On July 9, the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) awarded the 2017 Founders Awards to life-long environmental champion, Stewart Greenfield. The award recognized his tireless dedication to protecting Connecticut’s most important assets-our open spaces, clean air, and water.
As part of his acceptance of this honor, Greenfield has established the Russ Brenneman Fund in the CTLCV Education Fund’s endowment in remembrance of one of the founders of the League and Stewart’s close friend, Russ Brenneman.
A founder of Oak Investment Partners in Westport and Alternative Investment Group in Southport, Greenfield has been actively involved in environmental causes since 1984, working both locally and internationally on forest preservation and clean air and water issues, and statewide on environmental education.
A former board leader of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, Greenfield is trustee emeritus of The Nature Conservancy of Connecticut, and has served on the boards of Devils Den and Earthplace, and has participated in preservation projects with Audubon Society and the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Passionate about the preservation of nature since childhood, Greenfield first became involved in environmental activities with the preservation of Ayer’s Gap, a strikingly beautiful ravine in Eastern Connecticut. He later championed successful efforts to acquire and preserve natural areas, including Trout Brook Valley, the Kelda land, the Lachat addition to Devils Den and other areas.
Greenfield’s numerous efforts to protect endangered forests have extended internationally to rain forest preservation projects in Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Brazil, Panama, Columbia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Belize and Ecuador. He manages the Greenfield Environmental Protection Venture Fund, which provides seed capital for exploring new forest preservation projects through The Nature Conservancy.
In addition to spearheading extensive environmental initiatives, Greenfield is also currently vice-chairman of the board of St. John’s College and director of the Opera Orchestra.
A special thank you to David Storrs, Ken Bernhard and David Bingham for helping to organize the event and to Jeffrey Mayer and Nancy Diamond for letting us host the event in their beautiful home!
The Founders Award was created in 2016 to recognize environmental leaders in Connecticut. The first two awardees were the League’s founders, Julie Belaga and Russ Brenneman.
Photos from the Event
Special thanks to Senator Tony Hwang, Representative Gail Lavielle, and Representative Jonathan Steinberg for your presentations in Stewart Greenfield's honor!
