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Nature Plaza continued
Generations of Support The Hamill Family Nature Plaza ribbon-cutting ceremony
was celebrated by (left to right): Stuart Strahl, president
You’ve noticed their name all across our zoo— & CEO of the Chicago Zoological Society; Betsy Hamill
on the award-winning Play Zoo, the interac- Bramsen; Jon Hamill; Nancy Hamill Winter; Jim Bramsen;
tive Wild Encounters exhibit, and now, on Nancy Hamill; and John Grube, chairman of the Chicago
our newest offering, the Nature Plaza. The Zoological Society Board of Trustees
Hamill family name has become ubiquitous
with Brookfield Zoo. We are thankful for Corky’s daughter, Betsy Bramsen,
their nearly 100 years of dedication and continues his legacy as a current trustee.
support that has allowed us to set the highest In 2016, the Bramsen and Hamill families
standards in connecting guests with nature. received the Chicago Zoological Society's
Outstanding Conservation Philanthropy
Three generations of the Hamill family Award. Corky’s son, Jon Hamill, and
have served continuously on the Chicago daughter, Nancy Hamill Winter, are
Zoological Society’s Board of Trustees since governing life members of the Society.
its founding in 1921. Alfred E. Hamill was
one of the founding trustees, followed by This family’s generosity has led
his son, Corwith “Corky” Hamill. Corky to the creation of some of Brookfield
served an unprecedented 60 years on the Zoo’s most successful and important
board—as a trustee, chairman, and honorary exhibits: Great Bear Wilderness, Hamill
chairman—until his death in 2013. Family Play Zoo, Hamill Family Wild
Encounters (and the Bramsen Animal
One of Brookfield Zoo’s greatest Ambassador Pavilion), and now, Hamill
champions, Corky played an instrumental Family Nature Plaza. All of these exhibits
role in the election of George Rabb as allow guests to interact with animals and
Brookfield Zoo’s director in 1976. The duo nature in unique, intimate, and exciting
worked closely together to complete Tropic ways. We believe these interactions
World, which was then the largest indoor connect people to wildlife and wild
zoo exhibit in the world. They launched the places, and inspire people to conserve
zoo’s first capital campaign and successfully and protect them. Brookfield Zoo would
lobbied the Illinois House of Representatives not be the place it is today without the
for an amendment that allowed the Society to Hamill family, and we are so thankful
issue bonds to cover deferred maintenance. to them for their continued support!
30 GATEWAYS | NATURE PLAZA
