Atlanta Fulton County Zoo Inc

Atlanta, GA · Founded 1986

Major accredited zoological institution operating a conservation-focused zoo with animal exhibits, education programs, and global wildlife protection initiatives

Primary audience
General Public
Work area
Conservation & Education
Topic
Wildlife & Zoos
Contact
Raymond B King
Website Contact

About Organization

Zoo Atlanta operates a large zoological park in Atlanta, GA, providing conservation, education, and animal care services. The organization employs 442 staff members and operates with an annual revenue of $34.1 million. Founded in 1889 and granted tax-exempt status in 1986, the zoo maintains diverse animal collections and supports global wildlife conservation projects.

What They Focus On

Wildlife Conservation

Direct support for endangered species protection including great apes, elephants, pandas, and other threatened wildlife through grants and partnerships

Public Education

Visitor programs, interactive exhibits, and educational activities teaching conservation science and animal biology to diverse audiences

Zoological Operations

Professional animal care, habitat management, veterinary services, and facility maintenance for comprehensive zoo collections

Financial Information

Form 990 data showing organizational financial health and growth.

Revenue (2024)

$34.1M

+0% vs 2024

Assets (2024)

$119.8M

+0% vs 2024

Year Revenue Expenses Assets Employees
2024 — — — —
2024 $34,059,721 $34,446,959 $119,848,749 442
2023 — — — —
2023 $46,504,632 $31,668,462 $119,672,776 437
2022 — — — —
2022 $35,001,051 $29,521,887 $101,334,225 420
2021 — — — —
2021 $33,379,671 $26,620,716 $96,858,254 417
2020 — — — —
2020 $20,822,460 $23,232,874 $88,329,829 395

Source: IRS Form 990 filings. All figures in USD.

How They Work

Learn more
  • 01

    Animal Care

    Provide professional daily care and veterinary services for zoo animals across diverse species collections

  • 02

    Visitor Education

    Deliver interactive educational programs and exhibits to teach conservation and wildlife biology to public

  • 03

    Conservation Funding

    Direct financial support to field conservation projects protecting endangered species and critical habitats globally

  • 04

    Research Collaboration

    Partner with conservation organizations on scientific research including Goulouga Triangle Ape Project and others

Programs and Initiatives

Services and programs offered by Atlanta Fulton County Zoo Inc

Animal Exhibits & Care

Daily operation of zoo exhibits featuring diverse species including elephants, gorillas, orangutans, pandas, and other wildlife with professional care

Education Programs

Interactive educational experiences, guided tours, and learning activities designed to teach visitors about wildlife and conservation science

Global Conservation

Financial and technical support for international wildlife protection including gorillas, orangutans, elephants, red pandas, turtles, vultures, and peregrine falcons

Sustainable Agriculture

Support for sustainable farming practices that protect wildlife habitats and promote coexistence between agriculture and endangered species

Team & Leadership

Meet the people behind Atlanta Fulton County Zoo Inc.

