Echo22 Recap Book

REFLECTING ON ECHO22

After hours of innovation sessions, discussions, great food, and lots of fun, one idea started to synthesize for me; the idea that we must fiercely eliminate hurry from our lives. If we, as leaders, are too busy to pause and ponder, let our minds wander, be curious and think about the future, creativity, imagination, and innovation suffer. Without exception, each of our incredible ECHO22 thought partners reminded us of the importance of protecting space & time to think about our organizations; analyzing the range of potential futures, considering our reputation among stakeholders, testing new business ideas, and critically examining how to make real movement on our missions. So many of us get caught moving from one problem to another, putting out fires, and in meeting after meeting, but our success as organizations will depend on our leaders’ ability to prioritize what we heard at ECHO22.

GLMV Zoos’ ECHO platform has existed for over 6 years, and we’ve been honored to witness its impact. Its foundation has always been on two things: 1) asking better questions and 2) learning from brilliant thinkers outside the zoological field. We hope what you find in the following pages inspires you and your team to practice curiosity We are confident that just one hour a week will transform your leadership and organization.

Mike Clifford, Director of Innovation & Planning

AT - A - GLANCE

DAY 1 - MAY 17TH

Welcome Reception & Dinner

GLMV Architecture Wichita Office

Central Standard Brewing

DAY 2 - MAY 18TH

The Future is Now

Terry Thoren

CEO, Wonder Media

Joe Fatheree

Instructor of Creativity and Innovation, Effingham High School

Dyane Smokorowski

Coordinator of Digital Literacy, Wichita Public Schools

DAY 3 - MAY 19TH

Influencing Systemic Change

Richard Senior

Senior Architect Product Sales Manager, WholeTrees Structures

Resilience Through Reputation & Community Support

Vera Bothner

Owner, Bothner & Bradley

Sheree Utash, Ed.D.

President of Wichita Area Techincal College and VP of Workforce Development for Wichita State University

Testing Business Ideas

David Bland

Founder, Precoil

Zoo Futures

Justin Ochs

Masters of Science in Foresight, Sea Buffalo Consulting

COMPELLING QUESTIONS

‹ What is the story your organization wants to tell?

‹ If zoo & aquarium visitors made one behavior change, what should it be?

‹ Is the live animal experience critical to achieving conservation impact?

‹ What technology does your organization already have that could be tested for achieving specific outcomes?

THE FUTURE IS NOW THE INTERSECTION OF STORYTELLING & TECHNOLOGY

Terry Thoren, CEO, Wonder Media

Joseph Fatheree, Instructor of Creativity and Innovation, Effingham High School

Dyane Smokorowski, Coordinator of Digital Literacy, Wichita Public Schools

It is through meaningful connections that Zoos & Aquariums save wild animals, protect wild places, and bring value to their communities. With the rapid rise of technology, there has been an evolution in how people connect, form, and foster relationships, and are driven to action and change. Nevertheless, the enduring art of storytelling remains a powerful tool for awakening a love for animals and nature. In our keynote session, Terry Thoren, Joe Fatheree, and Dyane Smokorowski led us in examining the intersection of technology and story as a pathway to connections that enhance the Zoo & Aquarium experience and ignite revolutionary change.

The Power of Animation

In a matter of minutes, Terry Thoren, CEO of Wonder Media, had the ECHO22 group laughing, crying, and laughing again as he shared powerful examples of animated stories sparking empathy and emotion. Terry has dedicated his life and career to using animation for social good. Once CEO of Klaspy Csupo, Inc., the company that produced the Rugrats, the first 65 episodes of the Simpsons, and the popular wildlife preservation series the Wild Thornberrys, Terry now pursues a

mission of using animated stories to prevent childhood trauma, help children and teens navigate out of trauma and model social-emotional learning for children in grades PreK to 12. Wonder Media’s animations tackle the challenging subjects of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, teen suicide, and bullying; communicate classroom and social skills to children on the autism spectrum; and help Ukrainian refugee children process the trauma of their country’s war with Russia.

Terry’s work shows that animation provides a universal language, a platform for diversity, and that children form emotional relationships with and trust animated characters. With many of the subjects integral to conservation being difficult topics, he suggested that tremendous impacts on knowledge gain and behavior change could be realized through augmenting the Zoo & Aquarium experience with animation.

