Bringing the Sierra to the State Capital: Sierra Nevada leaders honored with Vision 2020 Award in Sacramento

Released on: March 16, 2009, 6:02 am
Author: Sierra Business Council
Industry: Non-Profit

Sacramento, Calif. – Some of the greatest things happen under conditions of adversity and at Sierra Business Council we’re committed to approaches that create opportunity from those exact circumstances. Community members, organizations, and businesses are still doing great work, doubling their efforts, and calling for change despite the economic downturn and the uncertainty we face.

Each year, the regional sustainability non-profit, Sierra Business Council, hosts an event to recognize and encourage leadership in the Sierra, honoring community members as their work continues to achieve excellence in projects and approaches that foster community vitality, environmental quality, economic prosperity, and social fairness.

Throughout the Sierra, we recognize the growing need to bridge the divide between rural and urban communities in California. Bringing our Vision 2020 celebration to Sacramento does just that. Steve Frisch, SBC President

As a way to highlight the issue, this year’s theme for the Vision 2020 Awards is a Sierra Getaway Party. This free event is open to anyone who wants to “escape to the Sierra” for the evening.

Sierra Business Council’s 2008 Vision 2020 Awards Celebration features presentations from Vision 2020 Award winners and appetizers and dessert sourced from the Sierra with the help of the Placer Gold Slow Food chapter.

This year’s winners include the partnership between Executive Chef Mark Estee of Moody’s Bistro & Lounge, Baxter’s Bistro and Lounge, and Founder of Burger Me in Truckee, CA and Gary Romano from Sierra Valley Farms. This duo has demonstrated support for sustainable food in the Sierra Valley, Lake Tahoe and Placer County areas. Gary and Mark’s relationship demonstrates commitment to local farmers and sustainable agriculture.

John Wentworth of Mammoth Lakes is being honored for his accomplishments with Mammoth Lakes Trails and Public Access (MLTPA). MLTPA has worked diligently to bring much-deserved focus and attention to the future of the Mammoth community and its critical relationship with environmental resources. MLTPA has engaged with Town government, federal agencies, other nonprofits, the public, and private businesses to work collaboratively toward its mission.

Paul Hardy, Executive Director of Feather River Land Trust, has been awarded for his achievement in building one of the most effective and enduring land trusts in California. Paul has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to partnership and collaboration and has imparted a strong ethic of conservation among many leaders.

Phil Carville, President and CEO of Carville Sierra Inc., a family owned and operated development company, is being awarded for his outstanding work on the Loma Rica Ranch project in the City of Grass Valley. Phil has become one of the region’s most determined spokesmen for New Urbanism, Traditional Neighborhood Design, and Smart Growth within the Sierra Nevada.

SBC’s 2008 Vision 2020 Awards Celebration takes place on Thursday, March 19, 2009 from 6:00-10:00pm and is hosted at The Grand Ballroom in Sacramento, CA located at 629 J Street. Please visit www.sbcouncil.org for more information.

RSVP requested at www.sbcouncil.org/celebratesierra

Sierra Business Council is hosting a press conference for its annual Vision 2020 Awards starting promptly at 5:30pm at The Grand Ballroom the evening of the 19th. Press packet can be found online at www.sbcouncil.org Tuesday the 17th.

About Sierra Business Council
The Sierra Business Council serves the entire Sierra Nevada region. As a nonprofit association of more than 750 businesses, agencies, and individual members, Sierra Business Council is committed to promoting a new perspective on regional wealth while emphasizing collaboration in planning and policy making.

Contact : Media, Nikki Streegan
nstreegan@sbcouncil.org
530.582.4800