New director named for St. Louis Zoo

ST. LOUIS -- After nearly four decades at the St. Louis Zoo, longtime director Charlie Hoessle will retire in April, zoo officials said Thursday.

Hoessle began at the zoo in 1963 as a keeper in the reptile house, and he'll continue to help with fund raising as director emeritus.

Two men will take on new leadership positions with the zoo, which does not charge admission and sees about 3 million visitors a year.

Jeffrey Bonner, president and chief executive officer of the Indianapolis Zoological Society since 1993, will assume that newly created position with the St. Louis Zoo.

Bonner graduated from high school in O'Fallon, a St. Louis suburb, and graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He worked at the St. Louis Science Center for a decade, rising to the position of vice president for research and special projects from 1987 to 1993.

The former Fulbright scholar received two master's degrees and a Ph.D. at Columbia University in New York.

He achieved the zoo world's highest honor in September, the Bean Award, for the Indianapolis zoo's African elephant program.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Zoo's assistant director, William Boever, has been named director. The veterinarian will be in charge of day-to-day operations at the zoo, with Bonner taking on overall management, conservation and fund-raising responsibilities, Hoessle explained.

Dynamite team

"I think the new team will be dynamite," he said.

But even Bonner knows he'll be assuming leadership of an institution closely associated with his highly regarded predecessor.

"I must say that having lived in St. Louis and knowing the great traditions of the St. Louis Zoo and Charlie Hoessle as its leader, I am humbled and excited about carrying on there as president," Bonner said.

Hoessle said the zoo has always been entertaining, but he's proud of the steps taken under his leadership to improve education and conservation efforts.

He counts The Living World, a 55,000-square-foot educational center, among many zoo exhibits which make him proud. The Living World combines 150 species of live animals and interactive exhibits to educate visitors.

Hoessle, 70, said he told the zoological commission roughly a year ago that he was contemplating retirement. He told them he wanted to see through a multiyear, $63 million capital campaign. He anticipates that goal will be met by the time he retires.

In recent years, the zoo has opened an elephant exhibit, an insectarium and children's zoo.

Hoessle said he can't say yet how much he might miss his job. Though he'll remain active with the institution, he also plans to do some traveling, along with outdoor field work, writing and research.