RB

Raymond B King

CEO & President
Full-time
Compensation: $818,849
RJ

Russell Jacobs

CFO/COO
Full-time
Compensation: $288,758
ZN

Zoe Nieminen

VP & Chief Advancement Officer
Full-time
Compensation: $201,707
VJ

Veronica Jacobs

CFO
EH

Eric Hall

VP Facilities
Full-time
Compensation: $213,065
JS

Jennifer Smith

VP Strategic Ptnrshp & Initiatives
Full-time
Compensation: $181,764
CB

Cary Burgess

Sr. VP Dei, Gov't, & Comm Affairs
Full-time
Compensation: $178,818
WF

Wednesda Furman

VP Hr
Full-time
Compensation: $172,175
AW

Andrew W Evans

Director & Vice Chair
BK

Beth Kytle Chandler

Director & Vice Chair
BC

Bill Cary

Director & Vice Chair
CH

Carli Huband

Director
CR

Caroline Reddington

Director
CD

Cindy Davis

Director & Vice Chair
DM

David Moody

Director
DR

Deepak Raghavan

Director
DC

Deretta Cole Rhodes PHD

Director
DD

Dr Duane Jackson

Director & Vice Chair
EJ

E Jewelle Johnson

Director
FF

Fran Forehand

Director
GR

Gigi Rouland

Director & Vice Chair
JC

James Cheeks

Director & Vice Chair
JG

Jerry Gahlhoff

Director
KG

Kathleen Goddard

Director & Secretary
KL

Kim Lyman

Director
LL

Lisa Laube

Director
MR

Mark Roberts

Director & Vice Chair
MC

Mary Clancy Peak

Director
MS

Matthew Simon-Schumann

Director
MD

Mike Dickerson

Director
NL

Nathan Lewis

Director & Vice Chair
NR

Nicholas R Franz

Director & Vice Chair
RS

R Scott Taylor Jr

Director & Chair
RH

Robert Holder

Director
SG

Sarah Greenberg Sachs

Director
SJ

Sonji Jacobs

Director & Vice Chair
SP

Sunny Park

Director
SM

Suzanne Mitchell

Director
TW

Tim Wilkerson

Director & Vice Chair
TE

Todd Ellis

Director
TD

Tye Darland

Director & Treasurer
VP

Vijay Pinto

Director
WN

William Nemetz

Director & Vice Chair

Milestones

1986

Tax-Exempt Status

1986

Received IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status as Atlanta Fulton County Zoo Inc

2020

Pandemic Response

2020

Maintained operations despite 39% revenue decline to $20.8 million during COVID-19 pandemic

2023

Record Revenue

2023

Achieved highest recorded annual revenue of $46.5 million with 437 employees

2024

Asset Growth

2024

Total organizational assets reached $119.8 million supporting expanded conservation and operations

Associated People

Board members, advisors, and key contributors

Board of Directors

AW
Andrew W Evans Director & Vice Chair 1.0 hrs/week
BK
Beth Kytle Chandler Director & Vice Chair 1.0 hrs/week
BC
Bill Cary Director & Vice Chair 1.0 hrs/week
CH
Carli Huband Director 1.0 hrs/week
CR
Caroline Reddington Director 1.0 hrs/week
CD
Cindy Davis Director & Vice Chair 1.0 hrs/week
DM
David Moody Director 1.0 hrs/week
Deepak Raghavan
Deepak Raghavan Director 1.0 hrs/week
DC
Deretta Cole Rhodes PHD Director 1.0 hrs/week
DD
Dr Duane Jackson Director & Vice Chair 1.0 hrs/week
EJ
E Jewelle Johnson Director 1.0 hrs/week
FF
Fran Forehand Director 1.0 hrs/week
GR
Gigi Rouland Director & Vice Chair 1.0 hrs/week
JC
James Cheeks Director & Vice Chair 1.0 hrs/week
JG
Jerry Gahlhoff Director 1.0 hrs/week
KG
Kathleen Goddard Director & Secretary 1.0 hrs/week
KL
Kim Lyman Director 1.0 hrs/week
Lisa Laube
Lisa Laube Director 1.0 hrs/week
MR
Mark Roberts Director & Vice Chair 1.0 hrs/week
MC
Mary Clancy Peak Director 1.0 hrs/week
MS
Matthew Simon-Schumann Director 1.0 hrs/week
Mike Dickerson
Mike Dickerson Director 1.0 hrs/week
NL
Nathan Lewis Director & Vice Chair 1.0 hrs/week
NR
Nicholas R Franz Director & Vice Chair 1.0 hrs/week
RS
R Scott Taylor Jr Director & Chair 1.0 hrs/week
RH
Robert Holder Director 1.0 hrs/week
SG
Sarah Greenberg Sachs Director 1.0 hrs/week
SJ
Sonji Jacobs Director & Vice Chair 1.0 hrs/week
SP
Sunny Park Director 1.0 hrs/week
SM
Suzanne Mitchell Director 1.0 hrs/week
TW
Tim Wilkerson Director & Vice Chair 1.0 hrs/week
TE
Todd Ellis Director 1.0 hrs/week
TD
Tye Darland Director & Treasurer 1.0 hrs/week
VP
Vijay Pinto Director 1.0 hrs/week
WN
William Nemetz Director & Vice Chair 1.0 hrs/week
Michael Paul
Michael Paul Executive Compensation Director, UPS

Information compiled from IRS Form 990 and organizational materials.

Executive Compensation

Top compensated officers & key employees from IRS Form 990

Total Reported (2024)

$2.2M

Highest Paid

$847K

Raymond B King

Compensated Officers

7

Name Title Base Other Total Hrs/Wk
Raymond B King CEO & President $818,849 $28,102 $846,951 40
Russell Jacobs CFO/COO $288,758 $6,695 $295,453 40
Eric Hall VP Facilities $213,065 $17,294 $230,359 40
Zoe Nieminen VP & Chief Advancement Officer $201,707 $24,988 $226,695 40
Jennifer Smith VP Strategic Ptnrshp & Initiatives $181,764 $17,934 $199,698 40
Cary Burgess SR. VP Dei, Gov'T, & COMM Affairs $178,818 $13,061 $191,879 40
Wednesda Furman VP HR $172,175 $12,236 $184,411 40

Source: IRS Form 990 filings. Compensation includes base and other reported compensation.

