Akron Zoological Park logo

Akron Zoological Park

Grantmaker Akron, OH EIN: 34-6003866 Website

We connect your life to wildlife while inspiring lifelong learning and conservation action.

Akron Zoological Park at a glance

In short: Akron Zoological Park gave $16K across 1 grant in 2024 (avg $16K), mostly in Ohio. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.

Annual giving (2024)
$16,481
-52.8% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
1
-50.0% vs 2023
Average grant
$16,481
-5.6% vs 2023
Median grant
$16,481
Total assets
$102,731,475
+7.2% vs 2023
Primary geography
Ohio (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990 filing, 2024 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990 filing, 2024; updated September 2026.

Who Akron Zoological Park funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top recipient in 2024

The Akron Zoological Foundation Inc: $16KThe Akron ZoologicalFoundation Inc$16K

The largest 2024 recipient was The Akron Zoological Foundation Inc ($16K).

Grant Size Distribution

8 grants across all recorded years

8<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 8 grants of 8 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

3states

Share of the 2024 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.

Cities

AkronSilver SpringsChandler

How Akron Zoological Park gives

  • Giving fell 43% from 2021 to 2024. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$10K$20K$30K$40K1 grant2020 2 grants2021 2 grants2022 2 grants2023 1 grant2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $4K (2020) to $35K (2023). In 2024 it made 1 grant totaling $16K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
The Akron Zoological Foundation Inc Akron, OHConservation and Support$16,481
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2024$102,731,475$25,160,371$18,806,803$16,4811$652,195
2023$95,823,320$23,912,106$18,433,843$34,9012$283,054
2022$89,255,955$21,451,189$16,779,078$24,7422$37,980
2021$85,745,388$19,333,819$14,579,806$28,8712$2,562
2020$82,593,331$12,079,075$12,545,581$4,3871$104,868

About Akron Zoological Park

Based on IRS filings

Akron Zoological Park is a nonprofit organization focused on Environment & Animals, based in Akron, OH. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $102.7M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 1 grant totaling $16K. Net investment income was $652K.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Akron Zoological Park is led by Doug Piekarz, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 9 of 39 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Doug Piekarz

    President & CEO

    On filings since 2020

    50 hrs/week

    $252K (2020) → $290K (2024)

  • Michele Santana

    Chairman

    Chairman → Chair, 2022

    Chair → Chairman, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    1.2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Brittany Rizzo

    Director of Animal Health

    On filings since 2023

    50 hrs/week

    $107K (2023) → $121K (2024)

  • Tari Kaufman

    Director of Finance

    On filings since 2023

    50 hrs/week

    $105K (2023) → $106K (2024)

  • Shane Good

    Senior Director of Life Sciences

    New on the 2024 filing

    50 hrs/week

    $108K (2024)

  • Ben Sutton

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Carol Hulsemann

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Carole Becerra

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Craig Stanley

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dave Frederick

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • David Koly

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Frank Bevilacqua

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.6 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jim Snider

    Trustee

    Past Chair → Past Chairman, 2021

    Past Chairman → Trustee, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    0.7 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Leigh Greenfelder

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nancy Ray

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Pat McMahon

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Robert Berk

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.6 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Robert Littman

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ron Kleinman

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ryan Fulmer

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sophie Veillette

    Trustee

    Treasurer → Trustee, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    0.7 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Steve Taylor

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tom Teodosio

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Anusha Gibson

    Trustee

    On filings since 2022

    0.2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Patrick Bravo

    Trustee

    On filings since 2022

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Bethanne Scruggs

    Trustee

    On filings since 2023

    0.2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Gloria Rodgers

    Trustee

    On filings since 2023

    0.2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Veronica Cook Euell

    Trustee

    On filings since 2023

    0.4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Candice Watkins

    Trustee

    New on the 2024 filing

    0.4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Cathryn O'Malley

    Trustee

    New on the 2024 filing

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Linda Criss

    Chief Operating Officer & Senior Vice President

    Vice President of Communications → Chief Operating Officer & Senior Vice President, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    50 hrs/week

    $149K (2020) → $173K (2024)

  • Pamela Holtz

    Chief External Affairs Officer & Senior Vice President

    Vice President of Development & CDO → Chief Development Officer & Senior Vice President, 2021

    Chief Development Officer & Senior Vice President → Chief External Affairs Officer & Senior Vice President, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    50 hrs/week

