On this week’s edition of Money, I’m Home, Lynne is joined by Kelli Smith, chief development and engagement officer for John Ball Zoo. A jewel amidst the Grand Rapids cityscape, John Ball Zoo is considered a world leader among zoos for its innovative facilities, exhibits and experiences. Join Lynne as she chats with Kelli about some of the incredible work happening at the zoo, as well as some hints about what the future might hold.

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0:00:06.8 Lynne Jarman-Johnson (LJJ): Money, I’m home. Welcome in. I’m Lynne Jarman-Johnson with Consumers Credit Union. Thank you so much for joining us today. We love to bring you topics from finance to fitness. And today, I think fitness plays in a little bit because we’re going to take a walk through the John Ball Zoo. And joining us to help us do that is Kelli Smith. She is the Chief Development and Engagement Officer for John Ball Zoo. First off, welcome to your new role, Kelli.

0:00:32.9 Kelli Smith (KS): Thank you. I’m so excited to join you this morning and excited to represent John Ball Zoo.

0:00:39.5 LJJ: So hey, let’s back up a little bit. You are well known in the West Michigan community. You have been such a philanthropic individual that really leads companies and businesses to help, and really opening up their minds as to how we can help our communities. And you have jumped into a new position here at the John Ball Zoo. And number one, did COVID… Was that a part of this when you jumped in? And how has that gone?

0:01:10.2 KS: You know, that is a great question, Lynne. COVID, didn’t necessarily play a part in me taking this role here at John Ball Zoo, but it certainly influenced the decision. I think when we are going through so much transition on so many fronts, to think of a new adventure you can embark on that has so much opportunity was definitely very appealing to me. And Peter D’Arienzo, who is our CEO and fearless leader, was very, very influential in me being able to come here and to enjoy this wonderful space… He’s such a great advocate for the community and representative that I was like, “Okay, I think I need to be there. This is a fabulous place.”

0:01:58.5 LJJ: We are so happy to have you. And I’d like to find out a little bit about what you’ve been doing… Your first few months. You know what, I did have a question when I told people I was going to talk to you. And you may or may not have the answer. You can get back to us. Do animals get COVID? And I know that there are stories like about gorillas and that sort of thing, that do… Did that affect you guys?

0:02:20.9 KS: You know, actually, we didn’t have any cases of COVID, but there is certainly some truth to that. So there were zoos across the country that weighed in on that, and it turns out that that is an actual thing that happens with animals. Our animals, especially the big cats, were vaccinated. Much like humans, animals can also get COVID. Now how it behaves, I’m not exactly sure because I’m not a veterinarian. But I could probably get back to you on some of that biology and how that works. But yes, that is something that is true… That can occur in certain animals.

0:03:00.0 LJJ: That is crazy. So tell us about your first few months. And I know that a lot of people who listen to our show, they really like to hear what are some thoughts of leadership skills that you brought to the table and your vision for moving forward.

0:03:12.6 KS: You know, my leadership style, I always tell people I’m a life-long learner. So in being a lifelong learner, I’ve always appreciated macro-level leaders as opposed to micro. So I don’t like to micromanage. I don’t like to be micro-managed. And I love when people come to the table and they’re full of ideas and creativity and they are go-getters.

0:03:35.6 KS: So when I came in here, I feel like I inherited a team that had a lot of great talent. And I felt like it was my job to walk around, to sit with people, to listen, to learn, to understand really what are some things that they’ve done, what are some things they’d like to do. And then just to ensure that people were in places where they can thrive.

0:03:57.5 KS: Over the last couple of months, we’ve been able to make some of those things happen. So we’ve had some promotions. We’ve had some movement. And it’s all been very positive for the organization in terms of stretching us and growing us to a vision. I think I mentioned to you Lynne, when I met with Peter… He’s such a different type of leader. He has a lot of ideas. He’s a true visionary. And one of the most appealing things was that he has no ceiling. And so when you work for a person like that… You know, it’s a mixed blessing.

