Zoo Foundation Inc
Donations deductibleRevenue
$5m
year to 30 September 2025
Expenses
$6.4m
year to 30 September 2025
Total assets
$27.7m
$25.3m liabilities
Net assets
$2.4m
assets less liabilities
Directors and trustees
10
4.5 years on average
Staff
85
employees, year to 30 September 2025
Chair observed
≥5 yrs
Zach Estes
Left since last filing
3
30% of the board
Zoo Foundation Inc's network
10 people2 organisationsi10 people and 2 organisations on this map.The large node is the subject of this page. Solid lines are what the register itself records (10). Violet dotted lines (2) are likely: the same full name sits on the current board of another organisation in the same register and region. Form 990 filings give names without a person identifier; SEC insider filings carry a CIK. It may be a different person.The board
10 listediTime on the board is observed from the annual filings: the IRS files no appointment date, so the bar counts years from the first filing the person appears on - a lower bound, not a filed start date. Names are exactly as filed. The IRS publishes no person identifier, so this edition does not yet link a person across organisations in the tables. The network map shows same-name matches as likely links only, never as confirmed.Time served and departures are observed across annual filings. Observed time served is a lower bound - a member may have joined before the first year on record. The organisation reported 11 voting members of its governing body on its latest Form 990 Part VI, which matches the board listed here.| Name | Role as filed | Since | On the board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zach Estes Chair | Chairman | 2020 | 6 yrs |
| Allyson Pearce | Board Member | 2019 | 7 yrs |
| Caroline Barefield | Board Member | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Cheryl Robinson | Company secretary | 2020 | 6 yrs |
| Dr Julie Taylor | Board Member | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| Ginny Barnas | Vice Chairma | 2019 | 7 yrs |
| Janet Asher | Board Member | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Kim Gordon | Board Member | 2020 | 6 yrs |
| Rosie Stallworth | Treasurer | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| Susan Bartholomew | Board Member | 2025 | 1 yr |
Under 5 years5 to 6 years6 years or more
Officers and senior leadership
14 listediNamed in Part VII as officers, key employees or highest-compensated staff - not board members, shown for completeness.| Name | Title as filed | On the filings |
|---|---|---|
| Amy Janke | Company secretary | since 2018 |
| Bill Stromquist | Board Member | 2018 |
| Catherine McInnis | Board Member | 2018 |
| DRU Wheat | Board Member | 2018 |
| Jennifer Blanchard | Board Member | 2018 |
| Joel Hamilton | Exective Dir | 2023 |
| Joni Blalock | Board Member | 2018 |
| Kathryn Dameworth | Treasurer | since 2018 |
| Lisa Laraway-Atchley | Chairman | since 2018 |
| Matthew Lumpkin | Board Member | 2018 |
| Nicole Woerner | Board Member | 2018 |
| Paige Griffin | Vice Chairma | since 2018 |
| Steve Jones | Chairman | 2018 |
| Wayne Martin DDS | Vice Chairma | 2018 |
Pay and hours
year to 30 September 2025iFrom Part VII of the Form 990: compensation reported for each officer, director, trustee, key employee and highest-paid staff member, and the average hours a week they report. Most board members are unpaid; a blank means nothing was reported. Pay from related organisations is shown separately.| Name | Title as filed | Hours a week | Pay from the organisation | Related organisations | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zach Estes | Chairman | $0 | |||
| Ginny Barnas | Vice Chairma | $0 | |||
| Rosie Stallworth | Treasurer | $0 | |||
| Cheryl Robinson | Secretary | $0 | |||
| Janet Asher | Board Member | $0 | |||
| Dr Julie Taylor | Board Member | $0 | |||
| Allyson Pearce | Board Member | $0 | |||
| Caroline Barefield | Board Member | $0 | |||
| Kim Gordon | Board Member | $0 | |||
| Susan Bartholomew | Board Member | $0 |
No pay was reported for anyone in Part VII on this return.
About
- Legal name
- Zoo Foundation Inc
- EIN
- 581919174
- Address
- 20499 Oak Rd E, Gulf Shores, AL, 36542-5775
- State
- Alabama
- Mission
- The foundation operates a zoo in gulf shores, al which helps preserve wildlife as well as educates the public about various and diverse species. (as filed on the Form 990)
- Activity (NTEE)
- D500 Animal-related
- IRS classification
- 501(c)03 (tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) where shown)
- Classified purpose
- Animal-Related
- Size band
- 8 (IRS master file code)
- Formed
- 1990
- Principal officer
- Zach Estes (as named on the Form 990)
- IRS ruling date
- 1 March 1991
- Status
- Code 01 (unconditional exemption)
- Form 990 filings on record
- 7, latest 2025
- IRS Publication 78
- PC (contributions deductible)
Most connected
Longest observed on the filings
≥7years on the filingsAllyson Pearce
≥7years on the filingsGinny Barnas
≥6years on the filingsZach Estes
≥6years on the filingsCheryl Robinson
Latest return
year to 30 September 2025iFigures from the newest Form 990 or 990-EZ in the IRS e-file releases of 2025 and 2026, for the year ending 30 September 2025. US dollars, as filed.- Total assets
- $27.7m
- Total liabilities
- $25.3m
- Net assets or fund balances
- $2.4m
- Contributions and grants received
- $487k
- Program service revenue
- $3m
- Employees
- 85
Filed finances
1 yeariTotals as filed on the IRS Form 990 (revenue and expenses), by tax year.| Tax year | Total revenue | Total expenses | Surplus or deficit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $4.3m | $6m | Deficit $1.8m |
As filed on the IRS Form 990. US dollars.