Meet Greg Bockheim--Zoo Director
New Rotarian Greg Bockheim is all about animals. In 2016 he will celebrate 10 years as executive director of the Virginia Zoo, a 53-acre zoo in Norfolk that dates to 1900. His hobby is breeding East Asian songbirds in an aviary he has at his Norfolk home he shares with his wife Ann, a pharmaceutical researcher, and daughters Vivian, 11, and Lily, 9. The girls are students at St. Patrick Catholic School.
Greg was born in Detroit and grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After studying at Michigan State University he moved to the Jersey Island in the English Channel to study gorillas for six months. He spent two years in Australia working at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia. He returned to the United States and completed a degree in advertising and public relations at Grand Valley State University in Michigan before moving to London to work as a ship scientist on a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. He then worked for zoos in Birmingham, Fresno and Atlanta before joining the Disney team to help open its Animal Kingdom in Florida. After three years he became a curator at a zoo in South Bend, Indiana before moving to Norfolk in 2006 to head the zoo.
Greg was born in Detroit and grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After studying at Michigan State University he moved to the Jersey Island in the English Channel to study gorillas for six months. He spent two years in Australia working at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia. He returned to the United States and completed a degree in advertising and public relations at Grand Valley State University in Michigan before moving to London to work as a ship scientist on a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. He then worked for zoos in Birmingham, Fresno and Atlanta before joining the Disney team to help open its Animal Kingdom in Florida. After three years he became a curator at a zoo in South Bend, Indiana before moving to Norfolk in 2006 to head the zoo.
Greg maintains that he no longer "is a zoo hopper" and considers Norfolk his "forever zoo." When not working at the zoo or with his songbirds, Greg enjoys exercising on the equipment at the Y on Granby or swimming at the Blocker Y. He also is a "foodie" who likes great food.
Greg has spoken to the Rotary Club of Norfolk about the zoo and says as a speaker he always "feels a lot of love from members and likes their thoughtful questions." He joined the Norfolk club several months ago and was sponsored by John Searing. He enjoys being part of a club whose members "care for the well being of their community." He also likes the club's field trips that let him see other businesses and organizations and to get to know club members better.
Greg has spoken to the Rotary Club of Norfolk about the zoo and says as a speaker he always "feels a lot of love from members and likes their thoughtful questions." He joined the Norfolk club several months ago and was sponsored by John Searing. He enjoys being part of a club whose members "care for the well being of their community." He also likes the club's field trips that let him see other businesses and organizations and to get to know club members better.