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inspiring GENEROSITY Como Friends 2016 Annual Report
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Page 1: inspiring !#$%&'()€¦ · orangutan, whose aping antics nearly broke the Internet in November during a “cuteoff” contest on Twitter. Putting names to the faces of the fascinating

inspiring GENEROSITYComo Friends 2016 Annual Report

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2 COMO FRIENDS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

Your support for Como Friends helped bring back Blooming Butterflies, providing an extra burst of color to summer. To fill the interpretive garden with moths and butterflies, more than 7,000 pupae came to life at Como throughout the spring and summer.

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Dear Como Friends supporters, Sparky the Sea Lion celebrated her 60th anniversary season at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in 2016, but the splashy diva was nearly upstaged by a charismatic upstart from the African plains. With the unveiling of the new Giraffe Feeding Station last summer, 17-foot Skeeter became Como Zoo’s new break-out star, getting up close and personal with more than 14,000 visitors who had a chance to feed him by hand or snap a close-up. Photogenic as he is, he’s still no match for Kemala the baby orangutan, whose aping antics nearly broke the Internet in November during a “cuteoff” contest on Twitter.

Putting names to the faces of the fascinating animals in Como Zoo’s care isn’t just fun — it’s also one of the first ways zoo visitors start connecting with nature. Seeing the splash zone a 1,000-pound polar bear makes diving for fish, or hearing the thud of a 500-pound gorilla beating his chest makes a big impression on the nearly 1 million school-age visitors who come to Como every year with their families and field trip groups. What’s more, it drives home a deep appreciation of the value of conservation that inspires visitors to make smart choices long after they’ve enjoyed a day at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. All across Minnesota, there are kids who’ve learned how to cut their carbon footprint to help preserve the sea ice polar bears depend on, parents who look for pollinator-friendly lawn products to promote the high-fliers of Blooming Butterflies, and grandparents who check the labels for sustainable palm oil products to protect orangutans like Kemala.

Personalizing nature inspires us to protect it.

Thanks to the hundreds of generous individuals, businesses, and foundations listed in this annual report, that conservation message came through loud and clear at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in 2016. From the Blooming Butterflies habitat that delighted nearly 93,000 guests this summer, to the new Second Grade Field Trip program you’ll read about in these pages, your generosity allows Como to grow, thrive and innovate. Best of all, your support for Como Friends protects the open-door policy that makes it possible to welcome 1.9 million visitors, free of charge.

Thank you for all you do for Como!

Jackie Sticha Susan RoederPRESIDENT BOARD CHAIR

Whether she’s charming visitors or going viral on social media, Como Zoo’s Kemala connects visitors to nature.

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4 COMO FRIENDS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

$2,619,109Como Zoo ........................................................................ $1,041,359 Seals and Sea Lions Habitat ..................................................... $890,000 Zoo Keeper Positions & Annual Operations ............................... $91,173 Cat Building Interior Remodel ................................................... $54,000 Zoo keeper Training Scholarships .................................................$4,186 Animal Enrichment ....................................................................... $2,000

Marjorie McNeely Conservatory........................................$999,254 Contribution to The Charlotte Partridge Ordway Japanese Garden Endowment Fund .................................... $668,867 Gardener Positions, Training & Operations ..............................$290,737 Japanese Garden Maintenance & Technical Training ................ $30,000 St. Francis Sculpture Restoration ................................................. $3,500 Orchid Collection Acquisition .......................................................$6,150

Capital Improvements for Gorilla Forest, Polar Bear Odyssey & The Ordway Gardens ................. $171,406

Como Campus ....................................................................$142,205 Advocacy .................................................................................... $70,205 Como Through Time Exhibit ...................................................... $55,000 Sculpture for New Minnesota Garden ....................................... $12,000 Campus Projects .......................................................................... $5,000

Education ........................................................................... $106,967 Education Positions & Annual Operations ................................. $71,200 St. Paul Schools Second Grade Field Trip Scholarships ............ $30,000 School Group Transportation Scholarships ..................................$2,769 Cheney Family Camp Scholarships ...............................................$2,998

Marketing .............................................................................$86,918 Como Park Zoo & Conservatory Brand Strategy....................... $40,000 In-Kind Services Promoting Como ..............................................$39,418 Como Park Zoo & Conservatory Website .....................................$7,500

Conservation ....................................................................... $40,000 Youth Engagement Program (YEP!) ........................................... $20,000 Conservation Champions Initiatives .......................................... $20,000

Volunteer Services ...............................................................$31,000 Staff Positions & Annual Operations ......................................... $31,000

Total 2016 donation

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THRIVE ON: From the Travelers Sunset Affair gala to ZooBoo, one of the state’s longest-running nonprofit fundraisers, all of Como Friends’ special events help provide Como the extra care and feeding it needs to thrive. In 2016, your support made it possible to provide more than $2.6 million to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, protecting free admission, launching new field trip programs, and providing the forward vision for continuing improvements.

