Dennis KellyThe Smithsonian’s National Zoo announced this morning that it has selected Dennis Kelly, the president and CEO of Zoo Atlanta in Georgia, as its new director. Kelly will start at the National Zoo on Feb. 15, 2010.
Kelly leaves Atlanta after six years running that city’s zoo. Prior to that, he worked at the Coca-Cola Company for 15 years and was CEO of Green Mountain Energy Co.
The most recent National Zoo director was John Berry, who left in February to become the director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Associate director for conservation and science Steve Monfort had been serving as acting director since then, but he will now go back to his original role.
Zoo Atlanta is one of the few other U.S. zoos besides the National Zoo that maintains a panda program. The San Diego Zoo and the Memphis Zoo also have pandas.
