Toledo Zoo director Anne Baker to retire

Anne Baker looks over Nature's Neighborhood, a highlight of her time at the zoo. The $8 million exhibit for children opened in 2009 and won an award from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums last year. THE BLADE/LORI KING Enlarge | Photo Reprints

After six years at the Toledo Zoo's helm -- and at least two years later than she expected -- Anne Baker is retiring by year's end after shepherding new exhibits, calming controversies, and securing a levy renewal for the 112-year-old institution.

"Bittersweet" is how Ms. Baker, 64, termed her impending retirement after the board finds her executive director replacement.

But the timing, she told The Blade, is right: The zoo is nearing the construction phase for a $25 million aquarium renovation, the last major project planned under her leadership slated to be finished in 2015. She also is moving to Maine for sea kayaking, hiking, and puffin monitoring with her conservation scientist and population geneticist husband, Robert Lacy.

"It will be good to have some new energy come in," said Ms. Baker, who wants to not only become involved with conservation activities but do consulting on zoo or conservation projects.

"You can look at it as leaving something or going toward something," she added. "I love the zoo. I love my zoo. I love our zoo."

A PhD primatologist, Ms. Baker became the zoo's sixth director and first female chief in 2006 after the sudden retirement of William Dennler, a 24-year zoo leader. Controversy had surrounded Mr. Dennler's firing of zoo veterinarian Tim Reichard, and the zoo's renown suffered both with employees and the public.

Trying to keep community leaders as well as the zoo's some 155 full-time and 400 to 450 seasonal help aware of issues has been part of the focus for Ms. Baker, who was executive director of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, N.Y., when tapped for the chief Toledo Zoo job. A mission statement adopted in 2007 challenged others to join the zoo in caring for others and conserving the natural world.

Ms. Baker announced her retirement to zoo employees Wednesday. Last month, she informed the Toledo Zoological Society board's executive committee of her plans to leave the $177,735-a-year post.

Board members support Ms. Baker's decision and have been pleased with her management style, successes, and community involvement, said Zac Isaac, board president.

"We think she has done an amazing job as executive director the last six years," he said.

Her announcement to employees did catch Jay Hemdal off guard, even though the zoo's curator of fishes and invertebrates noticed Ms. Baker always had a "little spark" in her eyes when talking about Maine and her plans to retire there someday.

"I'm not totally surprised, but I was disappointed because I enjoyed working with her," said Mr. Hemdal, adding he hates to see her tenure coming to an end but wishes her well.

Hopefully, Mr. Hemdal said, the zoo's next executive director will have Ms. Baker's traits, namely being a people person, having a strong background with animals, and being good with business aspects.

"That's going to be a tough replacement to find," he added.

A search committee of zoo and foundation board members, employees, and residents is being assembled. Executive search firm Isaacson, Miller of Boston, which has experience with zoos nationwide, will help find a replacement.

"We are looking for a zoo director that has significant leadership skills and animal background, as well as an individual who has been in the public sector setting," said Mr. Isaac, the board president.

Widespread support in November to renew a five-year, 0.85-mill levy for zoo operations, which will generate $6.4 million annually and cost the owner of a $100,000 house $26 a year, was a vote of confidence especially in tough economic times, Ms. Baker said. Knowing the zoo has a strong staff and board helped her make the decision to finally retire, she said.

"I was having such a good time," Ms. Baker said. "I still do love what I do."

Still, the zoo under Ms. Baker's tenure has not been carefree.

In July, 2010, elephant trainer Don RedFox was attacked and critically injured by Louie, a 4,000-pound elephant apparently startled by seeing the zoo veteran in his stall. Mr. RedFox left but re-entered the stall with a prodding device used for training elephants, and Louie pushed him to a corner, puncturing his lungs, breaking ribs, and causing other injuries that left him hospitalized about a month.

Mr. RedFox, who had returned last spring on a part-time basis, remains a zoo employee but is not working as he recovers, Ms. Baker said. He continues to have no memory of the incident, so officials do not know anything more than what was recorded on videotape that day, she said.

"I don't think we ever will," Ms. Baker said. "We just have to move on."

A highlight of Ms. Baker's time at the Toledo Zoo was the creation of Nature's Neighborhood, an $8 million exhibit for youngsters that opened in 2009 and won an award last year from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. At the exhibit, children can play while learning about gardening, bees, and other aspects of nature.

On May 18, "Tembo Trail -- Elephants of the Savanna" exhibit will open, the second phase of the zoo's $15.3 million elephant project. Next up, the aquarium will close in October, and while the renovation will keep the building's historic exterior intact, exhibit space will be totally redone for the 2015 reopening, Ms. Baker said.

"On the inside, it will be a whole new experience, a really exciting experience for people," Ms. Baker said.

Contact Julie M. McKinnon at: jmckinnon@theblade.com or 419-724-6087.