Metro took home the top prize at Southern California Association of Governments’ Seventh Annual Compass Blueprint Recognition Awards and received the President’s Award of Excellence for its Countywide Sustainability Planning Policy, which promotes regional collaboration to increase mobility, foster walkable and livable communities, and minimize greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact.
“It has been a pleasure to serve both Metro and SCAG boards in developing greener, sustainable and livable community policies that our 88 cities can consider implementing on a voluntary basis,” said Pam O’Connor, Mayor of Santa Monica, Past President of SCAG and Metro Board Chair of the Sustainable Ad Hoc Committee. “I am proud of Metro’s leadership that can be an example statewide and nationwide.”
In addition, Metro CEO Art Leahy received the Public Sector Leader of the Year award for Metro’s accomplishments during the past year with projects that will alleviate congestion and improve air quality.
Read the full press release from SCAG after the jump.
Four Southern California leaders were honored this week by the nation’s largest metropolitan planning organization for their “material and significant impact” in addressing the major issues facing the region.
The Southern California Association of Governments presented the two men and two women with its President’s Leadership Awards during its 2013 Regional Conference & General Assembly.
“Southern California is very fortunate to have the support, energy and enthusiasm of these four leaders who improve the lives of our 18 million residents,” said Simi Valley City Council member and SCAG President Glen Becerra. “Their partnership with SCAG has been invaluable in finding solutions to improve our 191 cities’ mobility, economic viability and livability.”
Jesse Knight, chief executive officer of San Diego Gas & Electric and co-chair of the Southern California Leadership Council, was honored as Regional Partnership Leader of the Year. Under Knight’s leadership, SCLC adopted a number of initiatives to support job recovery, modernization of the California Environmental Quality Act, international trade and minimizing the economic impact of sequestration on Southern California military bases. He also co-chaired SCAG’s December Economic Summit focusing on job recovery and attracting more businesses to the region.
Art Leahy, chief executive officer of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, received the Public Sector Leader of the Year award. Metro’s accomplishments during the past year include launching the largest public transit construction program in the nation, opening – on schedule – a $214 million high-occupancy toll program on the Harbor and I-10 freeways, and securing federal funding commitments to help clear the way for 10 additional transportation projects that will alleviate congestion and improve air quality.
Fran Inman, senior vice president of Industry-based Majestic Realty, was honored as Private Sector Leader of the Year. Inman represents several Southern California, including SCAG, on the California Transportation Commission and is a leading voice in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., on freight and transportation matters. She also is actively involved in business and economic issues through the Global Land Use and Economic (GLUE) Council.
Amanda Eaken, deputy director of sustainable communities for the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Energy & Transportation Program, was honored as Southern California Sustainability Leader of the Year. Eaken worked with local and state leaders to spread the word about SCAG’s 2012-2035 Regional Transportation Plan / Sustainable Communities Strategy, and has helped SCAG and local transportation agencies find additional funding tools to implement provisions of the RTP/SCS.
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