Longtime Minnesota Zoo supporter honored
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Kelly Lessard
Public Relations Manager
952.431.9217
LONGTIME MINNESOTA ZOO SUPPORTER HONORED
Peter Maritz receives Zoos fifth Stewardship Award
Apple Valley, MINN September 19, 2013 Longtime Minnesota Zoo supporter Peter Maritz
received the Zoos 2013 Stewardship Award at the Zoos ninth annual Directors Dinner on
Wednesday, September 18, 2013.
The Minnesota Zoos Stewardship Award recognizes outstanding education and conservation
stewardship efforts that generate public awareness and support for saving our worlds wild animals
and wild lands. Bestowed since 2008, the award is designed to promote leadership by example and
inspire others to take action on behalf of our worlds wildlife.
Maritz joined the Board of the Minnesota Zoo Foundation in 1997 and served for 11 years,
including two years as its Board Chair. Immediately after stepping down as Board Chair, he
became Chair of the Heart of the Zoo campaign, the largest fund-raising campaign in the Zoos
history. Thanks to Maritzs leadership and generous contribution to the campaign, Heart of the
Zoo secured more than $76 million from the State of Minnesota and private donors.
Peter has been deeply engaged in zoos since growing up in St. Louis and frequenting the St.
Louis Zoo, said Minnesota Zoo Director/CEO Lee Ehmke. His contributions to the Minnesota Zoo
have been varied and numerous: through his leadership, professional advice and financial
generosity, Peter has had an enormous positive impact on the Minnesota Zoo.
Maritz is currently a Minnesota Zoo trustee, and an active member of the Zoo Boards Public
Affairs Committee which advocates on behalf of the Zoo at the Minnesota State Legislature. He
continues to be an integral part of planning the annual Beastly Ball gala.
The Minnesota Zoos mission is to connect people, animals and the natural world. The Minnesota
Zoo is located in Apple Valley, just minutes south of Mall of America. For more information, call
952.431.9500 or visit mnzoo.org. The Minnesota Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of
Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and an institutional member of the World Association of Zoos and
Aquariums (WAZA).
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