Since 1984, the faces and voices of ELI’s constituents have come together in a gathering of environmental professionals: the annual ELI Award Dinner. By honoring individuals and organizations for demonstrating outstanding commitment to environmental protection, ELI helps set the standards for the environmental profession. The dinner is a signal opportunity for environmental professionals to forge new bonds of cooperation, while supporting the agenda-setting research, education, and training programs of the Institute. The event now attracts attention year round, making it a unique gathering of the nation’s environmental leaders, with more than 750 professionals attending from across the country.
Past Honorees:
2017
2016
2015
2014
Mary Nichols and the state of California
2013
George Shultz and Thomas Steyer
2012
The City of New York
2011
United States Secretary of Energy, Dr. Steven Chu
2010
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
2009
Hons. Mark Udall and Tom Udall, U.S. Senate
2008
J. William Futrell, Sustainable Development Law Associates
2007
Kathryn Fuller, World Wildlife Fund
2006:
Governor George E. Pataki, New York
2005:
John Quarles, Morgan Lewis LLP
2004:
Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., Wayne and Gladys Valley Professor of Marine Biology and Distinguished Professor of Zoology at Oregon State University
2003:
William K. Reilly, Administrator (1989-93), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and President and Chief Executive Officer, Aqua International Partners
2002:
Hon. Sherwood L. Boehlert, U.S. House of Representatives, Chairman of the House Science Committee
2001:
Lee M. Thomas, Administrator (1985-1989), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and President - Consumer Products, Georgia-Pacific Corporation
2000:
Hon. Patricia McGowan Wald, Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
1999:
James Gustave Speth, Chairman, Council on Environmental Quality, Dean, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
1998:
His Excellency, Valdas Adamkus, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region V (1981-1997) and President of the Republic of Lithuania
1997:
Françoise Burhenne-Guilmin, Director, Environmental Law Centre, IUCN
Wolfgang Burhenne, Legal Adviser, IUCN (World Conservation Union)
1996:
Hon. Richard S. Arnold, Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit
Lady Bird Johnson
1995:
William Ruckelshaus, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1970-1973 and 1983-1985) and CEO, Browning-Ferris Industries
1994:
Hon. George J. Mitchell, Majority Leader, U.S. Senate
1993:
Morris Udall, Chairman, House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee
Stewart Udall, Secretary, Department of the Interior
1992:
Gro Harlem Brundtland, Prime Minister of Norway
Maurice Strong, Secretary General, United Nations Environmental Programme
1991:
Hon. John H. Chafee, Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works
1990:
Russell W. Peterson, Chairman, Council on Environmental Quality and DuPont
1989:
Hon. James L. Oakes, Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit
1988:
Robert T. Stafford, Chairman, Senate, Environment and Public Works Committee
1987:
Hon. Edmund S. Muskie, U.S. Senate
1986:
Russell Train, Chairman, Council on Environmental Quality and Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1973-1977)
1985:
Joseph L. Sax, University of Michigan
1984:
David Sive, Sive, Paget & Riesel, P.C.
Past Keynote Speakers:
Previous keynote speakers include: U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno; Vice President Al Gore; Dr. Stephan Schmidheiny, Founder of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development; Senator Dale Bumpers; Mohamed T. El-Ashry, Chairman and CEO of the Global Environment Facility; Carol Browner, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Senator Birch Bayh; Linda Fisher, Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Senator James M. Jeffords; Representative Christopher Shays; and Leon E. Panetta, co-director, The Panetta Institute.