Longtime Little Rock zoo official named to director's post

Susan Altrui, director of the Little Rock Zoo, is shown in this file photo.
Susan Altrui, director of the Little Rock Zoo, is shown in this file photo.

Susan Altrui has been named director of the Little Rock Zoo.

Altrui had been serving as acting director since October, when Mike Blakely retired from the position after 17 years. Last year Blakely named her assistant director, a new position. Before that, she had served as the zoo's director of marketing and development since 2005.

City Manager Bruce Moore announced his decision Monday.

Altrui was chosen out of three finalists, and was the only local candidate. The others were Norah Fletchall, chief operating officer and senior vice president of the Indianapolis Zoological Society, and Roger Sweeny, assistant director of the Virginia Zoo.

"Our goal is for the Little Rock Zoo to become one of the top mid-sized city zoos in the country," Moore said through a spokesman Monday. "Susan is the person to get us there because of her experience, dedication and vision. I'm excited to have her leading the Zoo as it continues its growth as a world-class institution focused on education, conservation and recreation."

Altrui came highly recommended.

Her 26 letters of recommendation included referrals from Arkansas Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, leaders in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and representatives from area law firms, banks, universities and cultural institutions.

Blakely had also recommended Altrui as his successor.

In his letter of recommendation, he said Altrui was "uniquely qualified because she knows the zoo inside and out."

"She's also well respected, not only for her winning attitude, but for her ability to solve problems," Blakely wrote.

"Her commitment to the zoo shows through the amount of time she spends here, including many late nights, all while maintaining an awesome attitude that serves as an example to all staff. She is a large reason the zoo's staff morale has improved. For instance, last year, Susan took the initiative to work as a zookeeper in several departments to get hands-on knowledge of animal areas and their needs. ... I can only imagine where she'll lead the zoo if allowed to apply the skills she's honed here to its future," Blakely wrote.

Altrui was offered the position before 8 a.m. Monday. Her salary as zoo director will be $110,000. Her appointment as director went into effect immediately.

The first thing she did was call her parents, who live in Sherwood. Altrui was born and raised in central Arkansas and is a product of Little Rock schools.

After the call, she went to work and carried on business as usual. People were already in her office with requests and lists of tasks to be done, she said.

"I'm ecstatic," she said. "The zoo is a place that nurtures our passion for animals and encourages respect for all living things, and I really want to enhance on that. It should be a place where learning lives. That's going to be my philosophy moving forward."

Altrui served as executive director of the Arkansas Zoological Foundation for a decade, taking the organization from barely fundraising to raising millions of dollars in private donations for the zoo.

She has a master's degree in applied studies in communication from Colorado State University and a bachelor's degree in the same field from Arkansas State University at Jonesboro.

She played key roles in overseeing the development of the Zoo Master Plan and its strategic plan. After applying for the position, she said she was in a unique place to serve as zoo director because she's aware of what work needs to be done in Little Rock.

The first project she led was the creation of the Laura P. Nichols Penguin Pointe exhibit, which has grown and includes "outreach" penguins that can travel to schools and other educational events.

The Arkansas Zoological Foundation is in the process of a feasibility study to interview the public and zoo stakeholders to come up with what the next zoo exhibit will be and how funds can be raised for it. The study should be completed by the summer.

Altrui said the zoo must focus on conservation.

"We need to provide more engaging experiences here at the zoo. There are ways we can do that, both through education and the programs we offer," she said. "We also need to focus our animal care and conservation. Animals are incredibly important. They are what inspire people. It's very important that we participate in conservation programs that protect animals."

Metro on 12/20/2016

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