The St. Louis Sports & Sustainability Symposium at the St. Louis Cardinal’s Busch Stadium will convene regional professional and collegiate sports teams and venues, concessionaires, business and public leaders, and athletes to explore how the industry can make plays to advance healthier, more sustainable communities.
Programming will focus on four of our key program areas: Venues, Food, Waste, and Energy. The day will be a combination of keynotes and panels, with ample time for networking and engaging with other event attendees. We will also have a small ‘Vendor Showcase’ for our sponsors with some select services/products on display.
As part of the registration cost, you receive access to our post-event reception and a ticket to the Cardinals vs. Brewers game that evening.
Speakers are being confirmed on a daily basis, check back regularly to see our newest additions!
Lyda Krewson | Mayor, City of St. Louis
In April 2017, Lyda Krewson won a historic election to become the first woman to serve as mayor of St. Louis. Prior to the election, Krewson served as 28th Ward Alderwoman. She is also a CPA and served as the CFO for an international design firm until her election as Mayor in 2017.
As Mayor, Krewson has focused intently on public safety, naming Judge Jimmie Edwards as Director of Public Safety and John Hayden as Chief of Police. She also led the effort to pass Proposition P, a half cent sales tax to provide salary and benefit increases for police and firefighters, and a million each for summer jobs, recreation for kids, mental health, and demolition. Krewson is also focused on reducing vacant buildings, cleaning up St. Louis, increasing economic and workforce development, and providing good service to all St. Louis residents, businesses and visitors.
Garth Britzman | Artist, St. Louis Aquarium Foundation
Garth Britzman is an architectural designer and artist of things and spaces that awe, inspire, and delight. He develops novel uses for ordinary materials, upcycling them into aggregated objects that encourage play and promote sustainability. Originally from the Great Plains of South Dakota, Britzman maintains a dedication to preserving the expansive qualities of our natural environment while embracing thoughtful urbanization and consumer attitudes. His artwork allows for these ideas to be tested and celebrated. Garth is creating a piece for the St. Louis Aquarium Foundation.
Hosei Maruyama | Director of Facility Operations, St. Louis Cardinals
As a Director for the Stadium Operations Department, Hosei Maruyama directs and manages all phases of building maintenance, preventative and corrective, as well as facility management including carpentry, electrical, mechanical, painting and plumbing operations. Hosei also oversees the installation, maintenance, upkeep and repair of all building equipment and systems including access control, alarms, CCTV, fire protection, HVAC, lighting and vertical transportation. As a part of his job, Hosei assists in the general management of the event and security staffs as well as day to day operations. Hosei leads a team of 14 full time employees and also coordinates the set up and conversions for all Special Events at Busch Stadium.
Hosei joined the Cardinals organization in 2004 as a Stadium Operations Assistant, where he created and distributed an informational newsletter for the event operations staff on game days and managed the lost & found and incident reporting systems. Hosei also provided customer service to guests during games, assisted in the general management of event staff and helped with various projects related to opening the new stadium.
Tony Wirkus | Director of Event Management & Sustainability Coordinator, University of Missouri
Tony Wirkus has served as the Director of Event Management for Mizzou Athletics since 2015. He is a driving force behind Mizzou Athletics’ sustainability efforts. Wirkus has worked to form campus partnerships in line with the research and education initiatives of the University, while helping Mizzou Athletics to gain valuable information for streamlining sustainability operations. During his tenure overseeing these efforts, Wirkus’ primary focus has been on implementing socially, environmentally and financially responsible practices to advance the interests of the entire campus.
Catherine Werner | Sustainability Director, City of St. Louis
Catherine Werner has been the City’s first Sustainability Director since 2009, and works on numerous urban sustainability initiatives for the City. From 2010-2013, Catherine spearheaded development of an award-winning and comprehensive Sustainability Plan for the City of St. Louis, and currently oversees implementation of sustainability priorities for the City. Catherine has been a champion of triple bottom line sustainability principles – balancing social, economic, and environmental issues. She has been instrumental in launching several successful sustainability efforts in the City, such as its Sustainable Neighborhood Initiative, Climate Protection Initiative, Biophilic City status, Urban Vitality Ecology Initiative, Milkweeds for Monarchs: The St. Louis Butterfly Project, and Set The PACE St. Louis energy-efficiency financing program.