“By becoming a Como Friends member, I have been invited to behind- the-scenes events that make me appreciate how well our Community Gem is operated and aware of how much the staff cares about their responsibilities to the inhabitants of the Zoo.”

— John W. Harris, Roseville Como Friends member

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6 COMO FRIENDS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

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From high-flying Blooming Butterflies to free bus transportation for schools, a giving community helps Como Friends connect more than 1.9 million visitors to the wonders of nature.

inspiring GENEROSITY

THE HIGH COST OF TRANSPORTATION CAN be a big hur-dle for teachers who want to bring their stu-dents to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. That’s why Como’s Education Department worked a solution right into the design of its pop-ular new Residency Program, providing free round-trip transportation to every classroom en-rolled. Now, nearly every week of the school year, a colorful Como bus delivers a fresh crop of ele-mentary school kids right to the Visitor Center. Diving deep into Como’s animal and plant col-lections, these young “citizen scientists” spend their days observing primate and polar bear behavior, making pictures and paintings of rain-forest plants, and even calculating how to reduce the carbon footprint of their cafeteria waste.

First launched with funding from the Minne-sota Legacy Amendment and matched contri-butions from Como Friends, Como’s Residency Program has been a run-away success, offering a high-dosage, cross-disciplinary curriculum to nearly 1,000 students in the last 12 months, all with no cost to participating schools. But with growing demand from area classrooms, and not nearly enough weeks in the school year to serve them all, Como Friends supporters started brainstorming new ways that private dollars could do more. >>>>>

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“COMO IS ALL ABOUT making good use of resources, so in that spirit, we thought why not use that bus to collect kids from right in our own neighborhood, and give them a great first field trip experience,” says Susan Roeder, Como Friends’ board chair, and Director of Corporate and Community Affairs for the Andersen Corporation.

Working in partnership with the St. Paul Public Schools and a $30,000 grant from Como Friends, Como’s Education Department launched a brand-new initiative in September inviting every sec-ond grade classroom in the city to come to Como for a free school group program and a compli-mentary bus shuttle. Teachers say the program helps fill a need for hands-on science learning when second graders are at the “just right” age to appreciate the profound connections between plants, people, and animals. It also welcomes the school district’s diverse community of learners — who speak more than 100 languages and dialects at home — to discover a world-class resource right in their own backyard.

“We’re hearing from teachers that this is the first time many of their students visited Como, so we’re thrilled this new program is inviting them to explore one of the Twin Cities’ true cul-tural treasures,” says Roeder. “To me this is just a perfect example of how our public/private partnership can help extend the reach of near-ly everything that happens at Como.”

540 St. Paul second graders served by Como’s new field trip program

984 Elementary school students who spent the school day at Como for a whole week in 2016 for the week-long Residency Program

3,182 Pre-school kids engaged in Como’s Lil’ Explorers early childhood class

19,670 School-age youth who attended a School Group Program, Summer Camp, or other special program

374,401 Visitors who took part in a value-added conservation program, from the Sparky the Sea Lion Show to polar bear and primate training sessions

Teachable Moments

8 COMO FRIENDS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

inspiring GENEROSITY sharing

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BELOW: Designed in cooperation with

St. Paul Public Schools, the special school

group program expands the “animal-cen-

tric” curriculum of the primary grades to

include a wider focus on the life cycle of

plants. “Como Friends’ support makes it

possible to think big about what we can do

to connect with classrooms,” says Michelle

Furrer, Campus Manager of Como Park Zoo

and Conservatory. By the end of the school

year, more than 2,000 second graders will

have hopped on the bus.

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35 Percent of visitors who come to Como two to five times every year

96 Percent of Como visitors who rated their visit “excellent” or “above average”

1,948,997 Total estimated attendance at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in 2016

inspiring GENEROSITY

Urban OasisTHE SECOND GRADE FIELD TRIP program is just the latest addition to a growing list of programs and improve-ments made possible by your support for Como Friends. Since 1999, the nonprofit fundraising force has helped to provide the “extra care and feeding” Como Park Zoo and Conservatory needs to thrive, from leveraging the private capital funding behind the award-winning Polar Bear Odyssey, to launching the new endowment fund that provides for the continued restoration of the historic Charlotte Partridge Ordway Japanese Garden.

