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2005 Employee Recognition Award Recipients
Presented May 4, 2005, San Francisco
STEVE GRIFFITHS is the recipient of the BEHIND THE SCENES HERO AWARD. This award salutes an employee whose tremendous efforts, skills and talents have repeatedly and consistently supported and enabled others to advance the
Sierra Club's mission in a significant way, or to accomplish a large and important project.
Steve has worked for the Club over 25 years. He started as the office manager in our Hawaii Chapter and then came to work in the Headquarters office in 1981. He has worked in the Books Department, Outings, Centennial, and the Office of Educational Programs. He is currently our Assistant Director of OEP. Steve leads a very talented group of grant writers in an effort to help staff and volunteers develop proposals and fundraising plans, and with his leadership they do a tremendous volume of work.
His work in preparing proposals and reports and tracking grants is always of the highest quality. This work often goes unnoticed, in that when Steve and his team are doing their jobs well, everything goes smoothly. Steve is deeply committed to the Club and helps with the same amount of enthusiasm, whether the program is a priority campaign or a smaller restricted project.
KEN KRAMER is this year's recipient of the VIRGINIA FERGUSON AWARD, which honors an employee who has demonstrated consistent and exemplary service to the Sierra Club. Commitment to the organization is demonstrated not only
through competence and longevity of employment, but also in congenial attitude, extraordinary spirit, and unquestionable integrity that makes this individual's performance an inspiration to the rest of the staff.
Ken has work with the Sierra Club's Lone Star Chapter in a volunteer and professional capacity since 1978. Ken has served as Lone Star Chapter Director for more than fifteen years working with more than eighteen groups across the state of Texas.
It is said that Ken is a master of knowing what's possible in the Texas Legislature. He speaks the truth and his demeanor, intelligence and politeness to all, even adversaries, have earned him respect. People who work with Ken describe him as being well spoken, considerate, a good mentor, a compassionate boss and a good friend. He has elevated their spirits and ours with stories of the long fight for the environment.
JOHN CALAWAY receives this year's EXCELLENCE AWARD, which is given to an
employee who has displayed a distinguished and consistent record of achievement in implementing ideas, systems, programs, and/or services in collaborations or team efforts that have resulted in substantial improvements, efficiencies and/or savings to services and operations Club-wide or have greatly helped advance the message of the Club.
John has been with the Club over 12 years and currently manages and leads the Planned Giving department within our Office of Advancement. As Deputy Director of the Advancement Department he wears many hats and is a leader
in all areas of Advancement fundraising. His ability to engage staff, lead
through challenging times, and strategize through complicated decisions,
illustrates his exceptional leadership and management skills.
John's real
passion is fundraising, and he is incredible at it. His ability to work
with donors, and raise the money the Club needs has been proven year after
year. Revenue is essential for all organizations (profit or not-profit)
and John Calaway has helped lead our organization into the level of
sophisticated and profitable fundraising it has now.
EMILY GREEN receives this year's MIKE MCCLOSKEY AWARD which is bestowed upon an employee with at least three years of service, whose work has reflected and strengthened the meaning, purpose, and mission of the Sierra Club, and who has contributed to the prestige of the Sierra Club in the world community. The Mike McCloskey award honors a distinguished record of achievement in national or international conservation causes.
In her nine years with the Sierra Club, Emily has helped lead the Great Lakes program to regional prominence. After co-authoring the initial draft of the Great Lakes Legacy Act, she used her unique diplomatic skills to garner wide support for the Act including the Council of Great Lakes Industries and ultimately succeeded in bringing millions into the region to clean up toxic sites.
Emily played a significant role in the largest cleanup of contaminated sediments the nation has yet seen, dredging the PCBs from Wisconsin's Fox River. From cleaning up coal plants in Minnesota to bringing Sierra Club US and Sierra Club Canada together to protect the waters of the Great Lakes, Emily goes above and beyond each and every day to protect our air, water, and lands.
GREG HAEGELE, DEBBIE SEASE, BILL ARTHUR, and AIMEE TAVARES receive this year's SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, which acknowledges an employee's special achievement — one that has benefited, changed, or streamlined the work of the Sierra Club, enhanced its public image, and/or communicated its
message.
This team is being recognized for the leadership they provided in designing and implementing the Sierra Club's 2004 Environmental Voter Education Campaign (EVEC). They coordinated the effort within the Conservation Department, connecting field, media, political, and compliance as well as found meaningful roles for non-Conservation departments.
The EVEC program recruited thousands of (new) volunteers into the Sierra Club program, accomplished the goal of turning out infrequent environmental voters, and built grassroots political power for the Sierra Club that will remain and can be utilized for many years to come.
JOYCE TAIRA is this year's recipient of the COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD. The Community Service Award is given in recognition of a commitment to helping others through public service or community involvement in a non-Sierra Club cause.
Joyce Taira has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity for six years and has been involved all phases of construction from foundations, framing, finish, as well as electrical and plumbing for approximately seven housing projects in San Francisco. Habitat's Construction Manager indicates that Joyce always confronts each task given, sees it through, and has been a great
volunteer.
Habitat homes are built in partnership with low-income families who contribute "sweat equity" hours toward construction. Habitat for Humanity has been instrumental in providing much needed housing, stability and revitalization of neighborhoods in San Francisco and Joyce's contribution to the community is much appreciated.
20-YEAR EMPLOYEES
We would like to recognize the following Sierra Club employees who have completed 20 years of service to the Club:
Larry Mehlhaff
Larry has served the Sierra Club with dedication, skill,
humor, and distinction for 20 years. He has spearheaded and inspired many
successful campaigns including Wyoming Wilderness and our grizzly bear and
wolf protection programs. Recently, as Deputy National Field Director, he
has coordinated Conservation Department program development and
fundraising. His most successful effort was leading the national campaign
to have Harmon Killebrew enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Joan Hamilton
Our Editor and Chief for Sierra Magazine has been with the
Club since October 1984. Joan has sustained a consistent voice for the
Sierra Club with her editorial leadership throughout her two decades with
the Club. Her voice shines through every page of the magazine, inspiring
our members and reinforcing their commitment to our mission.
Anne Woiwode
She first became involved as a member of the mid-Michigan
group around 1982 and currently is the Mackinac Chapter Director. It is
said that Anne has a keen, creative intellect and clearly understands how
to identify the opportunities to engage in effective environmental
advocacy. Because of her long term work in developing strategy on forestry
issues in the state and excellent CAFO campaign implementation we have
become one of the lead environmental organizations in Michigan on those
issues.
Tina Arapkiles
Our Regional Representative from Boulder Colorado has been
us since March of 1985. Tina worked her way up through our field office in
Boulder, CO by answering the phones to a position of experience and skill
handling everything from wilderness protection, energy policy and clean air
to electoral action and fundraising. In recent years she has focused on
coordinating efforts to bring back the wolf to the southern Rockies, and in
recruiting for the Club's rural scholarship program in southern Utah. She
has always brought dedication, energy and good cheer to our office and the
Sierra Club's work in Colorado and the Southwest.