Catherine has worked as an environmental attorney, sustainability consultant, natural resources specialist and environmental educator. She has extensive experience in legal, policy, ecological and sustainable design projects, and has worked on green infrastructure, urban ecology and sustainable development issues in both a planning and implementation capacity.
Meghann Maves | Recycling Program Manager, Waste Management
Meghann is a Recycling Program Manager with Waste Management Recycling Services. She’s been with WM for over 9 years, with a focus is on finding ways to increase landfill diversion by launching, maintaining, and educating the Chicago market area on the benefits of recycling and food scrap composting programs for commercial, residential and institutional customers. She is also the acting Chair of the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Northwest Indiana Branch for 2019 and also serves on the Leadership & Municipal outreach committees for that branch; as well as an instructor for the LEED Green Associate exam.
Her past roles include work as a Sustainability Consultant at Cannon Design, primarily working as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Project Administrator for LEED for Schools projects and as a LEED Reviewer for the Green Building Certification Institute. Prior to this, she worked for the Chicago Department of Environment at the Chicago Center for Green Technology. Additionally, she has volunteered for over a decade with Illinois Green Alliance, the Illinois Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council as a Programs Committee Chair, on the Strategic Education Committee, and the Chapter’s Strategic Operation’s Circle. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Design from the Illinois Institute of Art at Chicago and has over 15 years’ experience working in sustainable design fields.
Chris DeVolder | Managing Principal, HOK
As the managing principal of HOK’s Kansas City practice, Chris DeVolder is passionate about collaborating with clients and project teams to deliver designs that embody technical and sustainable excellence. His experience extends across sports, civic, commercial and residential projects and his leadership and expertise has shaped notable facilities and districts including Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Rogers Place, University of Washington’s Husky Stadium Renovation, MetLife Stadium, 18Broadway, Johnson County’s Sunset Drive office building and the University of Notre Dame’s Campus Crossroads project. Chris has helped advance the way the profession approaches the programming, design, construction and operations of sports venues.
Known for his thought leadership in the green sports movement, Chris has led sustainability initiatives and the LEED certification process for projects throughout the US and Canada. As co-chair of the Green Sports Alliance Corporate Membership Network, Chris is involved with redefining sustainability and best practices within the profession. Chris’ work has been recognized by publications like the New York Times, Architectural Record, CLAD, Sports Illustrated, Sports Business Journal and Stadia and he’s a frequent speaker, presenting with organizations like the USGBC, Green Sports Alliance, the Sports Technology Awards and at COP21, the United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris.
Amelia Rodgers | Education Curator, St. Louis Aquarium Foundation
Amelia is a St. Louis native, and grew up camping, hiking, and exploring all the natural beauty of Missouri. She completed her Bachelor’s in Meteorology at Saint Louis University, then earned her Master’s of Public Administration and Nonprofit Management from Eastern Michigan University. From creating environmental and animal welfare education programs to managing a dog rescue in Thailand, her love of animals and passion for educating has led her to various organizations throughout the world. Amelia is excited to be back in her hometown, dedicating her efforts toward a community she loves in her new position as the Education Curator of the St. Louis Aquarium Foundation.
Ed Ferguson | Director of Sustainability – North America, Anheuser-Busch
Ed leads Anheuser-Busch on strategic and tactical activities, focusing on establishing an ecosystem of internal and external alliances and partnerships in environmental sustainability while engaging in sustainable business transformation within Anheuser-Busch’s footprint in the U.S. and Canada. He began his career at Anheuser-Busch as a brewer at the Research Pilot Brewery in St. Louis where he explored new raw materials, beer styles, and ways of brewing. Prior to his current role, Ed led cross-functional initiatives within operational technologies exploration and innovation spanning from barley breeding, brewing process alternatives, to new packaging solutions.
Brandon Hamilton | Vice President of Stadium Operations & Facilities, Kansas City Chiefs
Brandon Hamilton was named Kansas City’s Vice President of Stadium Operations and Facilities on May 4, 2017 and is entering his ninth season with the Chiefs in 2018. In his current role, Hamilton oversees all aspects of stadium systems, stadium maintenance, stadium grounds and security for both Arrowhead and The University of Kansas Health System Training Complex. Prior to being named Vice President of Stadium Operations and Facilities, Hamilton served as the club’s Director of Facilities for seven seasons (2010-16). As the Director of Facilities, he was responsible for facility management of both the stadium and the club’s practice facility and office complex. Hamilton also directs the club’s Extra Yard for the Environment program, a sustainability initiative designed to devise and implement new environmentally friendly policies. The program currently focuses on waste diversion, energy efficiency and recycling at Arrowhead Stadium, The University of Kansas Health System Training Complex and encourages fans to examine their sustainability efforts at home. Prior to joining the Chiefs in 2010, Hamilton served as Program Manager at The Konrath Group. During his time there he worked on the Arrowhead Stadium renovation that took place between 2007-10. Before that he spent a decade working in residential construction as a builder and superintendent. Hamilton majored in geology and geography at Northwest Missouri State and completed studies at IAVM Venue Management School in 2014.