In 2016, your generous contributions helped to unveil the new Giraffe Feeding Station that allowed Como Zoo’s gentle giants to eat right out of the hands of more than 14,000 visitors. Your support also helped bring Blooming Butterflies back for a return flight, filling the interpre-tive garden with several thousand winged insects all summer long, and teaching more than 93,000 visitors about the powerful connections between pollinators, plants and people. All totaled, support for Como Friends infused $2.62 million into Como Park Zoo and Conserva-tory’s programs and historic operations, private support that helps protect Como’s commitment to remaining free to all visitors, every day of the year.

“Keeping Como Park Zoo and Conservatory accessible to all brings our diverse community together in an urban oasis that makes us all proud,” says Kris Taylor, Vice Pres-ident of Community Relations and Ecolab Foundation, which has supported Como Friends for over a decade. “Ecolab is pleased to partner with Como Friends in sup-port of providing free admission to the millions of visitors to Como—a true gem in our community where the excit-ing, beautiful and natural offerings delight visitors of any age, from any region and of any background.” 

Como’s open door policy is increasingly important to visitors as well. In fact, a 2016 survey of nearly 2,000 Como guests found that 80 percent consider free admis-sion to be an important value — up from 70 percent who told us it was critical in 2010. Since the 2008 recession, in fact, Como’s audience has increased by nearly 500,000 adults and kids each year.

10 COMO FRIENDS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

preserving our

32% suburban metro

20% Greater

Minnesota

14% Minneapolis 18%

St. Paul

15% U.S. outside

Minnesota

1% international

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34

Percent increase in individual donors since 2012

79

Percent of Horace Cleveland Society donors who renewed their commitment to Como Friends in 2016

55,108 Visits to Como Friends’ responsive new website

242 Percent increase in Como Friends endowment funding since 2012

688,333 Impressions on Como Friends’ Twitter and Facebook posts in 2016

GROWING COMMUNITY NEED is one reason Como Friends returned to the Capitol in 2016, helping to make the case for public funding to support projects at Como Zoo and the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. Since 2011, Como Friends’ advocacy efforts have helped to make Minnesota lawmakers aware of Como’s regional impact, both as the most visited cultural destination in the state, and as a major engine in the tourism economy, providing nearly a 15 to 1 return on every dollar invested at Como.

“Having Como Friends by our side at the legislature over the last few years has been critical to our success,” says Como Campus Manager Michelle Furrer, who credits advocacy efforts for helping to double the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund contribution from $500,000 a year to $1 million a year for new education programs and projects like the Centennial Garden that opened during the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory’s 100th anniversary in 2015. “Being able to demonstrate that we have the support of a large community of individual donors, corporations, and foundations who contribute generously to Como Friends helps strengthen the case that investing in Como really does give Minnesota a great return.”

In 2016, that message made a much bigger impression thanks to Como Friends’ growing social media presence, a responsive new website, and a calendar full of Como supporter events that showcased everything from behind-the-scenes butterfly breeding to the horticultural planning that goes into the Sunken Garden’s rotating flower shows.

inspiring GENEROSITY

Case for Comomaking the

12 COMO FRIENDS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

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ABOVE: Como Friends

launched a responsive

new website in 2016 that

highlights the impact of

private support for one

of Minnesota’s favorite

public institutions.

Visit comofriends.org

to learn more.

with friends, we thrive 13

Como Zoo senior keeper Allison Jungheim and Chloe

the sloth visit the Minnesota State Capitol, meeting

with Representative Leon Lillie and other legislators

to share Como’s critical role as a regional asset that

1.9 million visitors depend on.

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GETTING A CHANCE TO SEE Minnesota’s favorite des-tination up close is clearly part of the attrac-tion of Travelers Sunset Affair “Sundown on the Savanna,” Como Friends’ largest fundraising event of 2016. For the seventh year, the summer gala sold out months in advance to 560 ticketed guests, who helped to raise more than $180,000 to benefit Como Zoo and the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory with big silent auction bids and gen-erous fund-a-need donations.

“Contributions are critical, but Como’s fantastic corps of volunteers help that investment go even farther,” says Como Friends board member Steve Foss, Regional VP, Xcel Energy. “It says a lot about the value of Como that it can count on so much human capital every year.” This year alone, 1,510 individual Como volunteers contributed a total of 54,261 hours, providing the time and talent equiv-alent to more than 26 full-time employees.

Their ranks include zoo interns who help prep Sparky and the other pinnipeds’ diet of frozen fish, corporate teams who help tend the Conservatory’s exterior gardens, a friendly corps of front-door greeters, and a trained team of more than 200 interpretive volunteers who answered questions and engaged with an astonishing 322,679 visitors—an audience large enough to fill the new U.S. Bank Stadium nearly five times over.

