Keep Evansville Beautiful Announces Award Winners

For Immediate Release
October 12, 2011 1 p.m.

For More Information Contact:
Ann Ennis, President, 425-4461
Jennifer Mason, 425-4461

KEB honors those who know “image matters”

Keep Evansville Beautiful board of directors welcomed Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel and 158 others guests at the agency’s annual award luncheon Wednesday, October 12.

The KEB Community Improvement Award went to Bootz Industries, for the major installation of a multi-acre greenscape with a park-like setting on First Avenue just South of Uhlhorn Avenue. Sod, trees, shrubbery and irrigation all make this formerly empty industrial lot shine.

One of two Outstanding Volunteer Awards went to Jeanette and Tom Scheller, of Akin Park Neighborhood. This husband and wife teams put in long hours and have for years in monitoring, cleaning and planting in Akin Park, as well as leading neighborhood cleanups. The second Volunteer of the Year is Jim Beck, of Alcoa-Warrick Operations and the KEB board of directors. Beck leads the Education Committee and is a strident and energized supporter of conservation, recycling and sustainable business practices. He also serves at Chair Elect for the not-for-profit agency.

The third major award is the 19th annual Keep Evansville Beautiful Partner of the Year Award, selected from board nominations of worthy business or agency efforts that support Keep Evansville Beautiful’s mission. Hafer Associates, a local architectural and engineering firm, received the award for extensive support of planning and developing the Airport Gateway and US Highway 41 Gateway project. Hafer’s principal Jeff Justice has led the Gateway project for nearly three years. KEB notes that none of the progress would be possible without Hafer Associates’ leadership. Hafer also received an in-kind supporter award for the firms donated professional services in 2011.

Also honored were three Extraordinary Sponsorship Award honorees for major gifts of $10,000 or more: Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Indiana, Vectren Energy, Archer Daniels Midland and Scripp Foundation, via Evansville Courier & Press.

The annual Roots to Grow awards went to businesses making program sponsorship of $2,000 or more: Alcoa Warrick Operations, Fifth Third Bank, Peabody Energy, Bussing-Koch Foundation, The Downtown Kiwanis, Deaconess Hospital, The North Side Business Association, The Kiwanis Club of the North Side, The Jeffrey A. Bosse Family, Evansville Urban Enterprise Association, Joseph Parker and the Mr. & Mrs. Bob Giolitto Family, Old National Bank, Springleaf Financial Services, Mead Johnson Nutritionals, and Allied Waste/Republic Services.

KEB also awarded several in-kind support wards, a new category in 2011 to businesses that donate professional services or supplies. KEB notes that these donations nearly double program effectiveness annually. In-kind awards went to The Evansville Courier and Press, Hafer Associates, Townsquare Media, Acclaim Graphics, NM Bunge Masonry, IBEW Local 16, Deig Bros. Construction, Bernardin Lochmueller & Associates, and Industrial Contractors, Inc.

During the ceremony, KEB President Ann Ennis said, “The amount of absolute teamwork, can-do attitudes and pride Keep Evansville Beautiful finds in our community this past year is over-the-top inspiring. Together, we all made a ridiculous number of major projects succeed. “There is nothing we cannot achieve working together in Southwestern Indiana; you have to believe that,” she said to the audience.

Also today, Evansville Courier & Press Magazine Editor Cheryl Martin presented the new GreenOVATION Awards. This program expanded the previous business landscaping awards. GreenOVATION invited regional businesses to score themselves on an array of landscaping, good neighbor and conservation practices.

The GreenOVATION awards are progressive rewards representing a community that strives for sustainable and quality conservation and curb appeal practices. As the Garner Report, of the Regional Economic Development Coalition, notes, these are truly economic development tools for the tri-state.

GreenOVATION Endeavor Awards go to entities with scores of 60% on the worksheet, a score that shows they are endeavoring to put into place aesthetic and conservation-minded office practices: Anchor Industries, Evansville Police Department-South Sector Office, Koch Enterprises, and Deig Bros. Construction.

The Merit Award this year includes businesses, congregations and civic entities that have each secured a score of 75% or better on the worksheet. These honorees are significantly achieving results in promoting curb appeal, neighborliness and sustainable operations practices: Burdette Park – Pool, Deaconess Hospital, Evansville Courier & Press, Gribbins Insulation Company, Inc., Orthopaedic Associates, Wesselman Nature Society , Working Distributors Inc., St. Mary Catholic Church, Mead Johnson Nutritionals, Data Mail Inc. , VPS Architecture, Fifth Third Bank, Ashley Point Apartments, and the Evansville Airport Authority.
Finally, the GreenOVATION Excellence Awards, go to those entities achieving a score of 90% or better. This score shows leadership in conservation, image-building and good citizenship: Vanderburgh Humane Society, University of Evansville, University of Southern Indiana, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana, St. Benedict Cathedral and Parish, Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden , Hampton Inn – Evansville Airport, Old National Bank, and Burdette Park Main Office, Miniature Golf and Discovery Lodge