0:04:29.5 KS: It’s like, “Oh my gosh, I get to do everything, and all things.” And then the downside is, yes, you get to do everything, and all the things. But it’s a phenomenal opportunity to grow something and to create something and have the freedom to do that, and the support to do it as well. So I’m enjoying the journey, responding to a leader like that, and then having a leader respond to my vision and aspirations and embracing those things as well. It’s awesome.

0:05:00.3 LJJ: Well, you know the vision of the zoo… If you haven’t been to the John Ball Zoo recently, it is an amazing transformation that has been happening over the course of the last few years. One of those things that I love is just the very specific thought process on the environment and making the Zoo feel like you are in the middle of an outside area versus it being… Back in the day, I just remembered, “Oh, there was a cage, after a cage, after a cage. And that is not the John Ball Zoo.

0:05:31.5 KS: Definitely. It is… I like to say it’s an oasis in the city. I mean, you walk in and it feels very different from its surroundings. The landscape is beautiful, the structure of the zoo is beautiful… It’s very fluid and very mindful and accessible for all types of people. Differently abled people, people with maybe some type of visual impairment, physical impairments. It’s actually… It’s wonderful. So you feel like everyone can come to the zoo and enjoy it. And then the animals… Just being able to go around and be so up close and personal with many of our beautiful animals here in the city. It’s phenomenal.

0:06:12.2 LJJ: Have you found that the different types of events that now are held… Example, I brought my grandkids to IllumiZoo, and we had an absolute… Just fabulous time.

0:06:24.3 KS: Oh, that’s great.

0:06:25.6 LJJ: They walked the whole way… And it was just one of those things that around every corner we were delighted. But totally different than I expected. In fact, we laugh because the grandkids later said, “Grandma J… Grandma J, how many animals did you count that were awake? It was really cute the way that it turned into an experience not just with animals. In fact, it was mostly with the atmosphere itself.

0:06:49.2 KS: Yeah, we call IllumiZoo, a way to illuminate the zoo in a different way. So, at night, many of our bigger animals, they have a steady bedtime, just like many of us. And so they tend not to hang out for IllumiZoo, but you can look up sometimes and you can see our lemurs tucked away in a corner along a path. You can see some of our other birds. And they’re around doing different things. So. it’s interesting to see the creatures of the night… The normal nocturnal creatures pacing about and doing things and just have a completely different experience than you want in the day with IllumiZoo. It’s…

0:07:27.6 LJJ: So that runs through what… November 14… I think. Is that correct?

0:07:31.0 KS: Yeah. So that goes through November 14th. And there are some fun surprises coming up over the next few weekends with the IllumiZoo, as well.

0:07:38.2 LJJ: Well, I do find that it’s a wonderful exercise. And I’m not joking about that. We say finance to fitness. But it is a wonderful walk that goes up through hills, and yet it’s very leisurely. You don’t have to make it too intense for yourself, which I suppose you could.

0:07:56.2 KS: You could. You could definitely get your heart rate up on your Fitbit or your Apple Watch, walking through tiger paws, or some of those other things. You just heighten the speed a little bit, and you’d be surprised. You can get your steps in for the day, for sure.

0:08:08.8 LJJ: So Kelli, what was your greatest surprise? Like delightful surprise when you started. That you just realized, you know, “Boy, I’m in the place I need to be.”

0:08:18.1 KS: You know, I was told that the zoo is a city within a city. And I heard that, but until I experienced it, I really didn’t know what they meant. So, there’s a hospital here. And to see all the science and the technology and the wisdom that goes into not only preserving but also maintaining and caring and bringing animals to the zoo… It’s wonderful.

0:08:43.3 KS: I had a chance to experience our tigers up close. And it just is a completely different element. The study of ecology, and all the sciences, STEM and STEAM programs, education that goes on here. It touches on all those elements that are so important to me as a person, but also the things that I feel like are important for our community to move forward. Bringing everyone in from the community into the zoo and having something for everyone was really important to me as well.

