2025-08-13T11:43:52-05:00 2024-12-31 205788602 Glaser and Company LLC 1859 Summerville Ave Suite 800 Charleston SC 29405 990 2024-01-01 570961897 South Carolina Aquarium SOUT 8435773474 100 Aquarium Wharf Charleston SC 29401 Kevin Mills President & CEO 8435773474 2025-08-11 1 0 Erik Glaser CPA P00724565 8438490179 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z Kevin Mills 100 Aquarium Wharf Charleston SC 29401 40964271 0 X www.scaquarium.org X 1992 SC Our mission is to inspire conservation of the natural world by exhibiting and caring for animals, by excelling in education and research, and by providing an exceptional visitor experience. 40 40 293 323 0 0 6094960 5186538 12760337 13276079 707783 840383 1430725 982821 20993805 20285821 24584 13100 0 0 10244363 10970956 0 0 1632837 6125263 6355739 16394210 17339795 4599595 2946026 48426081 50879862 3461335 2820831 44964746 48059031 X Our mission is to inspire conservation of the natural world by exhibiting and caring for animals, by excelling in education and research, and by providing an exceptional visitor experience. 0 0 3099284 9904706 Facilities program services include all costs associated with the maintenance, security, and operation of a 20+ year-old Aquarium facility, exhibits, and animal life support systems. The 93,000 square foot facility offers a state-of-the-art environmental learning center that encompasses the entire spectrum of the southeast Appalachian watershed as found in South Carolina: mountain, piedmont, coastal plain, coast and the ocean. In 2016, the Aquarium completed a major energy performance project to replace current natural gas and electric power infrastructure, which resulted in significant energy and cost savings.The Aquarium's state-of-the-art Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery Center provides guests with an interactive learning experience so they can observe the care and rehabilitation and education related to these threatened and endangered species. 3864798 Guest program services include admissions and environmental services. Providing new and exciting exhibits and installations to enhance the visitor experience, the SCA both educates and entertains. From interactive daily programming with hands on experiences to upgraded technology throughout the Aquarium, we have developed an exciting interpretive journey to guide guests from the mountains to the sea. The Aquarium today is the Charleston region's most visited attraction, with an average annual attendance of 500,000 (including approximately 22,000 students).2024 was a productive year which emphasized our ongoing engagement of our mission and the diverse array of projects that make our institution so unique. We saw record numbers in revenue, including incredible success of our holiday lights experience within our walls, Aquarium Aglow.An expanded partnership with the local tri-county library system brought almost 8,000 additional community members into the Aquarium free of charge in 2024.The Aquarium continues to enjoy "best of class" scores among peer Aquariums in the categories of hospitality and cleanliness. In a 2022 study, it was estimated by the College of Charleston Office of Tourism Analysis that the Aquarium's presence in the community directly and indirectly generates more than $379 million to the local economy ($414 million statewide) each year. 2623065 Animal care (husbandry) program services are designed to continuously collect and maintain animals for the exhibits that are displayed in the Aquarium facilities. Currently the Aquarium cares for approximately 5,000 specimens of animals within 250 species.The professional biologists and aquarists at the South Carolina Aquarium deliver excellent care for every animal, maintaining a population that encompasses the diversity of wildlife in our state. The Aquarium's staff and volunteers demonstrate a passion for, and responsibility to, these animals, providing comfort, nourishment, and enrichment for each species in accordance with accrediting standards established by the association of zoos and Aquariums (AZA). 