ST. LOUIS — Jeffrey Bonner, the Dana Brown president and CEO of the Saint Louis Zoo, said he plans to retire at the end of 2021 after leading the organization for 19 years. The St. Louis Zoological Park Subdistrict Commission has started the search for Bonner's successor.
"It truly is astonishing to think about all the success the Zoo has achieved under Jeffrey's leadership," Cynthia Brinkley, chair of the commission, said in a statement. "For almost two decades, Jeffrey dedicated his time and talents to preserving the world-class Saint Louis Zoo for generations to come while also continuing the Zoo's phenomenal track record of providing the best possible care for thousands of animals."
Bonner, 67, started working for the Zoo as president and CEO in April 2002. Under his leadership, the organization created an endowment in 2004, and as of Jan. 31, 2021, the endowed fund is valued at $93.2 million, officials said. During his tenure, the Zoo underwent various transformations and additions, including the Mary Ann Lee Conservation Carousel, the Wells Fargo South Arrival Experience and the Edward Jones Pavilion, among others.
"Jeffrey played an instrumental role in modernizing the Zoo's' century-old campus with world-class experiences and habitats, much of which was made possible by approximately $150 million raised during The Living Promise Campaign, which launched in 2010," Alicia McDonnell, president of the Saint Louis Zoo Association Board, said in a statement. "This resulted in some of the most dynamic experiences and habitats currently at the Zoo, including the Judy and Jerry Kent Family Sea Lion Sound, The Staenberg Group Elephant Woods, Andean Bear Range, Purina Painted Dog Preserve, Robert and Kathy Williams Sun Bear Forest, McDonnell Polar Bear Point and Centene Grizzly Ridge."
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