Shannon Block, president and CEO of the Denver Zoo for the past three years, “is no long leading the cultural institution,” the zoo announced Friday.
Denny O’Malley, a past Denver Zoological Foundation board chairman and long-time president and CEO of Craig Hospital, prior to his retirement in 2009, has been unanimously appointed by the zoo’s Board of Trustees to serve as interim leader, the zoo said in a news release.
“Denver Zoo is operated by a strong management team and staff, and supported by dedicated volunteers and trustees that are passionate about our mission and work,” said Sherri Koelbel, chair of the organization’s Board of Trustees. “Our culture of excellence will continue through this time of transition and beyond.”
Block took the helm in January of 2014. During her tenure, the zoo faced several controversies including abandoning a plan to convert animal waste into energy and a fight over providing information to the city’s auditor.
In September of 2015, the that it planned to use to convert animal waste into energy. Neighbors and activists had fought the proposal, from what they portrayed as an incinerator in the middle of City Park. Zoo officials said the decision was largely a question of money and the difficulty of adapting untested technology for the zoo’s needs.
Still, the abandoned plan raised issues between the zoo and the Denver Auditor’s Office.
In April of 2016, Auditor Tim O’Brien said zoo officials had been stonewalling his efforts to audit the zoo, which he had been pursuing for months.
A long-awaited city was released in January. The abandoned waste conversion plan cost the zoo $3.5 million, according to the auditor’s report. The zoo eventually took a $1.7 million write-off on its accounting records.
Although the audit didn’t find any major demerits, it did renew questions about the use of .
In June of 2016 after the fatal shooting of Harambe, the gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo.
Block wrote, in part: “Our mission is clear: to secure a better world for animals through human understanding. Strengthening the public’s understanding of the important role accredited zoos play in animal welfare, science education and species and habitat conservation is paramount in moving forward with our mission.”
She could not be reached for comment Friday.
In March, Saturday Night Live, the long-running, late-night comedy show
Block responded to the skit on Twitter the following day.
While I want to thank the good day reporter on let me assure everyone that Danny Bangs is and never was an employee of Denver Zoo. 🙄
— Dr. Shannon Block (@ShannonBlock)
In the coming weeks, the Denver Zoological Foundation Board of Trustees will define the process regarding a permanent replacement for Block.