COVID-19 PPP Loans

Paycheck Protection Program (2020-2021)

Fully Forgiven

Total Approved

$4.5M

Total Forgiven

$4.5M

101% forgiven

Jobs Retained

556

Loan Details 2 loans

$2,450,095
Forgiven
Forgiven: $2,478,221 100%
Approved Apr 9, 2020
Lender SouthState Bank, National Association
Jobs Reported 278
Forgiven On Jun 4, 2021
$2,000,000
Forgiven
Forgiven: $2,013,151 100%
Approved Jan 26, 2021
Lender SouthState Bank, National Association
Jobs Reported 278
Forgiven On Oct 4, 2021

Source: Small Business Administration • Paycheck Protection Program (2020-2021)

Partners & Funders

Grant funding relationships from IRS Form 990 filings

$206K Grants Received
$133K Grants Given
17 Organizations

Top Funders

7 total
MS
Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc. 2 grants
$55K
TA
The Ayco Charitable Foundation
$50K
AO
American Online Giving Foundation Inc.
$30K
BM
Bny Mellon Charitable Gift Fund
$30K
FI
Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund
$18K
UW
United Way Miami Inc.
$14K
TI
THDF II Inc DBA
$9K

Top Grantees

10 total
CA
Charities Aid Foundations - Friends Of Tusk ALEXANDRIA, VA
$50K
PF
Peregrine Fund BOISE, ID
$13K
LP
Lincoln Park Zoo CHICAGO, IL
$10K
PA
Pan African Sanctuary Alliance BEAVERTON, OR
$10K
RP
Red Panda Network SAN FRANCISCO, CA
$10K
TS
Turtle Survival Alliance CHARLESTON, SC
$10K
WA
Wildlife Alliance NEW YORK, NY
$10K
NC
North Carolina Zoological Society ASHEBORO, NC
$7K
SC
Sedgwick County Zoological Society WICHITA, KS
$6K
CM
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo CLEVELAND, OH
$6K
Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc. The Ayco Charitable Foundation American Online Giving Foundation Inc. Bny Mellon Charitable Gift Fund Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund United Way Miami Inc. THDF II Inc DBA Charities Aid Foundations - Friends Of Tusk Peregrine Fund Lincoln Park Zoo Pan African Sanctuary Alliance Red Panda Network Turtle Survival Alliance Wildlife Alliance North Carolina Zoological Society Sedgwick County Zoological Society Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc. The Ayco Charitable Foundation American Online Giving Foundation Inc. Bny Mellon Charitable Gift Fund Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund United Way Miami Inc. THDF II Inc DBA Charities Aid Foundations - Friends Of Tusk Peregrine Fund Lincoln Park Zoo Pan African Sanctuary Alliance Red Panda Network Turtle Survival Alliance Wildlife Alliance North Carolina Zoological Society Sedgwick County Zoological Society Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Source: IRS Form 990 Schedule I filings. Amounts may span multiple tax years.

Related Organizations

4 affiliated entities reported on IRS Form 990 Schedule R

4

Tax-Exempt Affiliates

1
Zoological Foundation Of Georgia Inc
Atlanta, GA
Enlarge And Expand The Vision Of Conservation
501(c) 501(C)(3)

Taxable Partnership

2
Savanna Hall Za Mt LLC
Atlanta, GA
Rental
Taxable
Savanna Hall Za Ll LLC
Atlanta, GA
Landlord
Taxable

Taxable Corp Trust

1
Savanna Hall Za Mgr LLC
Atlanta, GA
Management
Taxable

Source: IRS Form 990, Schedule R (Related Organizations and Unrelated Partnerships)

Lobbying Activity

Lobbying Disclosure Act registrations

Self-Lobbying
1 Registrations
1 Client
Yes Self-Lobbying

Clients 1 total

Fulton County
1 filing
Self

Source: Senate Office of Public Records — Lobbying Disclosure Act

Contact

Get in touch with Atlanta Fulton County Zoo Inc

Phone

(404) 624-5889

Social

Visit Website
800 Cherokee Ave SE Atlanta, GA 30315