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Nonprofiteer
← HOUSTON ZOO INC

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by HOUSTON ZOO INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$82,689,282
Total expenses
$70,313,815
Contributions and grants received
$24,795,320
Grants paid
$2,790,863
Program service revenue
$52,221,538
Investment income
$5,932,584
Other revenue
-$260,160
Total assets, end of year
$380,810,630
Total liabilities, end of year
$48,429,085
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$332,381,545
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$60,634,657
Management and general expenses
$5,297,022
Fundraising expenses
$4,382,136
Program service expenses (Part III)
$60,634,657

Program services were 86.2% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Listed in Part VII

  • Joe Cleary

    Board Chair

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Stacy Methvin thru 624

    Immediate Past Chair

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Joshua Davidson

    Vice Chair

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Sami Ahmad

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Saied Alavi

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Greg Armstrong as of 724

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • George Basu

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Carlos Bueno

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Bill Butzner as of 724

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Beto Cardenas

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Neil Chapman as of 724

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Kris Chikelue

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Anne Clutterbuck

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Heather Crowder

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Michael Dishberger

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Charles Dresser as of 724

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Kerry Galvin

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Eureka Gilkey thru 624

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Nicholas Hellyar as of 724

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Sanjay Kalavar

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Monica Karuturi as of 724

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Peggy Kostial

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jennifer Laporte

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Claire Liu

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Kelley Lubanko

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Kimberly McKay thru 624

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Stacy O'Malley

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Byron Pope

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Alie Pruner

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Nancy Pustka

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Ron Rand thru 624

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Sadie Rucker as of 724

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Liz Schwarze

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jordan Seff

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Bas Solleveld

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Brian Thomas

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Cynthia Walker thru 624

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Kelli Weinzierl

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Bill Barnett

    Member Emeritus

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Anne Duncan

    Member Emeritus

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Robert Graham

    Member Emeritus

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jim Postl

    Member Emeritus

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Randa Duncan Williams

    Member Emeritus

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Austin Young

    Member Emeritus

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Lee Ehmke

    President & CEO

    Total calculated
    $711,080
    From this org
    $691,246
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $19,834
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $535,672
    Bonus
    $153,860
    Other
    $1,714
    Deferred
    $13,609
    Nontaxable benefits
    $6,225
    Filer's total
    $711,080

  • Sheryl Kolasinski

    COO

    Total calculated
    $392,350
    From this org
    $374,936
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $17,414
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $306,866
    Bonus
    $66,356
    Other
    $1,714
    Deferred
    $11,189
    Nontaxable benefits
    $6,225
    Filer's total
    $392,350

  • Jeri Nordbrock

    CFO

    Total calculated
    $350,509
    From this org
    $332,237
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $18,272
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $272,920
    Bonus
    $57,603
    Other
    $1,714
    Deferred
    $12,067
    Nontaxable benefits
    $6,205
    Filer's total
    $350,509

  • Roberto Espinosa

    Chief Advancement Officer

    Total calculated
    $335,126
    From this org
    $313,227
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $21,899
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $258,341
    Bonus
    $54,526
    Other
    $360
    Deferred
    $11,494
    Nontaxable benefits
    $10,405
    Filer's total
    $335,126

  • Lisa Marie Avendano

    Deputy Dir., Chief Mission Officer

    Total calculated
    $233,973
    From this org
    $222,535
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $11,438
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $221,647
    Bonus
    $200
    Other
    $688
    Deferred
    $7,200
    Nontaxable benefits
    $4,238
    Filer's total
    $233,973

  • Kristin Finney

    Chief Human Resources Officer

    Total calculated
    $321,598
    From this org
    $301,730
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $19,868
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $251,762
    Bonus
    $49,416
    Other
    $552
    Deferred
    $9,847
    Nontaxable benefits
    $10,021
    Filer's total
    $321,598

  • Kevin Hodge

    VP Animal Programs

    Total calculated
    $265,782
    From this org
    $241,498
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $24,284
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $194,948
    Bonus
    $46,190
    Other
    $360
    Deferred
    $10,183
    Nontaxable benefits
    $14,101
    Filer's total
    $265,782

  • Adrian Cavazos

    AVP, Business Operations

    Total calculated
    $194,737
    From this org
    $172,867
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $21,870
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $166,427
    Bonus
    $6,200
    Other
    $240
    Deferred
    $7,263
    Nontaxable benefits
    $14,607
    Filer's total
    $194,737

  • Mark Hoffman

    Sr. Dir. Plan, Design, Engineering

    Total calculated
    $168,861
    From this org
    $152,464
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $16,397
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $147,048
    Bonus
    $5,200
    Other
    $216
    Deferred
    $6,380
    Nontaxable benefits
    $10,017
    Filer's total
    $168,861

  • Trazanna Moreno

    Senior VP Marketing, Communications

    Total calculated
    $296,481
    From this org
    $282,556
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $13,925
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $233,146
    Bonus
    $48,858
    Other
    $552
    Deferred
    $3,637
    Nontaxable benefits
    $10,288
    Filer's total
    $296,481

  • Benjamin Jones

    VP Conservation and Education

    Total calculated
    $236,051
    From this org
    $216,513
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $19,538
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $178,933
    Bonus
    $37,028
    Other
    $552
    Deferred
    $8,709
    Nontaxable benefits
    $10,829
    Filer's total
    $236,051

  • James Hutchinson

    Sr. Dir. Finance & Accounting

    Total calculated
    $203,170
    From this org
    $194,019
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,151
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $190,579
    Bonus
    $3,200
    Other
    $240
    Deferred
    $7,751
    Nontaxable benefits
    $1,400
    Filer's total
    $203,170

  • Abraham George

    Director of Technology

    Total calculated
    $196,679
    From this org
    $174,428
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $22,251
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $170,676
    Bonus
    $3,200
    Other
    $552
    Deferred
    $7,344
    Nontaxable benefits
    $14,907
    Filer's total
    $196,679

  • Audra Jesudason

    AVP, Development

    Total calculated
    $175,042
    From this org
    $160,789
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $14,253
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $154,349
    Bonus
    $6,200
    Other
    $240
    Deferred
    $6,471
    Nontaxable benefits
    $7,782
    Filer's total
    $175,042

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 2 · Substantiation required before reimbursing expenses
  • 3 · Compensation committee
  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 3 · Compensation survey or study
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

Part I, Line 4b
Lee Ehmke participates in a 457(b) Top Hat plan. The contribution for 2024 was $20,348.
Part I, Line 7
The Houston Zoo has an Incentive Plan for eligible individuals based on their achievement of organizational goals and individual/department goals aligned with the Zoo's Strategic Plan. The Human Resources Committee of the Board reserves the right to amend, modify, suspend, or terminate the Leadership Incentive Plan, in whole or in part, at any time, for any reason, with or without notice. The CEO retains the discretion to withhold any or all portions of the Plan payout to an eligible employee or employees for performance, disciplinary or other reasons.

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
16 October 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.2
Source object
202542899349300929

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

The source document this was parsed from is served over the API, which is where bulk and document access live.