Director
Bob Bean was unique; he was the third generation of zoo professionals in his family. His grandfather, Edward H. Bean, was the first director of the Brookfield Zoo and his father, Robert Bean Sr., was Brookfield Zoo’s second director. His father’s sister, Mary Bean, was married to George Speidel, who would later become director of the Milwaukee Zoo. You might say that Bob’s passion for animals and their management was in his DNA.
His zoo career started as an animal keeper at Brookfield Zoo. Positions at the Birmingham Zoo as curator, and Bush Gardens as assistant director, honed his skills in the profession. Ultimately, he became director at Bush Gardens, and later held the same post at Louisville Zoo for 15 years.