3466032 13100 3522490 Education:Over the years, the education program has served more than one million students with educational programming and enriched the careers of more than five thousand teachers. The SCA serves as a complementary science education institution providing hands-on learning opportunities for students of all ages. Themed interpretive programs are presented daily by the staff, and are informative and fun for all visitors. The Aquarium has developed a standards-based structure school program that allows k-12 students to participate in hands-on activities to reinforce the standards-based concepts introduced in the classroom. Last school year, the Aquarium welcomed approximately 5,600 students through this program and trained 111 SC teachers.In addition, the Aquarium invested in our distance learning program, hosting virtual programs that have reached over 50,000 participants. A robot has allowed young patients in the MUSC and Prisma Children's hospitals to engage with our staff and exhibits from their hospital room. Meanwhile, our rovers outreach program continued to bring science to life for students throughout South Carolina, reaching 15,435 participants in schools, libraries and adult retirement homes across the state who otherwise may not have had the opportunity to visit the Aquarium in person.Throughout the year, our adult learning program engaged more than 520 participants in critical conversations related to conservation and research. Our paid High School Internship program continues to engage budding scientists exploring careers in environmental education and marine science.Conservation:The Aquarium is uniquely positioned to educate and inspire the public to conserve and protect South Carolina's rich and vast biodiversity, and its vulnerable species and their vanishing habitat. As the primary sea turtle hospital in the state of South Carolina, our Sea Turtle Care Center rehabilitates sick and injured sea turtles from across the state, educates the public about conservation of endangered and threatened sea turtles, and has released 441 rehabilitated sea turtles since its inception in 2000. During 2024, the Aquarium admitted 49 sea turtle patients and successfully released 43 sea turtles back into the ocean after they were rehabilitated in the Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery. This was a record-breaking year for the number of local patients admitted, as well as the number of patients released in a single year. The SCA is working to reduce the negative impact of plastics on our environment by collaborating with local partners and organizations to advocate for bans of single-use plastics and by providing the tools and support to empower volunteers across the state to organize, track and report on local litter sweeps and conservation initiatives. The Aquarium's resilience initiative for community engagement (rice) continued its work to inform communities of the risks associated with climate change and sea level rise, and to provide stakeholders with data and tools to plan for a more resilient future.The Aquarium continued its reef research in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. We studied the effects of removing invasive lionfish in artificial reefs located in marine protected areas of the coast. Once again, the Aquarium held its annual JuLionfish Derby and Festival, where divers competed to remove as many invasive lionfish as possible from reefs.The Aquarium's sustainable seafood program, Good Catch, encourages consumers and business to purchase local (harvested between NC and FL), sustainable seafood. The Good Catch Seafood Connection is a collaborative effort that provides free, local and sustainably harvested seafood to food insecure neighbors in the Lowcountry.Membership:Membership includes unlimited admission for nearly 11,000 member households. Members also receive additional benefits including access to exclusive member programs and events like Fish or Treat, early morning toddler programs, yoga for adults, and hands-on offsite experiences like seining and beachcombing. Members receive 20% off Aquarium Aglow tickets, discounted general admission tickets, discounts at local area attractions and businesses, and onsite discounts at the gift shop, snack bar, souvenir photos and VR experience. In 2024, members made up over 25% of Aquarium attendance. 3466032 13100 3522490 13053179 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 24 0 293 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 40 40 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 SC X X X Jason Oddo 8435773474 100 Aquarium Warf Charleston SC 29401 Jonathan M Zucker Chairman 4.00 X X 0 0 0 Jessica Brewer Vice Chairman 4.00 X X 0 0 0 John A Hill Vice Chairman 4.00 X X 0 0 0 J Donald Higgins Treasurer/Dir. Emer. 4.00 X X 0 0 0 Tom Wright Vice Treasurer 4.00 X X 0 0 0 Mason Holland Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Dan Battista Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Rongrong Chen PHD Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Robert C Crawford III Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Suzanne Dickerson Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Steve Durkee Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 