“You see that commitment from volunteers year after year because Como does a wonderful job of making volunteers feel valued,” says Como Friends board member Lynette Palmgren, a long-time interpretive volunteer in Como Zoo’s large cat habitat and Polar Bear Odyssey. “With great training and so much support, it’s easy to be a good ambassador for what’s happening at Como, and share that excitement about these amazing animals and plants with the public.”

47 Como Interns in 2016

379

Volunteers who dressed up in costumes to support Como Friends’ ZooBoo fundraiser

539 New volunteers at Como in 2016

54,261 Total volunteer hours

$1,278,389 Estimated dollar value of volunteer hours in 2016

inspiring GENEROSITY

Human Capitalcounting on

14 COMO FRIENDS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

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COMO VOLUNTEERS AREN’T THE ONLY people passionate about protecting those natural resources. Como’s newest gen-eration of visitors—a cohort of young people demog-raphers call Gen Z—are deeply interested in environ-mental health, and consider zoos a trusted source on conservation. In fact, a recent study found that 70 percent of young Americans rank zoos among the best places to learn about animals and wildlife—higher than nature centers (60 percent) and even the outdoors (48 percent).

“The young people Como is serving today are part of the largest and most diverse generation in history, and their commitment to making the world a better place is really inspiring,” says Jackie Sticha, president of Como Friends, which helped to fund a new strategic plan for Como’s ed-ucation department in 2016 aimed, in part, at serving the special needs and interests of Generation Z. “With nearly a million school age visitors every year, Como is in an ide-al position to teach the next generation about the power that individuals have when it comes to supporting conser-vation, and we want to do right by them.”

To help, Como Friends provided the funding for the new Youth Engagement Program, YEP! for short, an innovative pilot project that selected conservation-minded teens from around the metro area for year-round skill-building expe-riences aimed at helping them start and sustain communi-ty action projects in their own schools and neighborhoods. Inspiring the next generation to be thoughtful environmen-tal stewards is also the driving force behind two upcoming capital improvements with design plans funded by Como Friends—a facelift for Como Zoo’s large cat habitat and a major remodel of the Seals and Sea Lions habitat.

“There are nearly three generations now that have a shared connection to the Sparky the Sea Lion Show that started sixty years ago,” says Sticha. “We want to pre-serve that personal connection, and move it forward with a more progressive habitat that will bring visitors right up close to all of Como Zoo’s pinnipeds all year long. See-ing how much our visitors have loved the new Giraffe Feeding Station this year just spurs us to do even more to build that connection between animals, plants and peo-ple. It’s what brings us all together at Como.”

5-10 Average age of school group visitor

55 Percent of Gen Z’ers who want to do more for the environment

82 Percent of 12- to 18-year-olds who report a strong interest in learning about wildlife

145,430 Number of visitors who saw a Sparky show during her 60th anniversary

inspiring GENEROSITY

Generation Zserving

IMMERSIVEEXPERIENCE

TV

WOOD PLANKS

BINOCULARS

SEATING

CONE OF SOUND

VIEWING/ PERCHING

3D ANIMAL CUTOUT

ABOVE: A new facelift for Como Zoo’s historic

Large Cat Habitat is one of the ways Como

Friends’ contributions bring visitors closer to

Como’s wild and precious animals and plants.

16 COMO FRIENDS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

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Your contributions to

Como Friends helped

launch YEP!, a youth

engagement program

Como piloted in 2016.

Going into the great

outdoors and meeting

other community

partners committed

to sustainability

were all part of this

innovative program

designed to inspire

Gen Z leaders toward

community action in

their own schools and

neighborhoods.

with friends, we thrive 17

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Statements of Financial Position

18 COMO FRIENDS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

As of December 31 2016 2015

Assets CURRENT Cash and Cash Equivalents $759,259 $859,443 Cash and Investments-Board Funds 917,447 1,252,611 Certificates of Deposit 41,407 255,270 Contributions Receivable 246,919 338,732 Bequest Receivable-Board Funds - 450,000 Inventory 251,298 235,823 Prepaid Expenses 37,866 53,913 TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 2,254,196 3,445,792 OTHER Contributions Receivable Net of Current Portion 1,320,000 1,580,000 Property and Equipment-Net 139,932 32,684 Beneficial Interests in Assets Held by Others 7,206,144 6,436,793 TOTAL OTHER ASSETS 8,666,076 8,049,477 TOTAL ASSETS $10,920,272 $11,495,269

Liabilities and Net Assets CURRENT Accounts Payable $24,299 $47,908 Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities 163,466 172,779 TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 187,765 220,687

NET ASSETS UNRESTRICTED Board Reserve and Project Funds 917,447 1,702,611 Board Designated Endowment 131,499 131,499 Undesignated 881,611 648,951 TOTAL UNRESTRICTED 1,930,557 2,483,061