Through the Eyes of a Child

Have you experienced your zoo or aquarium through the eyes of a 7-year-old child? Terry, Joe, and Dyane led ECHO22 attendees through a revealing series of exercises designed to take us out of the board room and into imagining a child’s zoo experience augmented with technology. With the goal of creating a deeper, more meaningful connection with animals and/or zookeepers that drives behavior change, some ideas surfaced:

● Live animation, through which staff speaks and engages with the audience. Engaging, funny, surprising, and responsive!

● Using animation to form a relationship before, during, and after visits: videos for schools, characters on the website or mobile app, through QR codes at exhibits, etc.

● Augmented reality playing specific animal behaviors or animated characters at exhibits.

● Animated zookeepers talking about their job and the animals.

● Choose your own adventure with personalized augmented reality tour guides.

Technology to Enhance, Not Replace

Our facilitators, Joe Fatheree and Dyane Smokorowski, are recognized as two of the world’s top educators. Infusing into the conversation their passion for and expertise in connecting with kids, Joe and Dyane reminded ECHO22 attendees that though technology is frequently at the center of the conversation because of its prevalence in society, it is only one piece of the puzzle. “Kids understand that AI is programmed to love them, their teacher is not,” Joe noted, and striking the balance between the integration of technology and the person-person (and person-animal) connection is of critical importance. They posit that Zoos & Aquariums can and should be places of inspiration, connection, and empowerment. Places for kids to test ideas, be creative, be a part of something, be curious, and learn through failures and successes. We were joined by two of Joe’s high school students, Stormy and Evan, who represented their peers in sharing that, for teenagers, the core memories are there – “it felt like traveling through the world as a little kid, even though I was just opening a door” – but as the wonder and adrenaline dissipate, they are seeking ways to get involved, take action, and extend the zoo experience. For Joe, “if the learning stops when they leave my classroom, then I’ve failed.” If the connection stops when they leave the Zoo or Aquarium, have we failed?

INFLUENCING SYSTEMIC CHANGE THROUGH THE SUPPLY CHAIN

Editorial by Richard Senior, Senior Architectural Product Sales Manager, WholeTrees Structures

WholeTrees ® Structures supports ECHO because we view this community as the leaders in innovative thought and dialogue regarding the preservation, protection, and education of the animal kingdom. ECHO members have helped drive the demand for greener solutions that we are proud to provide. The Zoo community was the first to insist that their facilities and environments to be built with sustainable renewable resources.

With that shift in thinking in all areas of commercial construction, we found that providing these lowcarbon emitting products is possible. The projects within the zoo world help us develop many unique design and construction methods that not only have served this community specifically but have been unbelievably valuable across our business in general.

In adapting to these non-human animal exhibits, human playscapes, and themed buildings, WholeTrees® Structures can build a higher value for the ‘low value’ timber and the forests in which we source. More important than creating a regenerative building stock – we are looking to change the trajectory of the carbon footprint of our projects all the while helping to renew and rebuild communities around the use of this sustainable product.

Consequently, the high demand for these products/projects has required us to build relationships with partner forests across America. These forests boast both a high view of sustainable management as well as carbon sequestration through longer growth and better timber rotations.

One such relationship is with our forestry partner, Port Blakely, in the Pacific Northwest. This team manages Winston Creek, a 10,000-acre carbon forest in Lewis County, Washington. Their focus is on a longer than normal growth cycle. Port Blakely has made a 40-year commitment to managing Winston Creek on rotations of 60 years or more, up to 25 years longer than the industry standard.

The result is not only more sequestered carbon but also greater biodiversity, better fish and wildlife habitat and bigger, stronger trees.

Likewise, we have partnered with one of the nation’s first FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) -certified forests in Maine. Seven Islands Land Company has over 800,000 acres of mixed hard and softwood. Working with Original Mass Timber Maine, Seven Islands supports the development of markets for wood products. This congressional-funded initiative intends to diversify the state’s wood products industry, attract capital investments, and develop greater economic prosperity for communities impacted by timber mill closures.

As I mentioned previously, zoo communities have impacted how we, WholeTrees® Structures, design and construct because of projects completed within these campuses:

● We have developed complex timber to steel connections

● We have developed in-house capabilities that have aided in groundbreaking applications

● We have developed better structural systems to handle loading and seismic requirements

The support we receive from ECHO and the greater zoo collective does make a difference and we appreciate you!

RESILIENCE THROUGH REPUTATION & COMMUNITY SUPORT

Vera

Bothner, Owner, Bothner & Bradley

Sheree Utash, Ed.D., President of Wichita Area Techincal College and VP of Workforce Development for Wichita State University

Reputation Is an Essential Asset

It may be hard to measure, but you know a good reputation when you see it. And you can recognize the signs when one is on the verge of collapse. It’s the softer side of organizational resilience, but a community’s trust and confidence are two of an organization’s most valuable assets. Strong reputations can carry organizations through and beyond tragedy, turmoil, and controversies and in Zoos & Aquariums, the scope and scale of funding (both public and private) often hinge on community support.

