The announcement of the Ohio Attorney General’s conclusion of an investigation and the Grand Jury’s indictment closes a chapter on the challenges the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium faced in 2021 leading to the removal of former staff and thorough examination and restructuring under new leadership.
Placing a high priority on a renewed commitment to the Zoo’s mission and to rebuilding public trust, the Board of Directors and President and CEO Tom Schmid have made significant changes to policies, procedures and oversight at multiple levels. The Columbus Zoo is committed to transparency and accountability and has taken a comprehensive approach to address every recommendation highlighted in the Plante Moran forensic report.
Additionally, the Columbus Zoo has severed the relationship with several previous vendors, and has retained a new auditing firm to conduct its annual audit, ensuring a fresh perspective on its financial operations and a new advertising agency to better communicate its mission.
To strengthen governance and oversight, the organization has restructured and significantly reduced the size of the Board of Directors. As a result, the Columbus Zoo is a better-governed and stronger institution today.
With these changes in place and a new strategy focused on the Zoo’s mission of empowering people and saving wildlife, the Board of Directors and staff are focused on the future. Under Schmid’s leadership, the goal is to propel the Columbus Zoo to become one of the most impactful wildlife conservation organizations globally.
The Zoo is grateful for the support and trust of the community and looks forward to the bright future knowing that its mission will continue to be the guiding light in all that it does.
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About the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Home to more than 10,000 animals representing over 600 species worldwide, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium leads by making a positive impact on people, wildlife, and wild places. The Zoo complex is a recreational and education destination that includes the 22-acre Zoombezi Bay water park and 18-hole Safari Golf Club. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium also manages The Wilds, a 10,000-acre conservation center and safari park located in southeastern Ohio. The Zoo is a wildlife conservation organization with regional, national and global impact, annually supporting conservation and research projects locally and worldwide to continue the mission of Empowering People. Saving Wildlife. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Columbus Zoo has earned Charity Navigator’s prestigious 4-star rating.
