Hudson River Environmental Society Annual Awards Dinner

100 Rondout Landing,Kingston NY 12401

20 October, 2022

Description

The Hudson River Environmental Society will be honoring five dedicated professionals for their commitment to better understand and protect the natural environments of the Hudson River and watershed. Though the pandemic has prevented us from holding our annual awards dinner for the past two years, we continued to recognize the significant contributions folks dedicated to the Hudson River have made. In 2020, HRES recognized Dr. Isaac Wirgin for his long standing research program focused on the health effects contaminants have on Hudson River Fish. HRES also recognized Laura Heady for the conservation workshops she has been running with Hudson Valley communities for many years. In 2021, we recognized Clay Hiles for his direction and leadership of the Hudson River Foundation. His long tenure (over 40 years) as Executive Director at the HRF is a testament to his dedication and commitment to understanding, protecting, and improving the Hudson River estuary and environments. HRES also honored Dr. Melissa Everett for her ongoing commitment to advance green energy and reduce local communities' carbon footprint in the Hudson Valley. This year HRES established a new award commemorating Dennis Suszkowski, PhD. This awards an individual who has demonstrated strong leadership qualities throughout their career. This award recognizes an individual whose contributions to the Hudson Valley directly reflect their ability to motivate people through communicating a compelling vision and need, showing heart-felt respect and concern for others, always making those around them feel important, empowering and respecting those they work with, and showing a deep sense of gratitude to others. Dennis embodied these leadership traits and left a lasting impression on all who had the honor to know and work with him. HRES decided to honor Fran Dunwell as the first recipient of this new award. Fran demonstrated many of the leadership and personal traits this award was established to recognize. It is particularly fitting for Fran to receive this ward given her long tenure as the director of the Hudson River Estuary Program and Dennis' long tenure as the chair of the Hudson River Estuary Management Advisory Board which provided valuable direction and guidance to Fran as she developed the program that exists today. Note that to minimize the risk for COVID infection, the dinner will be held outdoors under a tent so make sure you dress for the weather. Dinner will be buffet style with a choice of fish, pork, or vegetarian main coarse.