Keys to Building and Maintaining a Reputation

Vera Bothner shared the keys to building and maintaining a stellar reputation:

1. Know where you stand. Engage researchers in stakeholder assessments, both quantitative and qualitative.

2. Deliver. Do what you say you will do and don’t over-promise. Follow through and be honest and transparent.

3. Know who you are. Understand your organization and your strengths. Not-for-profits often struggle to understand where their lane starts and stops. Do the work as an executive team to define your role and stick to it.

4. Be smart, flexible, and persistent with your strategy. Find clever and innovative ways to do your work but stay true to the organization’s mission and strategy.

The art and science of navigating reputation is something all organizations face; it takes a long time to build trust, and a very short amount of time to lose it.

The Power of an Apology

Like many higher-education institutions, the Wichita Area Technical College was facing irrelevance and an unsustainable business model when Sheree Utash, Ed.D., became President. Sheree shared her incredible story of inheriting a dying organization and working diligently for over a decade to rebuild what is now recognized as one of the country’s most innovative programs. Her journey embodies lessons in leadership, notably the transformational effect of a leader’s apology and of accepting the wrongs of other and past leaders. No one wants to take blame for something they didn’t do, but when an organization has done harm, it is a strong leader who can accept this, apologize, and work to reconcile.

COMPELLING QUESTIONS

‹ How is your organization perceived by various stakeholder groups? Who could you ask to know?

‹ What would it take to strengthen your reputation?

‹ What is the biggest threat to your organization’s reputation and why?

TESTING BUSINESS IDEAS

David Bland, Founder, Precoil

It’s About Risk Management

As innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders, testing business ideas mitigates the risk of failure. Seven out of ten new products fail in the marketplace, but strategic experimentation and prototyping provide opportunities to adapt, scale, or avert disaster and wasted resources. North American Zoos & Aquariums are not historically known for innovation, relying on routines and consistency to provide safe, comfortable, and pleasing experiences for animals, staff, and guests. It’s not uncommon to overhear in design meetings “we can’t be the first,” “no one’s ever done it that way,” or “we’ll try it if another zoo has done it successfully.” As the community strives to operate successful businesses while tackling complex and evolving issues like environmental justice, climate change and saving species from extinction, increased courage and innovation are imperative. Testing Business Ideas is an ideal framework for discovering new successes and failures with minimal risk to the organization.

Seek the Intersection of Desirability, Viability and Feasibility

● Is it desirable? Does the target community want this? Often the demand is less than anticipated, or we make assumptions about the community’s priorities, desires, or needs.

● Is it viable? Should we do this? Is it sustainable? Does the impact or revenue warrant the investment?

● Is the idea feasible? Can we do this? Does our organization have the skills and capacity to achieve success? Not only at launch, but can the program be managed, scaled, and resourced according to demand?

Identify and Test Assumptions

Assumptions are rampant in the zoological community. “Well, it happened at this one zoo this one time...,” “it didn’t work at that aquarium…,” “this way is the best way,” or “it will always be this way.” Many are almost folklorish, without substance or data to support the assertions. In Testing Business Ideas, David provides a useful assumptions mapping tool, a quadrant with “evidence” as the x-axis and “importance” as the y-axis. By placing assumptions on this quadrant, we can begin to visualize the strength of evidence around our hypothesis and how critical it is to our project or organization’s success that it is true. For Zoos & Aquariums, critical assumptions may include staff expertise and availability and the social and legal licenses to operate.

Kill Zombie Projects

We all have them. Things we’ve “always done” without articulated goals or objectives. Projects, initiatives, programs, and guest experiences that are not achieving their intended impact, or are wholly misaligned with our purpose, but trudge along, draining valuable resources. David refers to these “expensive hobbies” as Zombie Projects and not worthy of our organizations’ time or energy.

COMPELLING QUESTIONS

‹ What are the Zombie Projects at your organization?

‹ What assumptions at your organization lack real evidence and are a threat to progress?

‹ What keeps your organization from testing new business ideas?

ZOO FUTURES

Justin Ochs Masters of Science in Foresight, Sea Buffalo Consulting

a healthier planet is better for all animals and humans, but historical conservation is mired in colonialism that benefits some groups more than others. Studying futures should be a collaborative, collective process that captures varied stakeholder perspectives.

