CHICAGO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

CHICAGO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY

EIN 36-2167016 · Animal-Related (D500)

What they do

to Inspire Conservation Leadership By Connecting People With Wildlife and Nature.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $79.80 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders57 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

57.95%of revenue went to mission work79.8% of expenses · Program services

3.53%of revenue went to fundraising4.9% of expenses

$72.58spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

11.10%of revenue went to management and office costs15.3% of expenses

$4.05in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

57.6%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $797,411 for DR MICHAEL ADKESSON (PRESIDENT AND CEO). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$107,989,615

Mission workProgram services$62,577,00457.95% of revenue79.8% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$11,988,85711.10% of revenue15.3% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$3,814,1133.53% of revenue4.9% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$29,610,01827.42% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$78,379,59772.58% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 79.8% mission · 15.3% management · 4.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 72.58% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 80.2% mission · 14.8% management · 5.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 80.09% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 80.4% mission · 14.8% management · 4.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 102.35% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 79.6% mission · 15.4% management · 5.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 73.83% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 80.5% mission · 15.0% management · 4.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 94.93% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 82.6% mission · 13.7% management · 3.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 103.63% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 85.5% mission · 10.9% management · 3.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 106.48% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 86.2% mission · 9.5% management · 4.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 96.86% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$107,989,615

Expenses$78,379,597

Annual surplus $29,610,018 Revenue was higher than expenses for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$62,577,004 · 79.8% of expenses

Management and office costs$11,988,857 · 15.3% of expenses

Fundraising$3,814,113 · 4.9% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$107,989,615

Expenses$78,379,597

Assets$317,202,000

Income$117,595,062

Contributions$62,243,873

Mission work (program services)$62,577,004

Fundraising$3,814,113

Grants given$1,070,626

Average grant$30,589

Management and general$11,988,857

Executive compensation (total)$2,426,021

Stocks and bonds$58,917,000

Accounting fees$136,915

Investing fees$143,606

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

DR MICHAEL ADKESSONPRESIDENT AND CEO · 40 hrs/week $797,411Base $692,858 · Other $104,553

DAVID E BURNSCHIEF FINANCIAL AND ADMIN. OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $472,274Base $388,865 · Other $83,409

CATHLEEN BRUEGGEMANNSR. VP DEVELOPMENT · 40 hrs/week $364,875Base $317,613 · Other $47,262

ANDREA S RODGERSSR. VP GUEST EXPERIENCE OPERATIONS · 40 hrs/week $277,743Base $244,810 · Other $32,933

JENNIFER L BAADERSR. VP GOVT AFFAIRS · 40 hrs/week $267,111Base $236,116 · Other $30,995

DR SATHYA K CHINNADURAISR. VP ANIMAL HEALTH WELFARE · 40 hrs/week $259,020Base $214,505 · Other $44,515

SANDRA L DORNHECKERSR. VP HUMAN RESOURCES · 40 hrs/week $254,351Base $225,740 · Other $28,611

RANDALL WELLSVP MARINE MAMMAL CONSERVATION · 40 hrs/week $223,186Base $194,171 · Other $29,015

SHANNON HESTONVP INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY · 40 hrs/week $220,937Base $181,871 · Other $39,066

MELISSA LEWKOWICHVP RISK FACILITIES MGMT · 40 hrs/week $217,538Base $186,448 · Other $31,090

HEATHER BILCERVP FINANCE · 40 hrs/week $201,300Base $195,060 · Other $6,240

JEROME E JOHNSTONVP GUEST SERVICES OPERATIONS · 40 hrs/week $188,443Base $177,475 · Other $10,968

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (57)

DR MICHAEL ADKESSONPRESIDENT AND CEO

DAVID E BURNSCHIEF FINANCIAL AND ADMIN. OFFICER

CATHLEEN BRUEGGEMANNSR. VP DEVELOPMENT

ANDREA S RODGERSSR. VP GUEST EXPERIENCE OPERATIONS

JENNIFER L BAADERSR. VP GOVT AFFAIRS

DR SATHYA K CHINNADURAISR. VP ANIMAL HEALTH WELFARE

SANDRA L DORNHECKERSR. VP HUMAN RESOURCES

RANDALL WELLSVP MARINE MAMMAL CONSERVATION

SHANNON HESTONVP INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

MELISSA LEWKOWICHVP RISK FACILITIES MGMT

HEATHER BILCERVP FINANCE

JEROME E JOHNSTONVP GUEST SERVICES OPERATIONS

MICHAEL G CANNINGTRUSTEE

MOLLY KELLERVICE-CHAIR OF THE BOARD

MICHAEL P EMMERTTREASURER

RITA SOLA COOKTRUSTEE

MICHAEL F DESANTIAGOTRUSTEE

MICHAEL DRAITRUSTEE

MERRICK M ELFMANVICE-CHAIR OF THE BOARD

MATTHEW GAMBSTRUSTEE AS OF 10/24

MARK G SANDERTRUSTEE

PATRICK E WHITESIDETRUSTEE

RANDALL G VICKERYSECRETARY

JOSEPH A GREGOIRETRUSTEE THRU OF 12/24

SASHA L GERRITSONTRUSTEE

STAN PEPPERTRUSTEE AS OF 11/24

STUART B ABELSONTRUSTEE

STUART D STRAHL PHDTRUSTEE THRU OF 3/25

SUNNY ELEBUATRUSTEE AS OF 10/24

TIM OZINGATRUSTEE

TONI PRECKWINKLETRUSTEE

WALTER W BECKY IITRUSTEE

WILLIAM C KUNKLER IIIDEPUTY CHAIR OF THE BOARD

ELIZABETH S QUINNTRUSTEE

BARBARA GRAYSONTRUSTEE

BARBARA J BRADFORDTRUSTEE

BARBARA LEVY KIPPERTRUSTEE

BENITA S ROMANOTRUSTEE

BERT A GETZ JRVICE-CHAIR OF THE BOARD

CHERRYL T THOMASCHAIR OF THE BOARD

DARIUS A GILLTRUSTEE

DR BONNY CHENTRUSTEE

DR LISA C FREEMANTRUSTEE

EDWARD MCCORMICK BLAIR JRTRUSTEE

ELIZABETH HAMILL BRAMSENVICE-CHAIR OF THE BOARD

KEVIN M KILLIPSTRUSTEE

GREGORY J DIDOMENICOTRUSTEE

HEIDI HUIZENGATRUSTEE

JAMES A BRYANTRUSTEE

JAY D BERGMANTRUSTEE

JENNIFER L BELLINITRUSTEE

JERRY MANNETRUSTEE

JOHN A CARPENTERTRUSTEE

JOHN P GRUBEVICE-CHAIR OF THE BOARD

JR DAVIS IIITRUSTEE

KELLEY C SCHUELERTRUSTEE

KEVIN M KEELEYTRUSTEE

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1941
Location: 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, IL 60513
County: Cook
In care of: Michael J Adkesson
Primary officer: Michael J Adkesson, President and CEO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailinfo@brookfieldzoo.org Phone(708) 688-8300

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: April 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: PLANTE MORAN PLLC
NTEE classification: Animal-Related (D500)
IRS tax category: Zoos and Botanical Gardens
Grant-giving organization: Yes