Director
At a young age Lawrence started his zoo career as assistant curator at the Dallas Aquarium, even as he continued his formal education. In 1949 he became curator at the Dallas Zoo. After 2 years he moved across town to the Fort Worth Zoo as general curator, and soon after as director. Later he was director of the zoo society in Portland and then served as director of the Oklahoma City Zoo from 1969 – 1985. Lawrence got his first taste of the international wildlife profession when in 1987 he became director of the zoo in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. His service to the American Association of Zoological Parks & Aquariums (AAZPA) was as editor of Zoological Park Fundamentals.