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

• The Walter and Jean Kalberer Foundation

• The Lubrizol Foundation

• MCPC Inc. 

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

• Dr. Vasu & Lisa Pandrangi and Family

• Thomas F. Peterson Jr Charitable Trust

• 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
• Joseph and Barbara NeCastro
• The Mistysyn Family

• John P. Murphy Foundation
• Christine and Randy Myeroff
• Kevin and Lois Myeroff
• The James Parish Family
• David and Margo Petlowany
• 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
• Joseph A. Urick
• Tom and Shirley Waltermire
• Karen Wilber
• Kay Zielazienski 

Patrons

• Anonymous
• Carol A. Barnak
• Beeb
• Barbara Brown and Steve Ward
• The Conway Family Foundation
• Tom and Anita Cook
• Robert and Karen Fein and Family
• Carol B. Hall
• Leigh and Eric Hall
• Lawrence and Linda Hatch
• Robin Heiser
• Higley Construction
• The Higley Fund

• Nancy and Bernie Karr
• 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
• Steve M. Began & Susan L. Herbold
• Dr. Sam and Olivia Belkin
• Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities
• Coty and Jessica Franklin
• Drs. Adam and Jennifer Hechko Family Foundation
• Susan M. King
• The Estate of William L. Kish
• The Estate of Carl Lezius
• Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. Mahovlic

• Ronald Sr. and Frances Mawaka
• Scott and Julie Mawaka
• Lisa and David O'Brien
• Brian and Cheryl O'Neill
• Russell O'Rourke and Georgia Froelich
• Rob and Kris Rogers
• Mary Kay Schneider
• David and Mary Ellen Szamborski
• WDM Architects
• Richard and Mary Lynn Wills
• Susan L. Zanetti and Dr. Christine Zirafi

Keepers

• Jane and David Anthony
• Cheryl Bailey
• Jules and Fran Belkin
• John and Susan Benedejcic
• Bicknell Fund
• Carl and Dawn Black
• Mr. Skip Cannon
• Karen* and Doug Cooper
• Kent and Elaine Downing
• Bob and Ruthi Duale
• Julie and Adrian Edgar
• Robert and Lindsay Elmore
• Kristen and Tom Fistek
• Freda Giving Fund
• Patricia and Timothy Gabb
• Patricia F. Giblin
• Elaine Good-Ross
• Rick and Mary Ann Greiner Charitable Fund
• 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
• Susan Krall
• Tom and Kathy Leiden
• Anthony and Mary Messina
• Elise and Scot Miller
• Ki and Tasha Mixon
• Beth E. Mooney
• Deanna and Joe Murlin
• Andrew and Karen Rebholz
• 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
• Westfield
• Katie and Donald Woodcock
• Brian and Jill Zimmerman
• Martha H. Zlotnik

Special Gifts

• Myles and Karen Abbott
• Ms. Sue Allen
• Anonymous
• The Estate of Betty E. Beauchamp
• Anne E. Bingham
• Charles and Christy Bittenbender
• Blue Point Capital Partners
• Peter and Sue Danford
• Kay and Paul David
• Christine and Spencer Dieken
• Kathy and Jim Donchess
• Theodore and Stephanie Evans
• Charley Geiger
• Ted and Nancy Goble Fund
• Charles and Rosemary Griffee
• Robert and Alyce Hobbs
• Lisa and Tom Hunt
• Karen and John Kaminski

• Jonathan and Rosemary Kesselman
• Susan Kozak Charitable Fund
• Todd and Melissa Lawrence
• Barbara and Richard Lederman
• Kimberly and Mark Levinson
• Lewis Family Fund
• James and Susan Massie
• 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
• Mary E. Vantz
• The Brian and Jackie Welch Family Foundation

*Deceased
*Donors as of 9/11/2025