Michigan LCV Announces Honorees for the Third Annual Innovation in Conservation Awards Gala

ANN ARBOR — Michigan League of Conservation Voters is proud to announce this year’s honorees for the Third Annual Innovation in Conservation Awards Gala. Lana and Henry Pollack will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards. The Detroit Zoological Society and Walker-Miller Energy Services will be honored as Advocate of the Year and Business of the Year. Awards will be presented at Michigan LCV’s Innovation in Conservation Awards Gala on October 15 at the historic Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit at 5:30p.m. Tickets are available for purchase here.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS: Lana and Henry Pollack

Lana Pollack
In 2010, Lana Pollack was appointed U.S. Chair of the International Joint Commission by President Barack Obama, where she partners with Canadian officials to advocate for the responsible management and protection of our Great Lakes. Throughout a diverse career in public service, Lana has demonstrated leadership on a range of public policy issues. She served from 1996-2008 as president of the Michigan Environmental Council, a coalition of 70 environmental organizations working to protect the Great Lakes and Michigan’s environment. She was elected three times to the Michigan legislature, serving as a state senator from 1983-1994. In this capacity, she earned praise as the architect of Michigan’s landmark 1990 “Polluter Pay” statute which, before it was substantially amended in 1995, saved taxpayers $100 million by requiring proven polluters to pay for the cleanup of toxic waste. Lana also served on the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board, which annually directs $35-50 million in mineral, oil and gas royalties to protect, purchase and enhance parkland and open space for preservation and recreation.

Henry Pollack
Henry Pollack has been a professor of geophysics at the University of Michigan for more than forty years, traveling regularly to Antarctica and conducting scientific research on all seven continents. Henry and his colleagues on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change were presented the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize along with Vice President Al Gore. Author of numerous publications and books, including A World Without Ice, Henry currently serves as a science adviser to Vice President Al Gore’s Climate Project.

ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR: Detroit Zoological Society

Website: http://www.detroitzoo.org/

The Detroit Zoo is constantly working to build a healthier environment for its animals, its visitors and the planet. Living its mission of resource management and environmental leadership, the Detroit Zoo continually strives for innovation and smart investments for the future. Recently, the Zoo invested $3 million into energy efficiency projects that are expected to pay for themselves within the next seven years. Some of those projects include energy, light and water changes to buildings and habitats, which not only save energy but also provide more natural habitat for the 2,500 animals that call the Zoo home. Utility upgrades now span to more than 50 Detroit Zoo buildings and include the installation of low-flow toilets, removal of most outdated boiler systems and upgrades to energy-efficient LED lights. These award-winning efficiency measures not only provide enrichment and save money, but also provide valuable educational opportunities for the 1.3 million people who visit the Zoo each year.

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: Walker-Miller Energy Services

Website: http://www.wmenergy.com/

Located in Detroit, Walker-Miller Energy Services (WMES) LLC is an experienced team of energy experts who provide top of the line energy efficiency services to decrease energy waste in our homes and businesses. WMES’s diverse leadership team is made up of leading energy industry experts. President and CEO Carla Walker-Miller was recently honored with the “Moving the Needle Award” by Leadership Detroit. The U.S. Small Business Administration named WMES the 2015 Women-Owned Small Business of the Year. Every day, leaders at WMES are growing their business by shrinking our carbon footprint, cleaning up our air, and making our state a healthier, more sustainable place to call home. They exemplify the sort of socially responsible businesses that Michigan needs and deserves.

To purchase tickets or for more information about sponsorships of Innovation in Conservation visit: https://michiganlcv.org/innovationinconservation.