received an inspiration to us all. a perfect score out of 8,000 non-profits evaluated Looking forward, 2017 promises to be another (no other zoo received this rating). record year for the Nashville Zoo. We will open Julie W. Walker We also received the highest International four new animal exhibits: Mexican Spider Monkey, Board Chair Conservation Award from the AZA (the Association Southern White Rhinoceros, Andean Bear and of Zoos and Aquariums), our accrediting Sumatran Tiger, all of which are endangered or organization, for our work in the Democratic threatened species. In addition, we will break 4 | Notes from Board Chair & Zoo President DEAR FRIENDS, The past year was a hectic one for Nashville Zoo Early this year, we opened our new Entry Village. when they open in 2017. But there’s much more as we managed multiple construction projects Because of increasing annual attendance and the coming! Our plans will take us beyond 2020 as and completed the successful openings of new need for improved guest amenities, we designed, we strive to deliver one of the most unique and attractions and facilities. While construction was constructed and opened what we hope you will exciting zoos in the country. evident throughout the property, behind the think is one of the best zoo entrances in the Thanks to the support of our community and the scenes our team continued to make great strides country. The African-themed entry provides patience they have shown while we continue to in our support of conservation programs around numerous guest amenities while providing the prepare for these new zoo experiences, we’ve the world, researching and learning more each operational support for continued attendance been able to build something special and we day about the world we live in and how we can growth through the coming years. And speaking sincerely hope you will feel it has been worth the improve our impact. of attendance, we were fortunate to reach a new wait. annual attendance record of 894,161 guests. We continued our support of conservation and Our visitors also witnessed the opening of our Thank you to the employees who have worked research programs abroad in places like Peru, new Soaring Eagle Zip Line and over 97,000 riders so diligently to help bring these visions to life. Thailand, Brazil and places closer to home in were brave enough to give it a try. And on behalf of those employees, thank you Tennessee. I am proud to say that in 2016 to the donors, volunteers, local leaders and the Nashville Zoo contributed over $500,000 to As the year unfolded, we overcame construction Nashville community for your continued support conservation programs. This was the largest setbacks, tackled new challenges and continued of Nashville Zoo. We look forward to seeing you monetary support of conservation programs in to prepare for an aggressive unveiling of multiple in 2017! the Zoo’s history. Our efforts were recognized new exhibits in 2017. We worked diligently to with a 2016 International Conservation Award implement new programs that will ultimately from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums for provide a better guest experience and continued our involvement with gorilla rehabilitation and to implement new programs that provide the research at the GRACE Center in the Democratic safest environment for our guests and employees. Republic of Congo. We’ve worked closely with local leaders and These are just a small portion of our team’s wildlife appreciate the strong support of our Board of preservation efforts and conservation research. Directors and donors in helping us achieve the In the next few pages you will read about many growth this organization has experienced over Rick Schwartz of these projects and get a look at the number of the years. Our Grow Wild campaign has raised the Zoo President projects and contributions Nashville Zoo makes funding for our newest and current projects and each year toward conservation efforts. we are excited to share them with the community Leadership | 5 LEADERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS Julie W. Walker – Chairman Robin Patton – Immediate Past Chairman Sheryl Rogers – Secretary Kent Kirby – Treasurer Chris Whitson – Legal Counsel Cynthia Arnholt, Kelley Beaman, Kathryn Brown, Neely Coble, Kevin Crumbo, Anne Davis, Laurie Eskind, Jennifer Frist, Carl Haley, John Howard, Sarah Ingram, Jeff Jacobs, Daynise Joseph, David Manning, Alex Marks, Richard McRae, Kimberly Williams Paisley, Brian Smallwood, Butch Spyridon, McArthur VanOsdale ADVISORY BOARD George Armistead, Lee Beaman, Renée Chevalier, Kelly Crockett Crook, Missy Eason, Rodes Hart, Jim Hunt, Jamie Jones, Art Laffer, Jim Littlejohn, Tom Loventhal, Frank McGrew, Larry Papel, Dick Ragsdale, Charles Sonnenberg, Abby Trotter, Jimmy Webb ZOO EXECUTIVE TEAM Rick Schwartz – Zoo President Andy Tillman – Chief Operating Officer Reagan Fairbairn – Chief Finance Officer Suzanne Iler – Chief Development Officer ZOO SENIOR MANAGEMENT Greg Peccie – Director of Animal Operations Joe deGraauw – Avian Curator Dale McGinnity – Ectotherm Curator Jacqueline Menish – Curator of Behavioral Husbandry Dr. Heather Robertson – Director of Veterinary Services Jim Bartoo – Director of Marketing & Public Relations Chad Fifer – Director of Education Jody Goodenow – Director of Human Resources Jeffrie Hunter – Director of Facilities Chris McBride – Director of Information Technology Lori Pace – Director of Membership Services Peter Thompson – Director of Guest Services Kindell Williams – Director of Group Sales & Special Events 6 | New in 2016 ENTRY VILLAGE Due to tremendous growth and record-breaking attendance, animal and culturally-inspired merchandise from major building the Zoo’s new Entry Village was a top priority to national brands as well as fair-trade goods from artisans heighten the guest experience. The new entrance opened around the world. The unique interior design of Zawadi on April 9, and enhances the Zoo’s operations with dedicated Market has also earned retail industry recognition. ticketing and membership buildings, a 4,200 square-foot gift shop, restrooms, first aid, and private nursing rooms.