W Andrew Gowder Jr Term Ended Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Lee Hurzeler Term Ended Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Sandy Khan Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Danny Kassis Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Palmer E Krantz III Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Harry Lesesne Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Stacie Marksbury Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Judge Daniel E Martin Jr Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Gary McLaurin Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Guy Maurice Meares III Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Dominique Milton Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 William M Patterson PhD Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Cara J Richard Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Jan Roosenburg Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Scott Snider Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 George P Watt Jr Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Pam Wilson Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 David Wood Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Marcus Jones Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Melvin Brown Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 John Danahy Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Larry Colshan Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Anne W Cleveland Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Pedro De Armos Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Steve Gray Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Lars Munson Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Michael Naioti Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Joel Neale Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Susan Rohr Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Debra White Director 2.00 X 0 0 0 Valerie Howell Secretary 4.00 X X 0 0 0 Kevin Mills President and CEO 40.00 X 368410 0 21339 John L Higgins Executive Vice Pres & COO 40.00 X 217089 0 9508 Jason Oddo Chief Financial Officer 40.00 X 195832 0 2464 Kevin Kampwerth VP Creative & Exhibits 40.00 X 161022 0 20060 Courtenay B Lewandowski Chief Advancement Officer 40.00 X 229282 0 17937 Brian Brasher Chief Infrastructure Officer 40.00 X 153349 0 24164 Paul Nunez Chief People Officer 40.00 X 136815 0 15314 Amie Yam-Babinchak Chief Marketing Officer 40.00 X 117207 0 26259 Sara McDonald PHD VP Conservation 40.00 X 143889 0 10675 Brian Thill Chief Experience Officer 40.00 X 105499 0 26218 Jamie Torres DVM Veterinary Care 40.00 X 112214 0 10622 1940608 0 184560 13 0 1 0 Trident Construction LLC 2245 Technical Parkway North Charleston SC 29406 Infrastructure 9386917 John Ciccarelli Architect LLC 337 Molasses Lane Mount Pleasant SC 29464 Architecture 187611 Blackbaud PO Box 930256 Atlanta GA 31193 Software and training 103868 3 245480 1044821 3896237 1376290 5186538 Admissions 713990 9904706 9904706 Memberships 713990 1776309 1776309 Special events 713990 1289245 1289245 Guest Programs 713990 207745 207745 Program revenues 713990 98074 98074 13276079 838535 838535 20429367 20427519 1848 1848 1848 106216 245480 250931 -144715 -144715 Concessions 722515 976419 976419 Miscellaneous Revenue 900099 151117 151117 1127536 20285821 13427196 0 1672087 13100 13100 1324985 493310 574567 257108 7749284 6434014 564998 750272 190986 145800 23984 21202 1062998 811496 133493 118009 642703 490641 80712 71350 525 525 24857 24857 90000 90000 40315 40315 185486 74377 18007 93102 674396 639159 2751 32486 198441 118959 76058 3424 594383 172900 376103 45380 1221976 1207199 14733 44 135538 78794 34866 21878 151182 25 62914 88243 297275 240766 34064 22445 1227323 1165850 55400 6073 457154 226642 215860 14652 Animal Care 423220 396285 26906 29 Programs, Events and Ou 278119 187513 17061 73545 Miscellaneous 273276 143219 117916 12141 Employee Relations/Safe 80916 11822 67640 1454 1357 1308 49 17339795 13053179 2653779 1632837 6133643 4128670 12778200 7268132 3263660 2399536 155948 124627 12879 43902 359844 318702 44627519 15978130 18661154 28649389 7060753 7946904 48426081 50879862 1355841 1162080 1373019 1208751 675000 450000 57475 0 3461335 2820831 X 34456865 43631405 10507881 4427626 44964746 48059031 48426081 50879862 2946026 148259 0 X 0 1 X 1 0 X 6763615 10753909 14957600 6094960 4944993 43515077 4727800 9677110 11778743 12810904 13276079 52270636 11491415 20431019 26736343 18905864 18221072 95785713 1569875 1105658 310350 582691 1448845 5017419 0 1569875 1105658 310350 582691 1448845 5017419 90768294 101925 233089 560552 1269707 840283 3005556 101925 233089 560552 1269707 840283 3005556 742014 805270 1162401 1067247 1127536 4904468 12335354 21469378 28459296 21242818 20188891 103695737 0.87530 0.87680 0.02900 0.03000 X Schedule A, Part III, Line 12, Explanation of Other Income: Miscellaneous - 2020 Amount: $ 464,145. 