Stanley Cup Champion Andrew Ference to be Honored Among Sports Greening Leaders at Green Sports Alliance 2016 Summit

Stanley Cup Champion Andrew Ference to be Honored Among Sports Greening Leaders at Green Sports Alliance 2016 Summit
June 9, 2016
Posted by:
Kelley Martin

Game Changers Awards to Be Presented At Green Sports Alliance Summit on June 29, 2016

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Portland, Oregon - The Green Sports Alliance will honor NHL Defenseman and Stanley Cup Champion Andrew Ference with the 2016 Green Sports Alliance Environmental Leadership Award at BBVA Compass Stadium on June 29 during the Green Sports Celebration. The Alliance Board of Directors will also announce the winners of the Environmental Innovators of the Year Awards during this tailgate-style event.

The Green Sports Alliance Environmental Leadership Award is presented to an individual member of the sports industry who has demonstrated leadership and has provided significant contributions to environmental sustainability - spurring environmental innovation at the team, venue, league or fan level as well as helping to advance the entire industry. The award is voted on by the Green Sports Alliance Board of Directors. Past Environmental Leadership Award Recipients Include:

•    Major League Baseball Commissioner Emeritus Allan H. (Bud) Selig (2012)•    Philadelphia Eagles Owner Christina Weiss Lurie (2013)•    National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman (2014)•    New York Yankees Vice President of Stadium Operations Doug Behar (2015)

Andrew Ference, a self-proclaimed eco-athlete, is one of the most recognized professional athletes dedicated to inspiring and creating positive environmental change across the sports industry. Andrew's work reflects his efforts to promote partnerships that encourage greening on and off the ice. In 2007, he established the NHL Players Association Carbon Neutral Challenge, the first major environmental initiative in professional hockey. Through this initiative, Ference encouraged over 500 players to go carbon neutral, creating a cultural shift across the league that established him as a leader in the green sports movement. Ference’s commitment to sustainability even extends beyond his work as an athlete: he is currently pursuing a certificate from Harvard Extension School in Corporate Sustainability and Innovation. His efforts integrate with the Green Sports Alliance and help member teams, leagues, and venues enhance greening efforts at their stadiums, events and supply chains.

“We are pleased to bring together the Green Sports Alliance community to unite around sustainability and recognize the leaders of the movement during the annual Awards ceremony during the Summit,” said Scott Jenkins, Board Chair. “Andrew’s leadership on and off the rink has inspired and created change for the better for the environment within the sports industry. We are honored to present him with the 2016 Green Sports Alliance Environmental Leadership Award.”

The Green Sports Alliance will also be honoring 7 of its members alongside Andrew Ference, with the Environmental Innovators of the Year Awards, demonstrating how the sports industry is accelerating environmental progress by integrating greening across their operations and developing innovative partnerships.

The Environmental Innovators of the Year Awards recognizes Green Sports Alliance member teams, venues, events or universities for their excellence in advancing the sports greening movement. Winners are those members that truly embody sports greening across their organization and operations, implementing projects that not only reduce environmental impact but encourage staff, fans, and players to do the same. An award will be given to one Green Sports Alliance member in each of the following categories: NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, NHL, Collegiate, and Other Events and Leagues.

"I have a tremendous amount of admiration for the Green Sports Alliance and respect the real impact that they have made in the world of professional sports," said Ference,"Their approach to large scale environmental solutions by way of sound business practices in the sports world is a story I tell often and it spurred me to further my own education in the field.  I'm honored to be recognized by the GSA and look forward to another fantastic experience at the conference in Houston."

In addition to the awards ceremony, the Celebration will also provide attendees with an opportunity to network over drinks and hors d’oeuvres and tour the home of the Houston Dynamo, Houston Dash and Texas Southern Tigers. Summit attendees can sign up for the Celebration at a discounted rate of $75 during their Summit registration, or Celebration Tickets can be bought a la carte for $100 on the Green Sports Alliance Registration Page.