DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENT

Ted A. Beattie graduated from Mariemont High School with the class of 1963. He attended the Ohio State University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s in public relations.

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From 1978 to the present Ted has held numerous leadership roles at zoos and aquariums across the country, including the Cincinnati Zoo, Brookfield Zoo (Chicago), Knoxville Zoological Gardens, and Forth Worth Zoo. The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago hired Ted as its President and CEO in 1994, a role that he held for more than two decades until his retirement earlier this year. Under his leadership, the prestigious aquarium experienced record growth and enormous change. It now draws more than two million visitors annually, making it the most visited aquarium in the country.

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Ted is also the recipient of numerous honors and accolades. In 2001, President George W. Bush appointed Ted to serve on the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. And in 2005, he received the R. Marlin Perkins Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums for extraordinary service. Ted and his wife Jill split their time between Lakeside, Michigan and Osprey, Florida.