The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is taking a hard look its finances and is turning to a new chief financial officer for direction.
“Reality is that the biggest challenge [faced by the Zoo] is funding. We need to deal with that right up front,” said Thomas M. Berger, who took the post of chief financial officer last week. Previous CFO Follin E. Cullen resigned this past summer.
Berger said the Zoo is asking for $4 million in supplemental funding from the state, above the $4.1 million is currently receives. Of that amount, $3.1 million is used for operating expenses and about $1 million is paid by the state Department of Education to allow Maryland school students to visit the Zoo at no charge. That figure fluctuates based on the number of students in the state, Berger said.
The Zoo?s total operating budget is $12 million.
“We need the appropriate level of public and private funding to allow the Zoo to not only provide for the experience, but also to have the appropriate level for capital support to rebuild the infrastructure and maintain the infrastructure of the Zoo,” he said.
“We will be working with state officials and the appropriate city officials, and our development office will be working with a broad array of private funders, foundations, individuals and corporations,” Berger added.
Without increased funding, the Zoo could be forced to hike its admission price, which currently is $15 for adults, $10 for children ages 2-11 and $12 for people over 65, said Kerry Graves, vice president of marketing for the Zoo.
“That’s steep for a family,” Graves said, who faulted the Zoo itself for not actively pursuing more state funding.
“It time for the state to step up and recognize the service we offer and help us by upping the funding so we can lower the [admission] price,” Graves said.
He said he would like to see the cost of a ticket below $10 for adults.
Berger most recently operated his own consultingfirm, Manchester Associates, with clients such as Naples Botanical Garden in Naples, Fla., Goodwill International Industries in Bethesda, and United Way of the National Capital Area in Vienna.
He also served as deputy treasurer at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and as vice president for finance and administration, treasurer and CFO at Hood College in Frederick.
