BOB CHASTAIN, PRESIDENT & CEO WILL RETIRE IN JUNE 2026 – After an international executive search, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Board of Directors announced today that they have elected Dave Ruhl, CMZoo’s current executive vice president, as the Zoo’s incoming president & CEO, effective June 12, 2026.
“The Zoo’s future is in excellent hands with Dave leading our tremendous staff and supporters,” Ann Naughton, CMZoo board chair, says. “In the past 20 years, under Bob Chastain’s excellent leadership, the Zoo has grown to become financially stable and culturally strong. Dave’s experience and stellar reputation in the greater zoo community and his proven record of accomplishment at our Zoo will elevate Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s already-gold standard. Dave has shown us he can lead our unique Zoo to continued success in animal welfare, conservation, staff support and morale, financial acumen, community involvement, vision and stability.”
The announcement comes nearly two years after Bob Chastain, CMZoo’s current president & CEO, announced his retirement, effective June 12, 2026. The board’s executive search committee hired a third-party executive search firm to manage the recruitment process, which attracted candidates from across the continent.
“Over the last two years, Dave and I have worked tirelessly toward making sure he was the right person to entrust the Zoo to,” Bob Chastain, CMZoo’s 20-year president & CEO, says. “His work ethic and dedication to our mission are admirable.”
Ruhl joined CMZoo as vice president of operations and campus planning in April 2020. After three years on the executive leadership team at the Zoo, he was promoted to executive vice president. Ruhl is active with the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, the Better Business Bureau and Leadership Pikes Peak.
In his time at CMZoo, Ruhl has worked in partnership with Chastain on the design, construction and financial management of the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe – an innovative giraffe habitat set to open in summer 2026. Chastain noted that without Ruhl’s daily guidance, the Giraffe Center would likely be opening months later than planned. In June 2020, Ruhl led the team through the final stages of opening of the Zoo’s new home to hippos, penguins, lemurs and more, Water’s Edge: Africa.
In addition to high-profile roles at CMZoo, Ruhl has focused on equally important but less public efforts like starting the Zoo’s first intramural kickball and soccer teams, enthusiastically supported by more than 40 participating staff. Known for his people-first approach and a quiet “believe” mindset, he brings levity to the workday through work-friendly Taylor Swift playlists in his office, depending on meeting attendees’ levels of Swiftieness.
“My leadership philosophy is very much people-first and service-driven,” Ruhl says. “I believe if you take great care of the people doing great work and give them a clear vision and direction, they’ll take care of the mission and the day-to-day operations. I try to lead with compassion, trust and curiosity, giving people the support, clarity and autonomy they need to do their best work. I see my role as removing barriers, asking good questions and helping people grow. I describe it as coaching from the side, not commanding from the front. It’s a blend of servant and transformational leadership, grounded in relationships and focused on building confident, capable teams that thrive well beyond me.”
Ruhl’s experience in the zoo profession spans back to 1998, when he supported Toledo Zoo as a third-party estimator and project manager for a major construction project. In March 2001, he joined Toledo Zoo’s team as a project manager and later as assistant director of facilities construction, and led capital planning and construction for eight major construction projects and countless smaller projects, totaling over $100 million.
His passion for conservation grew there, too. He established a set of ‘green guiding values’ and ‘principles of green construction’ used in the design and construction of all projects. He also led successful campaigns to gain county voters’ approval for a capital property levy and an operating property tax levy in the early 2000s. Although CMZoo is one of the few AZA-accredited nonprofit zoos that does not receive tax support, his experience leading community campaigns will be vital as CMZoo sets its sights on its next capital campaign and a new ten-year master plan.
Ruhl has extensive experience in zoo safety and emergency leadership. During his time at Palm Beach Zoo and Conservation Society, he developed a two-key/two-lock system to increase safety of animal keepers who work in dangerous animal areas. Today, that system is used in many facilities across the zoo profession. He has certifications in Mental Health First Aid, wildland firefighting, large animal rescue, incident command system and active threat response, and he served as incident commander for Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society in Florida during Hurricane Irma.
“With nearly 30 years’ experience in zoos, I can truly say that Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is special,” Ruhl says. “I’m committed to maintaining the experiences that our members and guests love, while finding new ways to invite more people to our Zoo. We will continue to improve the experiences we create for our members and guests while improving the wellbeing of animals in our care and our community’s impact on worldwide conservation. We’ll also strengthen our commitment to sustainability and reduce our impact on the planet, while doubling down on our investment in our people, supporting their growth, wellbeing and satisfaction at the Zoo. The weight of this role is not lost on me. Over the next four months, I’ll continue absorbing every lesson I can from Bob before stepping into this exciting and meaningful role for our community.”
About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s mountain Zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. In 2025, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #2 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America by USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s goal to help guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Since 2008, CMZoo’s Quarters for Conservation program has raised more than $6 million dedicated to frontline conservation efforts around the world. Of the 237 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just a few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for funding.