Temporarily Restricted 2,583,963 3,213,554 Permanently Restricted 6,217,987 5,577,967 TOTAL NET ASSETS 10,732,507 11,274,582 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS $10,920,272 $11,495,269

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Statement of Activities

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Sources of Revenue

Individual Giving ...........................................$997,261

Gift Shop Revenue ......................................$863,054 (less cost of goods sold)

Corporate and Foundation Giving ............... $289,822

Events ...........................................................$245,110

Investment and Other Income ..................... $470,015

Program and Mission Support

Program Support ..................................... $2,375,299

Mission Support-Management Expense .......$584,170

Mission Support-Fundraising Expense ........ $447,868

30%

16%

35%

10%

9%

13%

70%17%

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20 COMO FRIENDS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

$200,000 + Estate of Bruce Beltt The Donald McNeely Family The Saint Paul Foundation

$100,000 - $199,999 Katherine B. Andersen Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation KSTP-TV 5 Eyewitness News $50,000 - $99,999 E. M. Pearson Foundation Endowment Fund of Como Friends Xcel Energy $15,000 - $49,999 Anonymous Andersen Corporation Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation Gordon and Margaret Bailey Foundation Bame Foundation Berger Transfer Best Buy Foundation Ecolab Foundation Deb and Mike Hogenson Horton Holding Huelsmann Foundation M Group Estate of Mary Anne Maurer McIntyre Family Estate of Marion K. Scott Travelers Foundation $10,000 - $14,999 Anonymous APi Group, Inc. H.B. Fuller Company Foundation Lancer Catering Estate of Richard P. Mathern McGough Companies Merrick Family Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation The Nicholson Brothers Fund Bill and Anne Parker Toro Foundation U.S. Bancorp Foundation

$5,000 - $9,999 Anonymous Ameriprise Financial Best Buy Co., Inc. Abigail and Nicholas Boetticher Boss Foundation Roger and Diane Brack Cheney Family CPMI David and Gretchen Crary Cub Foods Dellwood Foundation, Inc. Dolan Printing Scott and Lisa Dongoske Ellis Family Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation Litton Field, Jr. and Anne Field Mary Fowler Amy Hubbard and Geoff Kehoe Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation The John and Ruth Huss Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation Jefferson Lines Gloria A. (Salberg) Kloek Ann L. Kulenkamp and John Wilson Estate of Dorothy M. Leonard Laurel and Gregg Lien Debbie and Tom Lyman McCarthy Bjorklund Foundation Minnesota Corn Growers Minnesota Timberwolves Fastbreak Foundation Ginny Morris NTH Martha and Brock Nelson Old Home Foods, Inc. Helen and Ruth Peterson Fund of Como Friends Pioneer Press Pique Travel Design Kari Hubbard Rominski and Daniel M. Rominski The Kenneth C. Savage Family Foundation Securian Space Center, Inc. Taishoff Family Foundation Turnkey Events and Promotions Weck Charitable Trust

Wells Fargo Foundation Minnesota Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Richard and Debra Wicka Charitable Trust $2,500 - $4,999 Felix Ankel and Lisa Holter-Ankel Baker Tilley Virchow Krause, LLP Base Management Company George and Karen Benz BMO Harris Bank Cargill, Incorporated Children’s Discovery Child Care & Learning Center, Inc. City Club Foundation CLR Design David and Margaret Cochrane Stephen Daas and Peggy Sauer Parker Eberwein and Elizabeth Switzer Margaret Ellingson Emerson Process Management- Rosemount Inc. Peter and Kate Everett Sherry Anne Fonseth-Lais and Charles Lais General Mills Foundation Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare Grand Casino Hinckley Georgianna Herman Carla J. Heyl Larry and Patricia Hink Shannon and Corey Hoagland Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. Stanley and Karen Hubbard John and Ruth Huss Shannon and David Keller Nancy and Todd Koch Matthew Kramer and Mary Rowles Constance Krmpotich Nick and Diane Lee John and Nancy Lindahl Ken Malvey Tom and Jean McGough Colleen McGough-Wood and Brad Wood Medtronic Foundation Shirley Miles Ronald and Marilyn Mitsch Nicky and Tim Nagle