“We Cannot Achieve What We Cannot Imagine” – Elise Boulding

automatically customized.

⊲ Everything in the zoo is self-serve; no guest services staff are necessary.

⊲ A visit to the zoo has no live animals; zoos are a digital interface for wild animals and conservationists in the field.

⊲ Critical species are all held in a single megabreeding facility and only seen in Zoos digitally.

There Is No Single Future. Just a Bunch of Possibilities.

Although we can’t know the future, we can analyze it, create it, shape it, study it, and envision it. With an infinite number of variables, it is impossible to predict the future with certainty. However, building organizational capacity to test various futures and directing resources to shape a preferred future creates resiliency. Assuming all internal and external circumstances will remain constant breeds complacency but exploring the “what ifs” leads to mental and operational preparation. Take the financial impacts of COVID-19 for example; many Zoos & Aquariums have made changes to organizational financial reserves as a result, but those that had previously allowed themselves to envision a scenario that required extended closure may have already done so. Hindsight is 20/20, but we can look forward with the same eye toward learning and growing.

For Whom is This Future Preferable?

When studying futures, there are those that are probable, possible, and preferred. Justin posed an important question here; for whom is this future preferable? When envisioning futures for Zoos & Aquariums, who is the work benefitting, serving, and how is it doing so? It may be true that

For some time now, the zoological community has struggled to define and convey a unified vision of a positive and flourishing future for Zoos & Aquariums. Some might say it has something to do with conservation and saving species, being agents of change, and/ or conveners of communities, yet skepticism is pervasive, even among Zoo & Aquarium staff. What might it look like if the zoological community could articulate a realizable future that its most integral stakeholders – its staff –really believed in?

Justin led us through two fascinating futures exercises. He warned that these are not “first date” kinda experiences but the ECHO22 contingent handled them exquisitely. Here are just some of the ideas, discussions and questions that came out of those exercises.

Allow yourself to imagine potential futures:

⊲ The problems of climate change have been solved.

⊲ It’s illegal to own any animals.

⊲ Augmented reality has given everyone a personal digital assistant; every experience is

What if these critical assumptions no longer hold true?

⊲ People want to visit and support Zoos & Aquariums.

⊲ Animals are available to exhibit.

⊲ Qualified staff choose to work in Zoos & Aquariums.

⊲ Zoos & Aquariums need to exist.

⊲ Funding - private and public - is available.

COMPELLING QUESTIONS

‹ What is your organization’s preferred future?

‹ What may change in the future?

‹ What assumptions are make-or-break for the future of your organization?

‹ What changes within your organization would build resilience for the future?

MEET THE WILDER SIDE OF GLMV

...Where We’re Reimagining the Zoo.

We’d love to meet you on the forefront of immersive design, where we work tirelessly to enchance animal quality of life, staff engagement and fulfillment, and guest experience.

Our team knows that zoos are uniquely poised to promote conservation efforts and public interest in issues that may otherwise seem a world away.

In this division, projects are inspired by nature and designed by GLMV.

Planning + Design Services

Architecture

Civil Engineering

Landscape Architecture

Interior Design

Master Planning

Land Use Studies

Needs Analysis

Cost Analysis & Estimating

Design Visualization

LEED Implementation

ADA Compliance Studies

Sustainability Planning

Conservation Planning

Project Types

Animal Habitat & Exhibits

Aquariums

Animal Health Facilities

Environmental Education Facilities

Guest Service Facilities

Recreation & Amusement Planning

FLEXIBILITY: THE FUTURE OF HIRING, TRAINING AND RECRUITING AT CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS

Editorial by SSA Group

Flexibility has come to mean a certain thing in the working world these days. For cultural attractions, however, with many individuals on the front lines of hospitality and necessary inperson roles, it’s not quite as simple as ‘work from home’.

So, what does flexibility mean across hiring, training, and recruiting in the cultural attraction space? Here are the top 3 takeaways from SSA Group’s People Department:

The Difference Between Building a Career and Having a Job

In the hospitality industry, there’s not only a huge need for talent but also a lot of competition amongst companies vying for individuals applying. In order to differentiate yourself in an overcrowded market, SSA recommends positioning your cultural attraction as a space to grow a career long-term as opposed to merely having a job right now.

Having growth within one organization gives an individual opportunity to hone their skillset across the course of their career. It also allows them to find specific interests and a calling within an industry very focused on sustainability and diversity and inclusion efforts.

