TOTAL REVENUE - FISCAL 2026
$90,541,500
Down 16.2% from $107,989,615 in fiscal 2025.
Chicago Zoological Society
Brookfield, Illinois - EIN 36-2167016 - Latest filing: fiscal 2026 (Apr 1, 2025 - Mar 31, 2026)
HOW TO READ THIS PAGE
How to read this page: every figure below is from the fiscal-2026 Form 990, filed Aug 27, 2026. People named below are shown as reported on the fiscal-2026 Form 990, filed Aug 27, 2026 - the filing is a snapshot of that fiscal year, not a list of current officeholders.
THE FILING IN ONE PARAGRAPH
Chicago Zoological Society reported $90,541,500 in revenue and $85,502,432 in expenses in fiscal 2026, a surplus of $5,039,068 for the year. Program services took $69,181,178 of expenses, or 80.9%. The organization closed the year with $233,229,000 in net assets - about 32.7 months of expenses at the fiscal-2026 spending level.
At a Glance - Fiscal 2026
All values are fiscal 2026 unless a tile says otherwise.
TOTAL EXPENSES - FISCAL 2026
$85,502,432
Revenue minus expenses: $5,039,068 in fiscal 2026.
PROGRAM EXPENSE SHARE - FISCAL 2026
80.9%
$69,181,178 of $85,502,432 went to program services.
NET ASSETS - END OF FISCAL 2026
$233,229,000
Total assets $329,655,000 minus total liabilities $96,426,000.
TOP EXECUTIVE PAY - FISCAL 2026
$904,023
Dr Michael Adkesson, President and CEO, as reported on the fiscal-2026 Form 990, filed Aug 27, 2026. Total across all compensation columns.
PEOPLE REPORTED - FISCAL 2026
821 Employees
Plus 340 volunteers reported on the fiscal-2026 Form 990.
Money In, Money Out - Fiscal 2026
Revenue and expenses as reported on the fiscal-2026 Form 990, filed Aug 27, 2026. Donated goods are separated from cash so food and supply donations do not read as cash income.
Where the Money Went - Fiscal 2026
Management and general is the figure reported on the filing (Part IX total); where a filing does not carry it, it is computed as the residual of total expenses minus program and fundraising expenses. Cost to raise a dollar in fiscal 2026: $0.08 - $3,825,131 in fundraising expenses divided by $45,300,998 in total contributions. On cash contributions only: $0.09.
Where the Money Came From - Fiscal 2026
| Source | Fiscal 2026 |
|---|---|
| Total Contributions | $45,300,998 |
| Of Which Cash Contributions | $42,627,997 |
| Of Which Donated Goods (Noncash) | $2,673,001 |
| Fundraising Events | $2,333,610 |
| Government Grants | $28,389,305 |
| All Other Contributions | $14,578,083 |
| Program Service Revenue | $40,107,334 |
| Investment Income | $5,663,009 |
| Other Revenue | -$529,841 |
| Total Revenue (All Sources) | $90,541,500 |
Reserves and Balance Sheet - Fiscal 2026
Reserves and Runway
32.7 Months
of reserves - $233,229,000 in net assets at the end of fiscal 2026, divided by average monthly expenses of about $7,125,202 in fiscal 2026.
Net assets can include donor-restricted funds, buildings and other assets that cannot be spent like cash. Treat months of reserves as a scale measure, not as cash in the bank.
Balance Sheet - End of Fiscal 2026
| Total Assets | $329,655,000 |
| Total Liabilities | $96,426,000 |
| Liabilities as Share of Assets | 29.3% |
| Net Assets | $233,229,000 |
Leadership Pay - Fiscal 2026
Pay is the summed total across all compensation columns on the Form 990 - pay from the organization, pay from related organizations, and other compensation. People are shown as reported on the fiscal-2026 Form 990, filed Aug 27, 2026.
| Name and Title, as Reported | Total Pay - Fiscal 2026 | Share of Expenses |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Michael Adkesson - President and CEO | $904,023 | 1.06% |
| David E Burns - Chief Financial and Admin. Officer | $432,456 | 0.51% |
| Cathleen Brueggemann - Sr. VP Development | $350,545 | 0.41% |
| Andrea S Rodgers - Sr. VP Guest Experience Operations | $335,261 | 0.39% |
| Heather Bilcer - VP Finance | $273,321 | 0.32% |
| Dr Sathya K Chinnadurai - Sr. VP Animal Health Welfare | $267,827 | 0.31% |
| Jennifer L Baader - Sr. VP Govt Affairs | $257,842 | 0.30% |
| Rita Vondra - Sr. VP Programs Impact | $256,867 | 0.30% |
| Shannon Heston - VP Information Tech thru 9/2025 | $230,787 | 0.27% |
| Randall Wells - VP Marine Mammal Conservation | $228,136 | 0.27% |
| Melissa Lewkowich - VP Risk Facilities Mgmt | $211,747 | 0.25% |
| Anthony Ray - VP People Culture thru 9/2025 | $192,930 | 0.23% |
The full Part VII table lists every officer, director, trustee and key employee named on the filing, with hours and the same summed total. Compensation is reported for the calendar year ending within the fiscal year, per the Form 990.
