Dear Friends - Denver Zoo

Neighborhood ToyotaStores Make ExhibitPossibleTeamwork to DevelopExhibit Brings Missionand Vision to Life“Toyota Elephant Passage had an impact on Denver Zoounlike anything else. It has changed us.”Toyota Elephant Passage was made possible by thegenerous support of your Denver neighborhood Toyotastores. Seven Toyota dealerships in the Denvermetro,Boulder and Frederick areas awarded the zooa multimillion dollar sponsorship, bringing the totaldollar amount raised for the exhibit to $50 million. Thesponsorship support from Toyota completed the campaignto raise private matching funds for the Zoo ImprovementBond program.“The Denver Toyota Dealers Association is thrilled topartner with Denver Zoo for Toyota Elephant Passage. Ourseven Neighborhood Toyota stores strive to enhance thecommunities where we live and work,” shares Go ToyotaGeneral Manager and Denver Toyota Dealers Associationspokesman, Jeff Thorpe.“We’re excited to partner with our neighborhood Toyotastores. Each of them has a strong commitment to thecommunity and supports Denver Zoo’s efforts toprovide outstanding family experiences and educationalopportunities with every zoo visit. We look forward to theyears ahead when our teams will work together to help bothpeople and animals through this exciting partnership,” saysDenver Zoo President/CEO Craig Piper.Piper additionally notes that “Toyota’s commitment toprotecting the environment through their own operationsand innovative products, like hybrid synergy drivetechnology, makes them a great fit with Denver Zoo’scutting-edge work in global conservation and sustainablebusiness practices.”The Neighborhood Toyota Stores supporting ToyotaElephant Passage include: Groove Toyota in Englewood,Mountain States Toyota in Denver, Stapp InterstateToyota in Frederick, Stevinson Toyota East in Aurora,Stevinson Toyota West in Lakewood, Larry H. MillerToyota in Boulder and Go Toyota in Centennial.Photo cutline: From left, Scott Allan, Toyota Motor Sales Denver Region; Michael Keller, Toyota Motor Sales Denver Region; Jeff Thorpe, General Manager, Go Toyota; DeckHughes, General Manager, Stevinson Toyota West; Rob Edwards, General Manager, Groove Toyota; Brion Stapp, Dealer Principal, Stapp Interstate Toyota; Tim Van Binsbergen,General Manager, Mountain States Toyota; Steve Doersam, General Manager, Larry H. Miller Toyota Boulder; Kent Stevinson, President, Stevinson Automotive Inc.That’s a quote that can’t be attributed to any oneemployee, but one that was echoed by many throughoutthe development of the project. The immensely timeconsuming,detailed and, at intervals, painstaking processof developing an exhibit that championed the zoo’s missionand core values brought zoo staff together like no otherexhibit had before.“Our zoo is filled with intelligent and dedicatedemployees, and we sought their expertise andsupport. With something this big, we needed helpand buy-in from every staff member. Often it wasmessy and complicated, but it needed to be. Itwas a reflection of our dedication to teamwork,quality and innovation,” explains the head ofthe Planning Department, Vice President forPlanning and Capital Projects George Pond.The process of planning the new exhibit started more thaneight years before its opening and was led by the zoo’sambitious Planning Department. The development ofthe project grew to include staff from all areas of the zoo.Teams from all departments ultimately were brought in towork out the myriad details necessary to open and operatethe zoo’s largest and most ambitious project in its history.The result is a new culture that has raised the bar for all ofDenver Zoo’s efforts.“We can’t thank enough those who committed their timeto this. What we’ve done as a team is truly amazing,” saysDirector of Marketing Patrick Phelan. With Pond, Phelanand Director of Communications Tiffany Barnhart led thecore committee for the opening of Toyota ElephantPassage. Ultimately, the core committee grew to a teamof 17 people who managed 10 subcommittees of nearly 100staff members.“There were a lot of days we had breakfast, lunch and dinnermeetings all in the same day to make sure we were staying ontask. It was crazy busy. We would be remiss if we didn’t alsothank all the spouses and pizza delivery people that helpedmake this happen,” jokes Barnhart. “When I look back onit all, I’m just so grateful for the enormous dedication anddetermination of our team.”Although time consuming and difficult, the result ofthis teamwork has paid off by exceeding the goals forthe exhibit.“I am extraordinarily proud of our team’s accomplishmentsin the development of Toyota Elephant Passage. Every timeI walk the construction site, I can see the collective passionand commitment of our talented Denver Zoo staff,” sharesPresident/CEO Craig Piper. “Their extensive collaborationhas led to numerous innovations that allow us to bothconnect our guests with animals in new ways and better linka zoo experience to our active field conservation programsaround the world.”- 19 -