2021 Amount: $ 36,519. 2022 Amount: $ 215,863. 2023 Amount: $ 50,657. 2024 Amount: $ 151,117. Concessions - 2020 Amount: $ 277,869. 2021 Amount: $ 768,751. 2022 Amount: $ 946,538. 2023 Amount: $ 1,016,590. 2024 Amount: $ 976,419. RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 90000 0 0 90000 0 Part II-B, Line 1: The Southern Group represents the South Carolina Aquarium in legislative matters, advocating for policies that enhance our ability to protect water, wildlife and wild places. They engage with local and federal government officials to advance Aquarium initiatives and bolster our education, conservation and animal care efforts. X X X X 0 463133 227912 691045 463133 463133 463133 463133 463133 463133 463133 463133 0.67020 0.32980 0 0 30627219 12963878 17663341 4385575 2921842 1463733 9614725 92410 9522315 28649389 20397700 148259 3935 152194 20245506 40315 40315 20285821 17303415 3935 3935 17299480 40315 40315 17339795 Part III, Line 1a: The costs of purchasing or collecting live animals and plants are expensed as incurred. Donated specimens are not valued and, therefore, are not reflected in the financial statements. There were no proceeds received related to the sale of non-capitalized collection items during the year ended December 31, 2024. Part III, Line 4: Connect with native wildlife at South Carolina Aquarium! With over 5,000 animals from the mountains to the sea of our beautiful state, you can enjoy all our vast ecosystems and learn about so many different species when you visit. Mountain Forest After venturing past our bald eagle, Liberty, look low and you'll see fish in a stream. Look up to gaze at waterfalls spilling over a rocky gorge. Somewhere in the middle, you can find our river otters, Charlie and Beau, swimming, snacking or snoozing. Piedmont Step into the Piedmont region (piedmont is French for foothills) where you'll find yourself eye-to-eye with bass and discover crappies and suckers swimming in exhibits that showcase their natural habitats The Trading Post Visit The Trading Post to trade in your nature finds and earn points. Our education interpreters will answer questions about your finds, and you'll accumulate points to trade for other cool natural artifacts! Coastal Plain You'll experience what it's like to be in a swamp at twilight. See if you can spot cypress trees downed by Hurricane Hugo, longnose gar, rattlesnakes or a gopher tortoise. Kids Coast Learn nature-based concepts through play and guided discovery. Operate hands-on schematics focusing on water filtration for Aquarium animals, participate in collaborative activities with your peers and learn about the Aquarium workers who keep our water clean. Saltmarsh Aviary Step outside and into the Saltmarsh Aviary. Overlooking the Charleston Harbor, this exhibit houses roseate spoonbills, gulls and our 6,000-gallon tank, home to diamondback terrapins, burrfish and more. Boneyard Beach and Touch Tank Experience Make your way along the waterline, then glance below the surface for crystal-clear views of sea stars, stingrays, sharks and more. This immersive, multi-sensory touch tank experience provides the opportunity to follow an Aquarium educator's lead and gently touch the wildlife within! Coast You'll be amazed by the variety of marine life living right off the coast of Charleston. See if you can spot the camouflaging southern flounder or common octopus, and be sure to check out the unique batfish! Ocean Explore North America's deepest tank! It's impossible to miss our twostory, 385,000-gallon Great Ocean Tank. You'll practically rub noses with sharks and can wave a flipper hello to our 220-pound loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta. Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery Both a hospital and a guest experience, Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery makes the real-life rehabilitation of sick and injured sea turtles visible to every guest. Experience each patient's remarkable journey from rescue to rehabilitation and release. Virtual Reality Experience - Undersea Explorer Take a seat on Undersea Explorer and experience the ocean in amazing virtual reality. Through dynamic 360-degree live-action films synced with motion-platform seating, this immersive expedition will have you swimming the depths with spectacular sharks or riding the waves with wondrous whales! Carolina Seas Located just inside the entrance, gaze into the 15,000-gallon Carolina Seas tank that houses our collection of colorful fish found around reef habitats off the coast. The Shallows Stop by The Shallows to observe and pet our cownose stingrays! Or give the rays a fishy treat between 10:15 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day, while supplies last. To try it yourself, purchase a stingray feeding voucher for $5 at the admission gate or information desk during your next visit. Backyard Habitat Visit our "backyard and take home ideas for your own yard. Featuring native plants and animal shelters, this educational garden presents ideas that you can replicate in your backyard to attract native birds, butterflies and beneficial insects. Part V, Line 4: The board designated and donor designated endowment of the South Carolina Aquarium has been established to provide support to the programs and general operations of the organization. Convervation Gala 239746 202165 37581 0 0 80802 51343 16688 57908 Sealife by Starlight Event 63195 14690 48505 0 0 5594 13046 3215 3888 1 48755 28625 20130 0 0 2760 10067 1000 4620 351696 245480 106216 89156 74456 20903 66416 250931 -144715 1 Addelston Hebrew Academy 1675 Raoul Wallenberg Blvd Charleston SC 29407 570409223 501(C)(3) 7200 0 General Support 1 Part I, Line 2: The Aquarium makes grants in accordance with specific initiatives in lines with the Aquarium's mission. Such grants are provided with instructions as to use and post grant reporting as appropriate. X X X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kevin Mills President and CEO 368410 0 0 0 0 0 0 10362 0 10977 368410 21339 0 0 Courtenay B Lewandowski Chief Advancement Officer 229282 0 0 0 0 0 0 6962 0 10975 229282 17937 0 0 John L Higgins Executive Vice Pres & COO 217089 0 0 0 0 0 0 7187 0 2321 217089 9508 0 0 Jason Oddo Chief Financial Officer 195832 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2464 195832 2464 0 0 Kevin Kampwerth VP Creative & Exhibits 161022 0 0 0 0 0 0 6065 0 13995 161022 20060 0 0 Brian Brasher Chief Infrastructure Officer 153349 0 0 0 0 0 0 11248 0 12916 153349 24164 0 0 Sara McDonald PHD VP Conservation 143889 0 0 0 0 0 0 4518 0 6157 143889 10675 0 0 Paul Nunez Chief People Officer 136815 0 0 0 0 0 0 4723 0 10591 136815 15314 0 0 A SC Jobs-Economic Development Authority 570960018 NoneAvail 2014-10-01 2700000 Environmental upgrades to infrastructure 0 0 0 A 2700000 2700000 0 0 1 1 A 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 NIL Funding Corporation Board Member is and Owner of Corporation 450000 Issuer of Tax Exempt Bonds 0 NIL Funding Corporation Board Member is and Owner of Corporation 18056 Interest on Tax Exempt Bonds 0 Schedule L, Part IV, Lines 1 and 2 he South Carolina Aquarium issued $2.7 million in tax-exempt revenue bonds from the South Carolina Jobs-Economic Development Authority (JEDA) to finance upgrades and replacement of certain equipment and fixtures. JEDA serves as a conduit issuer of these tax-exempt bonds that were placed with a corporate lender that is an affiliate of a privately held company owned by a member of the board. As required, this liability is recorded as "taxexempt bond liabilities" on Part X Balance Sheet line 20. X 9 1366776 Fair Market Value X 34 6106 Fair Market Value X 17 3408 Fair Market Value 0 1 0 Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 11b The draft Form 990 is emailed to all Board of Directors members after management has completed their review. The Board is provided a reasonable time to review and comment on the Form 990. Upon completion of this comment period, management issues the Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 12c As part of new Board Member orientation, the Aquarium briefs the memberregarding its conflict-of-interest policy. The organization istransparent in its transactions and seeks to avoid such transactions ifpossible with officers, directors, key employees and related familymembers. The Board Chair discusses the policy annually with all members. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 15 Compensation for the CEO is reviewed and set by the Executive Committee andapproved by the Human Capital Committee of the Board of Directors and theBoard of Directors.Compensation for Officers and other Key Employees is approved by the HumanCapital Committee of the Board of Directors, which includes the Chairmanand Vice Chair of the Board. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, line 18 The Form 1023 is available upon request. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, line 19 Governing documents, policies, and financial statements are available upon request.