Rae Miller | Local Food Coordinator, Missouri Coalition for the Environment
Rae Miller is the local food coordinator for Missouri Coalition for the Environment. After working as a farmer on small-scale vegetable farms, Rae now works to support local farmers in the St. Louis area in reaching new markets and growing their businesses. Rae recently completed the St. Louis Farm to Institution Feasibility Study that took an in-depth look at what resources our farmers and local food system need most to thrive, expand and ultimately supply more of our residents with local, nutritious food.
Larry Johnson | Busch Stadium Executive Chef, Delaware North
Larry Johnson is the Delaware North’s Executive Chef at Busch Stadium. Delaware North is committed to reducing environmental impacts, protecting natural resources, operating efficiently, contributing positively to the communities where they operate, adding value to the business, ensuring transparency and accountability, complying with legal requirements, and continually improving performance. Their sustainability strategy includes six steps: to eliminate waste from their operations, conserve and protect water resources, reduce energy use and increase clean energy sources, to responsibly source products/services and increase transparency of their supply chain, increase communications and engagement to raise awareness and strengthen communities and comply with environmental requirements.
Jerry Crabb | Senior Director of Ballpark Operations, Cleveland Indians
Jerry Crabb enters his 26th season with the Cleveland Indians. He joined the organization as the Manager of Florida Operations in Winter Haven, Florida in 1993. He was promoted to Director of Operation in Cleveland in 2004 and to Senior Director in 2011. As Senior Director of Ballpark Operations, Jerry is responsible for various fan facing activities at Progressive Field including Ushering, Guest Services, Premium Seating, Parking. He is also responsible for oversight of Arizona Operations in Goodyear, AZ which includes Spring Training, Extended Spring, Summer League and Fall Instructional League. Jerry is also responsible for providing strategic management and direction of the teams Greening and Sustainability efforts.
Jerry spent his early years in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise and Sport Sciences from the University of Florida in Gainesville. Jerry resides in Bay Village, OH with his wife, Laura and two children, Aubrey and Zachary.
Karen Morgan | Managing Partner, Renewable Trust
Karen Morgan is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Renewable Trust, a specialized advisory firm working with clients to deliver integrated technology and strategic capital solutions. Ms. Morgan was Co-Founder and CEO of Dynamic Energy Networks (“DEN”), an industrial platform established to own and operate microgrid and distributed energy networks. DEN, in collaboration with The Carlyle Group, launched the AlphaStruxure Joint Venture between Carlyle and Schneider Electric. Ms. Morgan has more than 25 years of experience and leadership in clean energy finance, technology and industrial solution. Prior to founding DEN, Ms. Morgan was the CEO of Renewable Energy Trust, Inc. (“RET”), a private financial sponsor backed aggregator of utility scale solar and wind power generation assets in the U.S. and Canada. During her tenure at RET, Ms. Morgan and her team built the platform to over 420 MW of operating and development assets with an enterprise value of over $750M. Prior to RET, Ms. Morgan founded AC Solutions which advised and financed the development of over 500MW of distributed solar generation assets in the US. Earlier in her career, Ms. Morgan also served as a managing member of GlobalNet Partners, an international finance and advisory firm and as CEO of PetroChemNet where she operated one of the first commodity chemical trading platforms.
Jim Gulliford | Regional Administrator, U.S. EPA Region 7
Jim Gulliford is the Regional Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 7 in Lenexa, Kan. Gulliford leads the Agency’s efforts in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and nine tribal nations. He has more than 40 years of experience leading environmental and natural resource protection programs in the Heartland. Gulliford recently served as Executive Director of the Soil and Water Conservation Society, where he led the organization from 2009 to 2016. SWCS fosters the science and art of natural resource conservation on working land – land used to produce food, fiber, fuel, and other services that improve the quality of life people experience in rural and urban communities. The organization represents 3,000 scientists, researchers, educators, and conservation practitioners.
