After more 50 years with the what is now the Audubon Nature Institute, Ron Forman is planning to retire.
Forman, the president and chief executive officer of the Audubon Nature Institute, notified the institute's board of directors that he plans to step down from his current role at the end of 2024. According to a press release, the Audubon Board will begin a nationwide search to find Forman's successor.
Foreman first served as the deputy director of the Audubon Park and Zoological Gardens in 1973. Four years later, he was named Audubon's director. When the non-profit Audubon Nature Institute was formed in 1988, Forman was named the organization's president and CEO, a position he has held since.
Forman oversaw the opening of two major riverfront attractions, including the Woldenberg Park and Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. In June, after an eight-month, $41 million renovations the aquarium reopened as the Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium. Audubon officials rebuilt the bug museum, formerly housed at the old United States Customs House, in the space that used to contain the aquarium's IMAX theatre and created new exhibits for the insectarium. Forman also led the transformation of the Audubon Zoo from a state of disrepair into a world-class facility.
In addition to his work with the Audubon Nature Institute, Forman chaired the Louisiana Nature Conservancy, chaired the Superdome Commission, and chaired the Louisiana State Museum board. He's also the current and longest-serving president of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
