Fourth Annual celebration of Conservation Champions
Friday, june 29, 2018 / 5:30 pM – 7:30 pM
Sponsorship generously provided by:
Denis Pierce
Elizabeth Welch and Brian Schwartz
Essence Restaurant Group
Goodrich Quality Theaters
Grand Valley Metro Council
Grand Valley State University
Irwin Seating Company
Jay and Nancy Barnhart
John and Kate McGarry
Mark LaChey and Bryan Hoffman
Meijer
Milton Roye and Gloria Lara
Public Sector Consultants
Steve and Alicia Pestka
West Michigan Sustainable Forum
WMEAC
Regardless of political party, Michiganders from all corners of our two peninsulas can agree that safe, affordable drinking water and pristine lakes, rivers and streams are of the utmost importance for our “Pure Michigan” way of life, public health and our state’s prosperity. Join us as we celebrate leaders who are blazing a trail, stewarding Michigan’s land, air and our precious water for generations to come.


Keynote Speaker

U.S. Senator Gary Peters
Grand Rapids Art Museum
2018 Honorees
Business Leader of the Year

Larry Bell, Founder and President of Bell’s Brewery
This year our Business Leader of the Year is Larry Bell, Founder and President of Bell’s Brewery. In addition to being the godfather of Michigan microbrews, Larry has been an outspoken advocate for removing the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline, a 65-year-old oil and gas pipeline running through the Straits of Mackinac. Bell’s Brewery is located in Kalamazoo, which meant that Larry experienced the 2010 Enbridge oil disaster in the Kalamazoo River firsthand. That horror story had a deep impact on Larry and he’s been an increasingly bold advocate for our Great Lakes and drinking water ever since.
Advocate of the Year

Cody Angell, Founder of Demand Action
Our 2018 Advocate of the Year is Cody Angell, founder of Demand Action, a volunteer advocacy group designed to bring attention to PFAS and lead contamination issues. The work that Cody and his team is doing is not only important, it is critical, given that there are now 14 communities across Michigan where PFAS has contaminated drinking water supplies, including, Oscoda, Grayling, Alpena, Marquette, Plainfield Township, and Ann Arbor.