Board and Governance - Fiscal 2026
Board and policy answers as reported on the fiscal-2026 Form 990, filed Aug 27, 2026.
Board Roster - as Reported on the Fiscal-2026 Form 990
42 voting members, 39 independent - independence count as reported on the fiscal-2026 Form 990.
| Name, as Reported | Role, as Reported |
|---|---|
| Dr Michael Adkesson | President and CEO |
| David E Burns | Chief Financial and Admin. Officer |
| Cathleen Brueggemann | Sr. VP Development |
| Andrea S Rodgers | Sr. VP Guest Experience Operations |
| Heather Bilcer | VP Finance |
| Dr Sathya K Chinnadurai | Sr. VP Animal Health Welfare |
| Jennifer L Baader | Sr. VP Govt Affairs |
| Rita Vondra | Sr. VP Programs Impact |
| Shannon Heston | VP Information Tech thru 9/2025 |
| Randall Wells | VP Marine Mammal Conservation |
| Melissa Lewkowich | VP Risk Facilities Mgmt |
| Anthony Ray | VP People Culture thru 9/2025 |
| Cherryl T Thomas | Chair of the Board |
| William C Kunkler III | Deputy Chair of the Board |
| Molly Keller | First Vice Chair of the Board |
| Stan Pepper | Second Vice Chair of the Board |
| Elizabeth Hamill Bramsen | Honorary Vice Chair of the Board |
| Bert A Getz Jr | Honorary Vice Chair of the Board |
| John P Grube | Past Chair of the Board |
| Michael P Emmert | Treasurer |
| Randall G Vickery | Secretary |
| Stuart B Abelson | Trustee |
| Walter W Becky II | Trustee |
| Jennifer L Bellini | Trustee |
| Jay D Bergman | Trustee |
| Edward McCormick Blair Jr | Trustee |
| Barbara J Bradford | Trustee |
| James A Bryan | Trustee |
| Melissa L Canning as of 62025 | Trustee |
| Michael G Canning | Trustee |
| Dr Bonny Chen | Trustee |
| Rita Sola Cook | Trustee |
| JR Davis III | Trustee |
| Gregory J DiDomenico | Trustee |
| Michael Drai | Trustee |
| Sunny Elebua | Trustee |
| Merrick M Elfman | Trustee |
| Dr Lisa C Freeman | Trustee |
| Matthew Gambs | Trustee |
| Sasha L Gerritson | Trustee |
| Darius A Gill | Trustee |
| Barbara Grayson | Trustee |
| Heidi Huizenga | Trustee |
| Kevin M Keeley | Trustee |
| Kevin M Killips | Trustee |
| Barbara Levy Kipper | Trustee |
| Jerry Manne | Trustee |
| Tim Ozinga | Trustee |
| Toni Preckwinkle | Trustee |
| Elizabeth S Quinn | Trustee |
| Benita S Romano | Trustee |
| Kelley C Schueler | Trustee |
| Patrick E Whiteside | Trustee |
| Mark G Sander | Trustee thru 5/25 |
| John A Carpenter | Trustee thru 10/25 |
| Michael F DeSantiago | Trustee thru 3/26 |
Governance Policy Flags - Fiscal 2026
Conflict of Interest PolicyYes - Reported
Whistleblower PolicyYes - Reported
Document Retention PolicyYes - Reported
Audited Financial StatementsYes - Reported
Audit CommitteeYes - Reported
Board Size and Independence42 voting / 39 independent
Flags report what the organization answered on the Form 990. A Yes means the policy was reported on the filing; it is not an outside review of how the policy works in practice.
Grants - Fiscal 2026
Grants Made - Fiscal 2026
This organization reported $251,674 in grants paid in fiscal 2026.
| Recipient, as Reported | Amount |
|---|---|
| American Association of Zoo Veterinarians conservation related event sponsor | $6,150 |
| Species 360 Conservation fieldwork | $7,000 |
| Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois Conservation fieldwork | $46,583 |
| Pangolin Conservation and Research Fdn Conservation fieldwork | $53,000 |
Trend - Revenue
Years are shown only where a filing is held. Missing years are absent, never filled in.
| Fiscal Year | Revenue | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Fiscal 2025 (Prior-Year Column on the Fiscal-2026 Filing) | $107,989,615 | - |
| Fiscal 2026 | $90,541,500 | -16.2% |
This table grows to a 10-year view (revenue, expenses, net assets and top pay) as earlier filings for this organization are added to the record. Missing years are absent, never filled in.
Filings on Record
| Tax Period | Form | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 2025 - Mar 31, 2026 | Form 990 | In Force - Filed Aug 27, 2026 | Original Filing at the IRS |
If an amended return is filed, the newest amended return supersedes the earlier one and the table marks which filing is in force.