0:09:10.8 KS: So the kind of tagline… You know, “zoo for all” – what does that mean? And exploring a little bit deeper about how we can reach out to the community and make the zoo accessible. So, I know you’re familiar with our JUMP program, which attracts people from all socio-economic backgrounds and communities who wouldn’t otherwise be able to gain access to the zoo. There are fabulous stories attached to that. You know… “My gosh, I have a family of five, and the price ticket is prohibitive for me… There’s no other way I’d be able to come to the zoo if it weren’t for the JUMP program.”

0:09:43.4 KS: So, they are able to enjoy the zoo free of charge… Can come in and enjoy it with their families. They can attend programs. And we try to make this something that everyone can benefit from, and a way that we can enrich everyone’s lives, just through education, access and exploration in ways that you’d never otherwise really experience.

0:10:06.9 LJJ: Well, I know some of the living environments are ones that nationally people have taken note of. I know red pandas, what they had triplets, which is unheard of. And what a beautiful scene that is.

0:10:21.4 KS: Yeah, there’s also Meerkats. So we receive a goal sites certification. So we are the first Zoo in the world to have that. So the green roof, the facility itself… How it was using repurposed and recycled materials, all of the green elements of it that really speak to conservation and preservation. And creating this living space for people to enjoy is one-of-a-kind. And I’m certainly not going to do it justice, but it’s just a certification that speaks more to who we are as a community and what we aspire to do as a zoo that other zoos aren’t quite there yet, so it makes us feel really great about that.

0:11:05.2 LJJ: That is awesome, Kelli. Hey, what’s your thoughts as you’re looking forward? Anything that people can do to help you out? Do you need more volunteers? Are you looking for partnerships? Consumers is very proud to be a partner with you.

0:11:18.3 KS: Well, we are always looking for partners. We are a beacon in the community. We’re right here. We’re a gem. We’ve been here nearly almost 130 years. So, I think any time that we can invite people to come in and partner with us, in many ways… We have opportunities, certainly, popping up through the end of the year and beginning next year for a sponsorship, for all types of things. We have a capital campaign that is currently in process that we’ll be rolling out a public phase at the beginning of next year. And Lynne, of course, you know. We are…

0:11:53.8 LJJ: [chuckle]

0:11:53.9 KS: We great partners. And more to come on that with Consumers Credit Union. And we are just so excited to be coming together and doing something wonderful, not only for the zoo, but for our community.

0:12:05.9 LJJ: Well, and let’s wrap up quickly… The snow is going to be falling. And does that deter people? Or actually, is it more fun to see the animals out in play?

0:12:15.9 KS: So actually, we are closed starting at the beginning of December… Officially we’re closed the end of November. But we have some hours in December where people can come in and participate in our Black Friday sale, and also buy those wonderful holiday memberships so that they can share them with your families. And we use that time to prepare for the next year.

0:12:40.1 LJJ: Perfect.

0:12:41.8 KS: So, I encourage everyone to come out before IllumiZoo ends, and before we close up for the season. To see the different animals’ behavior in the cooler temperatures. It’s actually pretty nice. Tigers love the cooler temperature. So if you are a fan of big cats, definitely come on out.

0:12:58.2 LJJ: Just love it. Well, we really do appreciate your time today and welcome again. And for all of those who didn’t know… You know that’s funny that here, I have been in Grand Rapids, forever, and I just always assumed the zoo was open during the season. So, when do you open back up? In the Spring?

0:13:14.8 KS: We do. Typically, we’re open the end of March and be open with a bang. So I…

0:13:21.4 LJJ: Oh yeah. Okay.

0:13:22.7 KS: Yeah… I… It’s a wonderful time to come out, check out the animals, see what’s changed, see what new additions might be happening around the zoo. And I’ll drop some hints. But yeah, definitely plan to come out and visit us in the spring, and see what’s new.

0:13:38.0 LJJ: Well, that’s awesome. And we will be checking back with you after the first of the year when you’re ready to talk about some fun things that I know are going to be just amazing for people to hear about. So, thank you Kelli.

0:13:48.3 KS: Thank you. Thanks for having me.

0:13:51.1 LJJ: And thank you for listening today. We’d also like the Jake Esselink, our producer. Thanks for all your editing skills, Jake. We hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Hey, head out to the Zoo.

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