Russell and Nancy Nelson Family Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation Russell and Nancy NelsonOrchid Society of Minnesota William Paddock Lynette and Robert Palmgren Bob and Melanie Parise Q3 Contracting, Inc. River Road Foundation Wendy and Steve Rubin Family Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation Liz and Ben Smith Stinson Leonard Street LLP Rupert and Jeanne Strobel Joe Tashjian and Kay Savik The Thayer Family Foundation of the Minnesota Community Foundation Paul and Janet Tolzmann Tylina Food Products US Bank Flex Perks Edwin van der Hoek and Jennifer Debrow The Donald Weesner Foundation Western Bank Frederick and Margaret L. Weyerhaeuser Foundation Wilkerson, Guthmann & Johnson Leadership Fund Lillian Wright & C. Emil Berglund Foundation $1,000 - $2,499 Anonymous Agropur Inc. Division Natrel The Allegro Fund Diana Allen Ameriprise Financial Employee Matching Gift Program AmVets Post #1 Mendota Sarah Andersen and Christopher Hayner Karen Anderson Barbara Bachman Cheryl Lynn Bailey and Dan Humes Jo & Gordon Bailey Family Fund of the Catholic Community Foundation Ben and Phyllis Baltes Tracey Baubie and Debra Anderson John and Susan Bauer

Thank you, DONORS

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Tony and Tabitha Benton Bolthouse Farms, Inc. Briggs and Morgan Foundation The Peter K. Brooks Fund at Schwab Charitable Hudie and Sarah Broughton Peter Butler City of Saint Paul Aquatics Bob and Diane Coderre Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation Commonwealth Properties John R. Cross Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation Robert and Sherry Cyza D’Amico Catering David’s Photography Frank and Sharon Dolejsi Florene Dougherty Carol Ducharme El Burrito Mercado Peter and Tamara Erickson Mary Ann and Robert Evander Federated Insurance Patrick Flahaven Patricia Freeburg Fridley Middle School Laura Fries and John Cox Dwight and Elizabeth Friesen Michelle Furrer and Kristopher Foland David and Kathleen Gabel Jane and Richard Gerber Jerry and Joyce Golden Julie Goodwin C. Granlund Family Fund at Schwab Charitable Eric Griffin and Laura Pang John Grinager and Nancy Jo Shaw Mike Hahm and Amy Brendmoen Susan and Thomas Handley Marion Handt Frank Hapke John W. Harris Thane and Blanche Hawkins The Head Foundation Elfrieda Hintze Tom and Nancy Hodnefield

Susan and Ernest Holburt Gayle and Robert Holmes Amy L. Hubbard and Geoffrey J. Kehoe Fund of Minnesota Community Foundation Barbara and Jim Joers Mark Johnson Jon Charles Salon Bill and Diane Kaphing Justin and Stephanie Kappel Adele Kaufman Scott Kindrick and Randi Lyders Steve and Margie Krause Trell Kulju and Victoria Heckman Peter and Cynthia Lee Laurence and Jean LeJeune Juanita and Richard Luis The Lumabel Charitable Fund Margaret Rivers Fund Edwin and Susan McCarthy Patrick and Angie McIntyre The Greg McNeely Fund at Schwab Charitable Nora McNeely Hurley and Michael Hurley Donor Advised Fund of Schwab Charitable Caroline and Scott Mehlhop Barbara Meier and Peter McSwiggen Jeremy and Janessa Meyer Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Minnesota Safety Council Larry Moody Anna and William Morrison Debbie Musolf and Arthur Wineman National Christian Foundation Indiana Ford and Catherine Nicholson Diane Nixa and Kurt Hochfeld Casandra Offersen Estate of Diane Ondrey Daniel Ordway Erik Ordway John and Marla Ordway Charitable Lead TrustJohn and Marla Ordway Periscope John and Debra Peterson

Pool and Yacht Club, Inc. Susan and Glenn Rasmussen Edward Reed Rival House David and Darla Roeker Jack and Mary Jean Sargent Tyler and Kari Schmidtz Tom Schubbe and Maggie Arzdorf-Schubbe Kathleen Schubert Dave and Karen Senger Arvind Sharma and Stephanie Radtke Signature Cafe & Catering Sleep Near The Mouse St. Paul - Ramsey County Environmental Health St. Paul Saints Greg and Gayle Steiner James and Tracy Steiner Kathryn Steiner Thomas Steiner Jackie Sticha and Chris Hautman Peter and Mary Jo Thrane Peter and Traci Torseth Charles and Barbara Trautmann The Stablish Foundation Leo and Molly Varley Tom and Judy Ware Warm Fuzzy Toys David and Ann Wasson White Pine Fund Burton and Patricia Witthuhn Jennifer Wolf Michele Yanko Estate of Steven Chris Yurk $500 - $999 3M Foundation Gerald Adams Kate Aksadi Allina Health System The Mary Anne K. and William R. Anderson Jr. Foundation Anime Twin Cities, Inc. Chas and Nancy Arend John and Mary Bachhuber

