We owe a debt of gratitude to every volunteer Accreditation Inspector and to our member zoos and aquariums that encourage them to participate. Many thanks to all of the Accreditation Inspectors who have served in the past year.
Among them are many talented individuals who consistently go above and beyond the call of duty -- our Accreditation Inspectors of the Year.
The Inspector of the Year Award
This award, first presented in 2003, originated as a means of recognizing AZA Accreditation Inspectors who, throughout their years of service, have donated their time to a large number of inspections, and/or whose work has consistently been of exceptional quality. The award is presented annually in December to three individuals whose selection is based on those criteria.
Serving as an accreditation inspector is a difficult task and is critically important to the integrity of the accreditation process. The enormous amount of time and effort required in preparing for and performing these inspections is astronomical. The Accreditation Commission, and AZA, are sincerely thankful for the contribution of time and expertise that all of our inspectors make to the success of our accreditation process. Here are AZA's Inspectors of the Year:
2008 Inspectors of the Year
Ed Diebold
Director of Animal Collections and Conservation, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
Tom Meehan, DVM
VP of Veterinary Services, Chicago Zoological Society
Paula Schaedlich
Chief Operating Officer, National Aquarium in Baltimore
Please take a look at all of our past Accreditation Inspectors of the Year (2003 – 2007).