    $146K (2020) → $187K (2024)

  • Michelle Vectirelis

    Vice President of People & Culture

    Vice President People & Culture → Vice President of People & Culture, 2024

    On filings since 2022

    50 hrs/week

    $128K (2022) → $165K (2024)

  • Bob Lessnau

    Vice President of Life Sciences

    New on the 2024 filing

    50 hrs/week

    $144K (2024)

  • Vincent Jeffries

    Vice President of Communications & Education

    New on the 2024 filing

    50 hrs/week

    $143K (2024)

  • Beth Reho

    Treasurer

    Trustee → Treasurer, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    0.6 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Eddie Taylor

    Vice Chairman

    Vice Chairman → Vice Chair, 2022

    Vice Chair → Vice Chairman, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Eren Demiray

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    0.6 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • John Slagter

    Vice Chairman

    Vice Chairman → Vice Chair, 2022

    Vice Chair → Vice Chairman, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    0.9 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (22)
  • Former: Mellissa Reed (2020–2024) — Chief Business Officer & Senior Vice President · Filing note: Thru 053124
  • Former: David Hamilton (2020–2023) — Trustee
  • Former: Candice Carlyon (2022–2023) — Trustee
  • Former: Christopher Roddy (2022–2023) — Senior Director of Facilities & Grounds
  • Former: Vince Jeffries (2022–2023) — Vice President Communications & Education
  • Former: Bob Lessnau Start (2023) — Vice President of Life Sciences
  • Former: David George (2020–2022) — Trustee
  • Former: Kimberly Cook (2020–2022) — Vice President Life Sciences
  • Former: Marco Sommerville (2020–2022) — Trustee
  • Former: Veronica Cook-Euell (2020–2022) — Trustee
  • Former: Christopher Norman (2022) — Director of Conservation
  • Former: James Snider (2022) — Trustee
  • Former: Patrick McMahon (2022) — Trustee
  • Former: Thomas Teodosio (2022) — Trustee
  • Former: Elizabeth Voudouris (2020–2021) — Trustee
  • Former: Jerry Feeman (2020–2021) — Trustee
  • Former: Patricia Waickman (2020–2021) — Senior Vice President
  • Former: Barry Greenberg (2020) — Trustee
  • Former: Gregory Bean (2020) — Trustee
  • Former: Paul Miller (2020) — Trustee
  • Former: Virginia Wojno-Forney (2020) — Trustee
  • Former: William Miller (2020) — Trustee

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Doug Piekarz — President & CEO: $290KDoug PiekarzPresident & CEO$290KPamela Holtz — Chief External Affairs Officer & Sr. VP: $187KPamela HoltzChief External Affairs Officer…$187KLinda Criss — Chief Operating Officer & Sr. VP: $173KLinda CrissChief Operating Officer & Sr. VP$173KMichelle Vectirelis — VP of People & Culture: $165KMichelle VectirelisVP of People & Culture$165KBob Lessnau — VP of Life Sciences: $144KBob LessnauVP of Life Sciences$144KVincent Jeffries — VP of Communications/Education: $143KVincent JeffriesVP of Communications/Education$143KMellissa Reed Thru 053124 — Chief Business Officer & Sr. VP: $130KMellissa Reed Thru…Chief Business Officer & Sr. VP$130KBrittany Rizzo — Director of Animal Health: $121KBrittany RizzoDirector of Animal Health$121KShane Good — Sr Director of Life Sciences: $108KShane GoodSr Director of Life Sciences$108KTari Kaufman — Director of Finance: $106KTari KaufmanDirector of Finance$106K

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $290K, to Doug Piekarz (President & CEO). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Akron Zoological Park

How much does Akron Zoological Park give each year?

Akron Zoological Park gave $16K across 1 grant in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. In 2023 it gave $35K across 2 grants.

How large is Akron Zoological Park?

Akron Zoological Park reported $102.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Its revenue that year was $25.2M.

What is Akron Zoological Park?

Akron Zoological Park is a nonprofit organization focused on Environment & Animals, based in Akron, OH. It holds $102.7M in total assets as of 2024.

Where does Akron Zoological Park operate?

Akron Zoological Park has awarded grants in Arizona, Maryland, Ohio.

What is Akron Zoological Park's EIN?

Akron Zoological Park's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6003866. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

Data update history

(1)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Akron Zoological Park's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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