Bailey Nurseries Inc. Jo and Gordie Bailey Chris and Marna Bame Thomas and Mary Beaumont William Beery Kimberlee Bell John and DeAnne Bennett Best Buy Employee Giving Carol Bierbrauer Bob and Joan Bierscheid Carolyn H. Bingham Lisa and Michael Bjorkman Janice Bobrowske Michael and Teresa Bondhus Tom and Liz Boyd Briggs and Morgan, P.A. Kathleen A. Briggs BrightWines Sheila and Bill Brown The Vanessa Brown-McGuire Family Charitable Fund of Vanguard Charitable Brian Buhl Cafesjian’s Carousel Kaye Campbell and Phil Hinson Capitol Beverage Sales Darcy and Gregg Cascaes Cook St. Paul Corban Manor Inn Sara and Ryan Cox Data Center Systems Rep. Matt and Dr. Laura Dean Dodge Nature Center Arthur and Carol Doten E.J. Houle Inc. Jessica Erickson Estee Lauder Caryn Evenmo Rumi Faizer Ralph and Susan Farnsworth Beverly A. B. Farraher Jim Fernholz Carol and Michael Fix Stephen and Liz Foss William Foussard Carol and Greg Friberg Karen Frisell

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22 COMO FRIENDS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

Judith Garcia Galiana Gentleman Forager Geoff Michael Group, Inc. Michael and Sarah Giga Jan Godeke Jewelie Grape Green Valley Greenhouse, Inc. Greystone Foundation Kelly Griffitts and Margaret Skelton Joe and Barb Groebner Travis Hansen Stephen Hanson and Susan Cary-Hanson Pegi and Thom Harkness Michelle and Peter Harris John Hedenstrom Sharon and David Heitzman Dee Hemgren and Walt Hemgren John and Dinah Heneman Richard Hjelm William and Linda Holley Lynne K. Holt Bettina and Dennis Hoye Nell Hurley Independent Parts & Service, Inc. Independent School District No. 197 Jean Iwen J.W. Hulme Co. Juliane Janey Mary Jensen and Jeff Sell Fredrik and Sharon Johnson James Johnson and Lucy Jones Michelle Johnson Steve and Barb Judd Charles and Mary Jungmann Arthur and Martha Kaemmer Brian and Sandy Kamin Macushla Kelly Mike and Deb Kelly Robert Kriel and Linda Krach Diane and William Krueger

Katie Krumwiede and John Myers Greg and Darla Landmark Anne and William Langford Colleen and Rob Langford Don and Carole Larson Nora Lee Andrew Leonard Rob and Ilene Leonard Dick and Peggy Lidstad Rebecca and Scott Lien William Lipschultz Daniel and Mary Beth Liska Little Brown Jug Off Sale Liquors William Lohman and Ann Dillon Beth Lunn Ellen Maas-Pratt and Len Pratt Jeff and Cindy Mains Mark and Sandy Mansee Thomas and Kathleen Martin Matt and Julie McBride Mary Bigelow McMillan McNeely Foundation Nora McNeely Hurley and Michael Hurley Mead Witter Foundation, Inc. Microsoft Corporation Scott Milburn Bryan Murphy James B. and Melissa A. Murphy Family Fund Richard and Joan Newmark Fund at Schwab Charitable Fund Nicholson Family Foundation Northwoods Axe and Leather Debora L. Nugent Cheri and Edward O’Brien Jacqueline O’Connell and Patrick O’Connell Alan and Joy O’Donnell Robert Ohlsen Vicki and Dave Okerstrom

Park Tavern Paula Patineau Sally and Tom Patterson Pearson’s Candy Rick and Diane Peck Lisa and Henry Perez Kathleen Perkins Michael and Claire Pfoser Pioneer Foundation Piper Classic Disc Golf Tournament Joel Poeschl and Jeanne Pemble Judith Quinn Roberta Reilly Megan and Roger Remark Richard and Elisabeth Revoir Jodi and Mark Richard James and Suzanne Riesterer Todd and Anne Ringgenberg Valerie and Alan Rivers Eileen Roberts and Chuck Hoyum Susan Roeder and Michael Wilhelmi Wendy and Steve Rubin David Rudolph and Susan Sochacki Ryan Family Donor Advised Fund of Morgan Stanley G.I.F.T. Sage Hospitality The William and Susan Sands Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation James Sautter Beth Schafer Kent and Shaneen Schmidt The Beatrice Schneider and Doug Smith Family Charitable Fund Karen Scott Susan and Peter Sentieri Michelle and Steven Shaller Sheets Family Giving Account Susan and Brian Smith Anthony and Teresa Snider

