Evans Elected Chairman of Zoo Atlanta Board of Directors

By Rachel Davis
Andrew “Drew” W. Evans, CEO of the Atlanta-based Fortune 500 Company AGL Resources Inc., has been elected the new chairman of the Zoo Atlanta Board of Directors. Evans was elected for a one-year term effective January 1.
“We are very excited to announce Drew Evans as chair of the Zoo Atlanta Board of Directors at a dynamic time when the Zoo is better-positioned than ever to benefit from his leadership, business acumen, and energy to help the zoo grow,” said Raymond B. King, President and CEO of Zoo Atlanta. “This is not an era for the status quo at Zoo Atlanta. Drew’s demonstrated success in contributing to the high profile and financial strength of AGL will benefit the zoo in ways that we couldn’t have taken advantage of 10 years ago.”
Appointed president and CEO of AGL in January 2016, Evans joined the company in 2002 and has since held numerous leadership positions, including president and COO, CFO, and treasurer. He also serves on the boards of Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation, New American Pathways, and the Georgia Council for Economic Education.
“Zoo Atlanta is a revered institution with a rich history, and it holds a special place in the hearts of many,” said Evans. “For 30 years I have visited the zoo and observed its transformation, and for the past decade I have volunteered my time to ensure its continued success. Now I feel my experience with the zoo has come full circle. Serving as chairman of the board of directors is an honor for me, and I am privileged to build on the tremendous momentum that leaders before me started. I look forward to working with my fellow board members and Zoo Atlanta’s outstanding staff to ensure the long-term health of this great Atlanta asset.”
Composed of 38 members from across the metro Atlanta area, the zoo’s 2016 board of directors comprises some of Atlanta’s most influential corporate executives, philanthropic leaders, wealth advisors, and community influencers. Board members are elected for three-year terms and may serve a total of two consecutive terms.
Evans begins his chairmanship in a transformative era for Zoo Atlanta with the beginnings of a historic expansion. Impetus continues to build in support of “A Grand New View: Elephants, Events, and Expansion,” the campaign to revitalize the Cyclorama building and its adjacent property. Four major gifts to the effort were announced in 2015: $1 million from Delta Air Lines through the Delta Air Lines Foundation; $1 million from longtime Zoo supporters David and Cecelia Ratcliffe; $1 million from Georgia Power Foundation; and $1 million from The Kendeda Fund. The gifts followed a $20 million matching grant from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation announced in late 2014.
Zoo Atlanta begins the New Year well positioned for growth. The zoo recently announced that 2015 was its second-highest attendance year in recorded history, currently surpassed only by the year 2000, which marked the debut of the giant pandas.
Projects associated with “A Grand New View: Elephants, Events and Expansion” – a state-of-the-art special event center overlooking a new African savanna; a significant expansion of the Zoo’s African elephant habitat; and a grand entry plaza – are estimated for completion in 2019. Visit www.zooatlanta.org for more information, and stay tuned for project updates.