Gulliford previously served as Assistant Administrator for the EPA Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances (now the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention) from 2006 to 2009, and as Regional Administrator for EPA Region 7 from 2001 to 2006. At the state level, Gulliford served as Director of the Division of Soil Conservation at the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship from 1986 to 2001, where he was
responsible for the development and management of soil conservation, water quality, and mine regulation for Iowa. Gulliford holds a Bachelor of Science in forestry management with a minor in agronomy, and a Master of Science in forestry economics and marketing, both from Iowa State University.
Jim Callier | Chief, Grants Management and Budget Staff Section, Land, Chemicals & Redevelopment Division, U.S. EPA Region 7
Jim Callier is the manager of the Grants Management and Budget Section of the Land, Chemicals and Redevelopment Division at the Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 7 office in Lenexa, Kansas. Jim has thirty five years of experience working at EPA, primarily in Region 7. Jim has both working and management experience in many of EPA’s programs including hazardous and solid waste, brownfields, and pollution prevention. Jim is a graduate of the University of Missouri at Rolla with a B.S. Degree in Geological Engineering.
Emily Andrews | Executive Director, USGBC – Missouri Gateway Chapter
Emily Andrews, LEED AP O+M, is the Executive Director of the U.S. Green Building Council- Missouri Gateway Chapter. She was hired as Chapter Coordinator, their first full-time staff person, in January 2006 and was promoted to Executive Director in August 2008. Emily oversees the day-to-day operations of the Chapter, including strategic planning, educational programming, community outreach, state & local advocacy, volunteer management, marketing & communications, and fundraising. Emily has worked for environmental non-profits her entire career. She currently serves on the Forest Park Advisory Board and the City of St. Louis’ Clean Energy Development Board, and spends spare time cooking, gardening, and camping.
Jean Ponzi | Green Resources Manager, Missouri Botanical Garden
A 25-year veteran of the Missouri Botanical Garden’s EarthWays Center team, “Green Jean” manages the St. Louis Green Business Challenge, working with businesses of all types and sizes to implement everyday and innovative sustainability policies and practices. She also serves on the core team of the community initiative BiodiverseCity St. Louis, and responds to public inquiries with resources, referrals and information as operator of the Garden’s Green Resources Answer Service.
Her areas of expertise include recycling, composting and waste reduction; indoor environmental quality, energy efficiency, green building, and native plant landscaping for biodiversity and water conservation. Jean is in demand as a speaker, in business and community settings. She has written for GreenBiz.com, Home Energy, Grist and Missouri Resources magazines and many local publications. She produces and hosts weekly environmental interviews for KDHX – St. Louis Independent Media, part of her community service as a regional media resource for over 30 years.
Adam Sharma | Business Development Executive, human-I-T
Adam Sharma is a veteran of the consumer electronics and tech industries, where he built partnerships with corporations of all sizes, including Staples, TJ Maxx, and Rolling Stone. After 7 years driving sales and innovation, he shifted his focus to the waste side of the tech space. As a Business Development Executive at human-I-T, Adam works with organizations of all levels of establishment and sophistication, from small start-ups to large, Fortune 500 corporations, to repurpose their electronic waste instead of recycling it. He is responsible for helping organizations such as UCLA, JetBlue, the Los Angeles Kings, nickelodeon, and STAPLES Center reduce the environmental impact made with this type of waste, and use the devices as a resource to empower low-income communities by connecting them to computers and high-speed internet.
A lifelong sports fan and athlete, Adam is especially invested in working with teams and venues to add both sustainability and community impact components to existent or non-existant programs. Adam holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the Pennsylvania State University, and is currently an MBA candidate at UCLA’s Anderson School of Business, where he is specializing in Marketing and Social Impact.
John Hwang | Founder & CEO, PlanLED
John Hwang is the founder and CEO of PlanLED and the co-founder of the Human Centric Lighting Society. John emerged from the world of investment banking and finance in the late 2000’s to become one of the primary thought leaders and culture shapers of the rapidly advancing global LED lighting movement. Mr. Hwang was instrumental in convening the HCLS by building bridges for meaningful and catalytic relationships between educators, researchers, developers, manufacturers and business leaders, who are also significant thought leaders and practitioners within the LED lighting movement. Serving as the Lighting Advisor to the Green Sports Alliance, John is a tireless and compelling educator and advocate for delivering sustainability, increasing quality of life and creative solutions of LED lighting to the globe through innovative and affordable applications.