Clifford C. & Virginia G. Sorensen Charitable Trust of The Saint Paul Foundation Michael Stedman Foundation Erica Stein William and Elizabeth Storm Stout’s Pub Monika Strom Randall and Michelle Suter Debbie Swan Kristen and William Swanson Julie Switzer and Matt Layman Lawrence Syverud T-Mobile/Metro PCS Tankenoff Families Foundation Betsy Tarnowski Jon and Lea Theobald Aaron and Teresa Thomas Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Lisa Tienter Elsie G. Trapp Wayne Varner Alice and Fred Wall Family Foundation The Walt Disney Company Wendy Ward Warners’ Stellian Appliance Co., Inc. Kathryn Weese and Helen Bond Erin Weslander Jean M. West Dr. Deborah L. Wexler and Mr. Michael L. Mann Keith and Colleen Wietecki Janet and Jeremy Wight Gregory and Susan Wolf Chuck and Beth Wright Arno and Anna Wuenschmann Tanya Yerich Stacy and Michael York Robert and Monica Zarembski Peter Zeller Debra Zimmer

Thank you, DONORS

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with friends, we thrive 23

BOARD OF DIRECTORSDiana Allen Realtor, MN Home Ventures

Sheila Brown VP and Asst Treasurer, Travelers

Arta Cheney Community Volunteer

Scott Dongoske President, Winthrop & Weinstine

Anne Hazelroth Field Anne Field Communications Consulting

Sherry Fonseth-Lais Community Volunteer

Stephen Foss Regional VP, Xcel Energy

Laura Fries Managing Dir & EVP, Baker Tilly

Patrick Harris SVP, Govt Banking, BMO Harris Bank

Tom Hodnefield (Treasurer) Partner, Tautges Redpath, Ltd.

Robert Hoke Vice President, Relationship Management Manager, Wells Fargo

Bill Kaphing Retired Vice President, Xcel Energy

Matt Kramer (Vice Chair) Vice President, University & Government Relations, University of Minnesota

Patrick McIntyre Vice President, Growth, Innovation and Strategy, Best Buy

Greg McNeely Community Volunteer

Nicky Nagle Community Volunteer

Joe Nayquonabe Commissioner of Corporate Affairs, Mille Lacs Band

Martha Nelson Community Volunteer

Nancy Nelson Community Volunteer

Erik Ordway Brokerage Services, Cushman & Wakefield/NorthMarq

Lynette Palmgren Community Volunteer

P.W. (Bill) Parker EVP & Chief Risk Officer, U.S. Bancorp

Susan M. Roeder (Chair) Director of Corporate and Community Affairs, Andersen Corporation

Wendy Rubin CEO, Wendy Rubin Ltd.

Arvind Sharma Manager, Enterprise Procurement, Ameriprise Financial

Liz Smith Community Volunteer

Peter Thrane Attorney, Stinson Leonard Street

Edwin van der Hoek Specialty Seeds and Oils, Cargill

Jennifer Wolf Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, Advantus Capital

EX OFFICIO Michelle FurrerComo Campus Manager

Mike Hahm Director, Saint Paul Parks and Recreation

Jackie Sticha (Secretary) President, Como Friends

COMO FRIENDS STAFF Kate Aksadi Individual Giving Associate

Bethany Campbell Temporary Executive Assistant

Amanda Golden Events Manager

Kaitlyn Huntington Development Associate

Mary Jensen Director of Finance

Laurel Lundberg Director of Individual Giving

Caroline Mehlhop Director of Events and Sponsorships

Terri Scheunemann Garden Safari Gifts Manager

Megan Shackle Database Manager

Hannah Smith Executive Assistant

Jackie Sticha President

Matt Wehner Graphic Design and Brand Manager

Sheila Wewers Garden Safari Gifts Assistant Manager

GARDEN SAFARI GIFTS STAFF Harmony AngellarKatie BaischKarina BigitDonnelle BurlingameMichelle CerameKarli CunninghamBeth DriscollScottie EideJana EricksonJim EttenAshley HeckMichaela HodgsonChris JenkinsKatie LeeMelissa LindRose Masanz Rochelle MuusGail OlsonMaria OlsonNiki PatonChristy PetersonGregory PhillipsMark ReynoldsKrista RiedelMary RosenBenjamin Stansbury-O’DonnellMadison TaylorCassie TempleGao Na ThaoSiant ThaoPa VangMaddie WilliXue Yang

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OUR MISSION:

We inspire community generosity to advance Como Park Zoo and Conservatory as a

destination where people from all walks of life can gather, learn and enjoy the natural world.

COMO FRIENDS 1225 Estabrook Drive, Saint Paul, MN 55103 651.487.8229 FAX: 651.487.8245 [email protected]

www.comofriends.org