Chehaw joins RiverQuarium, Thronateeska to form Artesian Alliance

ALBANY – For decades, Chehaw Park and Zoo, the Flint RiverQuarium and Thronateeska Heritage Center have competed in a somewhat friendly manner for the same funds, patrons, and customers. Those days are coming to an end with the three entities joining together to create the Artesian Alliance.

Under the alliance each organization will retain its individual name and identity. The alliance formalizes an agreement signed by the governing boards of each entity in 2019. The alliance will benefit all partners by enhancing operational efficiency, cost containment, as well as a more efficient use of the limited resources of each attraction as well as those of the community as a whole.

“The alliance is not about having one executive director; it is about working better and more efficiently,” Tommy Gregors, the executive director of each of the three attractions, is quick to point out. “We had conversations with the Art Museum and Civil Rights museum as well. They chose not to join us at that time.”

The path to the alliance actually started in 2008 when Gregors, who was then serving as the executive director of Thronateeska Heritage Center, began having conversations with Flint RiverQuarium executive director, Scott Loeher.

“Both facilities had similar missions, similar issues relating to our educational missions and aspects of their operations,” Gregors said. “We were going after the same school groups. We had a lot of the same members, supporters and visitors.”

Their talks led the two directors to see the benefits of a potential partnership, and a study group was formed of members from each board of directors to look into the possibilities of forming a partnership. They met monthly, looking at options and models ranging from just agreeing to work together on an informal basis to the possibility of a full merger.

“As we got into it, we found our boards were ready for something in the middle of that,” Gregors said. “Neither organization wanted to loss its identity. There was a lot of uncertainty concerning what this meant to either organization.”

In 2009 they announced the partnership and began sharing resources. They shared maintenance resources, a bookkeeper, and educational staff. In the beginning, joint weekly meetings evaluated what was working and what wasn’t.

In 2013 circumstances made it possible for Gregors to take on the role of director for both organizations.

Fast forward to 2018 and the potential of adding Chehaw Park & Zoo to the partnership became a topic of discussion between the three boards. Once again, the goal was not to necessarily have one director but to better utilize shared resources. Hurricane Michael pushed the issue to the forefront. Gregors became the interim executive director at Chehaw. The fact that he had worked in a variety of capacities at the park in the past sped up his learning curve as he was already familiar with the park’s operational challenges.

“Each place has a unique reason for existence,” Gregors said. “Chehaw has the authority as a governing board, with the Friends of Chehaw providing and holding the 501(c)(3) designation. The authority owns the property and it operates as a governmental entity. Thronateeska has a long-standing endowment specifically to operate a planetarium, history museum, and a science museum. The Flint RiverQuarium, on the other hand, is owned by the state of Georgia and operated under an agreement with the Albany Dougherty Inner-City Authority to be the sole manager of the property.”

So now the challenge is to streamline Chehaw into the mix. The Artesian Alliance designation paves the way for future joint staffing and programming as well as memberships, and fundraising. Under the alliance, Gregors will be joined by two other employees, who will serve all three organizations.

Jackie Entz Shores, director of education at Chehaw since 2010, has been named director of education for the alliance. In this role she will oversee and coordinate all educational staff and programming.

“I have been a member of the Albany community since 1996 and came back to share my passion for wildlife, science, and nature at one of my favorite childhood places,” Shores said. “My love of nature started early on, when I brought everything furry, feathery, or scaly into my very tolerant parents’ home.”

Shores studied biology at Georgia Southern University and worked at The Center for Wildlife Education. She earned her master of science degree and was the interim curator for education and husbandry for the center.

“It’s fantastic now we have everything land-based and water-based with two conservation organizations and can reach more people,” Shores said.

Parker Webb Douglas will serve as the director of membership and development for the alliance, heading up the membership programs for all three organizations. As well as exploring fundraising and development opportunities, she is a lifelong resident of Albany, a graduate of the University of Georgia and a longtime community supporter.

“I’m excited; we will have a three-venue membership for one price,” Douglas said. “You can go to one site and get one card. Everything will be online at the Artesian Alliance website. You can have an online membership in your phone, which is timely with COVID.”

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