Our Donors

Introduction

Since 2000, the Zoo Society has provided more than $55 million in funding for the Zoo’s capital improvement projects. From past projects that are now guest favorites to upcoming habitats, the Zoo Society works to support the Zoo’s strategic plan.

Visionaries

• The Cleveland Foundation

• Cuyahoga County

• The Estate of Nancy Hansen

• The Louise H. and David S. Ingalls Foundation

• Walter* and Jean* Kalberer

• The Lubrizol Foundation

• MCPC Inc. 

• The New York Community Trust - The Thomas W. and Florence T. Murphy Fund No. 2

• PNC

• Stuart B. Reese Living Trust

• Carol and Walt Rosebrough

• State of Ohio

• Zubizarreta Family 

Champions

• The Abington Foundation
• Patricia and James Bemer
• GiGi Benjamin and Phil Woodcock
• Muffy and Jim Boland
• Dane and Dottie Carney
• The Cashy Family
• William E. Conway
• Ginny and Howard Essner
• Jim and Linda Francis
• Hanes Family Foundation
• Amy and Tom Haught
• The Hershey Foundation
• Stephen and Joanne Kirk
• Leveranz Fund, a Donor Advised Fund of Renaissance Charitable Foundation
• The Mistysyn Family 

• John P. Murphy Foundation
• Kevin and Lois Myeroff
• Christine and Randy Myeroff
• The James Parish Family
• Albert and Audrey Ratner
• Sylvia and Robert Reitman Family
• Albert G. and Olive H. Schlink Foundation
• The David Steffee Chair of Veterinary Medicine Gift Fund
• The Thomas Family
• Tom and Dianne Tyrrell
• Carol A. Urick
• Tom and Shirley Waltermire
• Karen Wilber
• Kay Zielazienski 

Patrons

• Anonymous
• Carol A. Barnak
• Barbara Brown and Steve Ward
• Tom and Anita Cook
• Kristen and Tom Fistek
• Coty and Jessica Franklin
• Lawrence and Linda Hatch
• Higley Construction
• Nancy and Bernie Karr
• Marianne and Mark LaRose
• The Estate of Antonette J. Liskay 

• Jill and Ken Marous
• Dan and Marjorie Moore
• Gregg and Deanna Muresan
• Anna Nagy
• Shelly Peet and Robert Martinko
• The Perkins Charitable Foundation
• Dr. Melinda S. Phinney
• Racey Family
• Thomas V.H.* and Iris* J. Vail
• Barbara Weiss 

Conservators

• American Fundraising Foundation
• Anonymous
• Archaeological Networks
• Steve M. Began and Susan L. Herbold
• The Conway Family Foundation
• Karen* and Doug Cooper
• Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities
• Carol B. Hall
• Drs. Adam and Jennifer Hechko Family Foundation
• Susan M. King 

• The Estate of William L. Kish
• The Estate of Carl Lezius
• Ronald Sr. and Frances Mawaka
• Scott and Julie Mawaka
• Lisa and David O'Brien
• Russell O'Rourke and Georgia Froelich
• Mary Kay Schneider
• WDM Architects
• Richard and Mary Lynn Wills
• Susan L. Zanetti and Dr. Christine Zirafi 

Keepers

• Cheryl Bailey
• Jules and Fran Belkin
• John and Susan Benedejcic
• Bicknell Fund
• Carl and Dawn Black
• Kent and Elaine Downing
• Bob and Ruthi Duale
• Julie and Adrian Edgar
• Robert and Lindsay Elmore
• Patricia and Timothy Gabb
• Patricia F. Giblin
• Elaine Good-Ross
• Mary Ann and Richard Greiner
• Lindsay, Andrew and Peter Guzowski
• William E. Harris Family Fund
• In memory of James E. Herrle, John Herrle, and Marie Herrle
• Jones Day 

• Jessica M. Jung
• Marilyn and Rick Kay
• David and Hope Koncal
• Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. Mahovlic
• Ki and Tasha Mixon
• Deanna and Joe Murlin
• Rob and Kris Rogers
• The Antheia Fund at The Sears-Swetland Family Foundation
• Richard and Rhyna Sensiba
• Dr. Donald Shafer and Katherine Stokes-Shafer
• Rebecca and Thomas Truelson
• The Van Auken Family
• Theodore and Kristin Wagner
• Franz Welser-Möst and Angelika Möst
• Katie and Donald Woodcock
• Brian and Jill Zimmerman
• Martha H. Zlotnik 

Special Gifts

• Myles and Karen Abbott
• Ms. Sue Allen
• Anonymous
• Jane and David Anthony
• The Estate of Betty E. Beauchamp
• Anne E. Bingham
• Charles and Christy Bittenbender
• Blue Point Capital Partners
• Mr. Skip Cannon
• Peter and Sue Danford
• Kay and Paul David
• Christine and Spencer Dieken
• Kathy and Jim Donchess
• Theodore and Stephanie Evans
• Charley Geiger
• Ted & Nancy Goble Fund
• Charles and Rosemary Griffee
• Leigh and Eric Hall
• Robert and Alyce Hobbs 

• Lisa and Tom Hunt
• Karen and John Kaminski
• Jonathan and Rosemary Kesselman
• Susan Kozak Charitable Fund
• Susan Krall
• Barbara and Richard Lederman
• Kimberly and Mark Levinson
• Connie and Robert Lewis
• Don and Sally Messinger
• Biserka Mikleus
• Ken and Sharon Mountcastle
• Nehez Family
• Dr. Julian L. Peskin and Ms. Anne Peskin
• Kimberly Pinter
• Mr. and Mrs. Ron Plazek
• Catherine and Gregory Saluga
• Steve and Sarah Taylor
• The Brian and Jackie Welch Family Foundation 

*Deceased
*Donors as of 1/20/25