How does Columbus Zoo run 4 years after 2.3 million US dollar scandal?

We have invested in new security and security functions that improved accessibility, implemented infrastructure -upgrades and began to fight a significant deficit of the postponed maintenance.

Tom Schmid
| Guest columnist

Tom Schmid is President and CEO of the Columbus Zoo and aquarium and monitors a diverse portfolio that includes the Wilds, an almost 10,000 hectare of Wildlie-Natural Protection Center, Zoombzi Bay Water Park and the Safari Golf Club.

In the spring of 2021, one year after the explanation of a global pandemic, the Columbus zoo suffered another big blow when it became known that the zoo had suffered an extraordinary failure for managers.

Our Association of Zoos and Aquarium's accreditation was lost, as was our membership at the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Animal Care Leaders in the zoo lost their coveted roles in terms of animal management and nature conservation programs, and the important breeding of endangered species was stopped. The morals and the commitment of the employees have dropped.

Our outstanding reputation as one of the largest zoos in the nation was damaged. And ultimately we learned that over 2 million US dollars were either stolen or abused by this facility.

We have traveled a long way in the past four years.

Our accreditation with the AZA is completely restored and we are good again with the Waza. In addition, we are now accredited by the Zoological Association of America and the Allianz for Marine mammalian parks and aquariums and have received certification with global human certification that confirms our commitment to the highest standards of animal care and conservation.

We have summarized two government bodies into a smaller, more committed board. We have strengthened the board conditions and the term limits and increased the work of our committees. Board members and executive employees have subjected training courses, including the completion organizer of the general prosecutor's non -profit university program.

We have implemented dozens of new guidelines, procedures and closer financial controls, including the elimination of bartering systems, a greater supervision of the expenditure of the executive, new examiners and independent surprise tests. We have implemented an ethics hotline of third-party providers, which is monitored by both the board and the managing director.

Through intensive communication with great transparency, we have improved the commitment and morality of employees.

We have invested in new security and security functions that improved accessibility, implemented infrastructure -upgrades and began to fight a significant deficit of the postponed maintenance.

In almost every respect we are a stronger institution today. We are better governed and with a new management of the managers we have developed a bold new strategy plan and an ambitious, long -term framework master plan.

Our new framework will dramatically improve our animal habitats, create exciting new gaster experiences, expand our nature conservation efforts, increase educational examinations and promote a deeper connection between humans and wild animals.

After all, we are hope that what we have learned in this ordeal will help other zoos and aquariums, cultural attractions and other non -profit institutions, and we remain ready to support any institution that wants to improve.

Tom Schmid is President and CEO of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

We have invested in new security and security functions that improved accessibility, implemented infrastructure -upgrades and began to fight a significant deficit of the postponed maintenance.

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