Last Thursday, Steven Ringel joined the Los Angeles Zoo as its associate director of corporations and sponsorships. Ringel, who was the founder and C.E.O. of Parallax Marketing in San Francico, where his clients included Victoria's Secret and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, will coordinate major sponsorship opportunities for the zoo’s events, such as entertainment partners for its annual Beastly Ball, as well as develop new events in the hopes of attracting a more diverse crowd.
“I’m currently working on the new Blues and Brews at the Zoo event, which is a celebration of microbrew beer from Southern California and [will feature] live home-grown blues music,” Ringel said. “There is a need to make the zoo hip again, and to attract the 29- to 39-year-old demographic. It’s time for the zoo to be a date destination, not just one for families. I’d also like to attract the film industry. After all, it is the L.A. Zoo—it should reflect Hollywood more. I want to attract more wrap parties and industry events to one of the most unusual and beautiful sites in L.A.”