Joe Abernathy | Vice President, Facilities Planning, St. Louis Cardinals
Joe is currently the Vice President – Facilities Planning for the St. Louis Cardinals. He is responsible for the project management of capital improvement projects at Busch Stadium, which have totaled over $50 million since it opened in 2006. Joe previously served as Vice President – Stadium Operations through 2017, where he was in charge of Stadium Operations for the Cardinals for 22 seasons, with the last 12 being at Busch Stadium III. He was responsible for all day-to-day facility operations and game-day event management activities. Joe currently services as the Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Stadium Managers Association. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Green Sports Alliance.
Joe, a Mechanical Engineer by education, has always had a keen interest in operational efficiency and sustainability. He was one of the founders of the St. Louis Cardinals’ “4 A Greener Game” sustainability program in 2008. Joe received his BS Mechanical Engineering in 1977 from University of Missouri – Rolla and his MBA in 1985 from Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville.
Tiffany Richardson | Account Manager, r.Cup
Dr. Tiffany Richardson former lecturer in Sport Management at the University of Minnesota’s School of Kinesiology. She holds a Ph.D. in Sport, Recreation and Tourism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to pursuing graduate school, Tiffany had a successful career in professional sports working with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Anaheim Ducks. While in Minnesota, her network in the Twin Cities developed and she collaborated on many partnerships including the MLB All Star Games (2014-2017), the Minnesota Twins (Go Twins, Go Green program), the Minnesota Wild (Go Wild, Go Green program), the Minnesota X-Games (2017 and 2018). She held appointments as an Educator with the Institute on the Environment, and most recently Co-Chair of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Final Four Sustainability Committee. Tiffany is now an Account Manager at r.Cup LLC an organization that is on a mission to reduce the environmental impact of live events by disrupting one of the most visible and widespread waste issues in the industry: the single-use disposable plastic cup.
Todd Shuttleworth | Corporate Sales Manager, MAX-R
Todd Shuttleworth is a Zero Waste TRUE Advisor, on the Venue Team at Max-R, a US manufacturer of sustainable site furnishings, all made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic – Milk Jugs! Todd has been consulting on sustainability initiatives, specifically waste diversion, for over 10 years. Initially focused on projects in the European community, Todd has spent the past 7 years assisting clients in North America within large corporate campuses, as well as Professional Sports Facilities, Convention Centers, along with several Performing Arts Venues.
Recent sports venue projects include the openings of US Bank Stadium and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the NFL, renovations projects at the Atlanta Hawks’ State Farm Arena and Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center, as well as front-of-house recycling program launches in Major League Baseball for the Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks, and the San Diego Padres…to name a few. Todd is an active participant and member of the Green Sports Alliance, Stadium Managers Association, and IAVM.
Roger McClendon | Executive Director, Green Sports Alliance
Roger is a results-driven executive with deep global experience in the development and deployment of engineering innovation and sustainability/supply-chain management strategies for domestic and international operations. As the first-ever Chief Sustainability Officer for Yum! Brands, Inc., Roger created corporate social responsibility strategies, global environmental policies and restaurant sustainability development standards and implemented them company-wide, making the company the second largest developer of green restaurants in the world. Earlier at Yum!, Roger was Senior Director YUM Global Engineering and Facilities, Restaurant Excellence for Yum Restaurants Global – A&W, KFC, Long John Silvers, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, responsible for developing the standards, strategies and tactics to ensure global quality standards, engineering standards and operational standards. Roger holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer & Electrical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati.
Garrett Wong | Member Services Manager, Green Sports Alliance
A sustainability change maker and sports aficionado, Garrett Wong joins the Green Sports Alliance assuming the role of Member Services Manager with a bright mind and optimistic personality. Growing up in the heart of the Bay Area, he was able to witness firsthand the positive impact that sustainable action can have on a community.
After graduating from Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability, he led the Sustainability Committee for the 2017 Final Four in achieving the Council of Responsible Sport’s Evergreen Certification. Between training for his next marathon and improving upon his amateur photography skills, Garrett can be found volunteering his time at the local community garden or attending an art show with his colleagues. He is beyond ecstatic to begin working alongside our members to bolster their sustainability programs and push their brand to new heights.
How to contact us
GREEN SPORTS ALLIANCE
Office mailing address:
421 SW 6th Ave, Suite 450
Portland, OR 97204
Phone number:
877-203-9566
Email:
info@greensportsalliance.org