“When you have a market that is so competitive, you have to get creative in the ways that you reach talent as well. We tout the difference in the environment to our advantage. The career growth you can have here is a big selling point. We believe career growth is not just a vertical ladder but an opportunity to create a lattice style approach of

what knowledge your candidate will have access to if they join your organization.”

- Jason Stover, SSA Vice President of People & Culture

Focus on the Individual

Flexibility in hospitality looks a bit different than in other industries, and leaders should consider that accordingly. While many employees in hospitality won’t have the same ‘work from home’ benefits as their office-bound counterparts, that doesn’t mean leadership can’t find opportunities to provide flexibility on a case-by-case basis for each individual employee. For example, if a particular individual has a religious holiday or an important family event, management can find ways to make sure those events are enjoyable and stress-free for that employee.

Further, reimagining hybrid work specifically within cultural attractions is an untapped opportunity to perhaps provide individuals with a very specific background with more flexibility in their career. For example, a zookeeper interested in pursuing both in the field and office work as they become more tenured in their career.

“We aren’t just hiring roles to fit a job. We’re hiring people. And how can we make the scheduling work for the team members we hire versus having them acquiesce to the schedule that already exists? There are ways to think differently about the work we do. And it’s there that you find new opportunities for flexibility for your employees.”

- Kassey Kampman, SSA VP of People Operations

Communication is King

As the future of work continues to shift, having open communication around the resources and benefits available will help your employees and your attraction grow together.

From mental health advocacy to potential future flexibility options, consistent communication is key to employee long-term happiness. Open dialogue around shifting behaviors and workforce trends as well as communicating the benefits of working at your organization will help employees continue to see value in growing alongside it.

“Communication and transparency are key. If you have multiple models of work, just make sure they are clearly written out. Put policies together and communicate the process to make it work for your employees.”

- Kassey Kampman, SSA VP of People Operations

FIND FLEXIBILITY WHERE IT WORKS FOR YOU

In order to stay competitive with future talent and keep current employees engaged, cultural attractions must continue to think outside the box about the benefits their workforce needs to thrive both in their personal and professional lives.

THE SPACE TO BE CREATIVE AND THINK DIFFERENTLY FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS WAS GREAT. THE CONFERENCE WAS SO THOUGHT PROVOKING ABOUT INNOVATION AND THE FUTURE OF ZOOS.

I ALWAYS TELL FOLKS IT’S THE BEST CONFERENCE TO GO TO IF YOU’RE IN OUR BUSINESS.

I LOVE THE SESSIONS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE TYPICAL ZOO “TALK” AND TOPICS. THEY PUSH US, WITHOUT EVEN REALIZING IT, TO THINK IN OTHER WAYS.

THANK YOU TO OUR WONDERFUL PARTICIPANTS

FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THE FUTURE OF ZOOS + AQUARIUMS AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

THANK YOU TO OUR HOSTS

Thank you to our hosts, Sedgwick County Zoo! For your hospitality, resources, inspiring innovation, and commitment to advancing a revolutionary future for Zoos & Aquariums.

With special thanks to Scott Newland, Mariah Regier, Steve Onken, Jeff Landers, Sara Jantz, Kevin Almerico, Elyse Sanford, and the rest of the Sedgwick County Zoo’s passionate and talented team.

THE SEDGWICK COUNTY ZOO CREW WAS INCREDIBLE! LOVED THE CONCIERGE SERVICE.

IT WAS AMAZING TO BE ABLE TO SEE SEDGWICK COUNTY ZOO’S NEW FRONT ENTRY COMPLEX AND THE ELEPHANT BARN AT ELEPHANTS OF ZAMBEZI RIVER VALLEY - BOTH VERY INNOVATIVE AND CUTTING EDGE FOR THE INDUSTRY.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

103 Blanchard Road Cambridge, MA 02138

T +1 617.876.9111 ext. 13 info@mainstreetdesign.com

ZOO SCIENCE

A unique partnership

To learn more, visit friends.edu/zooscience

Amazing opportunities

The Zoo Science degree program at Friends University blends traditional classroom learning with hands-on courses at the award-winning Sedgwick County Zoo. Students can prepare for a zoological career by studying zoo keeping techniques, conservation practices, animal nutrition and more.

• One of just a handful of Zoo Science programs in the nation

• Professors with years of first-hand experience

• Great way to network with zoo professionals

• Mentorship opportunities with animal husbandry, exhibit maintenance and animal enrichment

Dr. Patrick Mathews Program Director 316-295-5608 mathews@friends.edu

Redwood Sky Walk Sequoia Park Zoo

Primate Forest Oregon Zoo