Oregon Business Plan Committee and Rural Idaho Entrepreneur Recognized for Leadership in Sustainability and Conservation

Sustainable Northwest, March 4, 2008

Four-term Idaho Governor and former U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Cecil D. Andrus will present “Andrus Leadership Awards” to the Steering Committee of the Oregon Business Plan and MaryJane Butters of Moscow, Idaho on March 14 th in Portland.

PORTLAND— The 2008 winners of the Cecil D. Andrus Leadership Awards for Sustainability and Conservation are MaryJane Butters of Moscow, Idaho and the 2007 Oregon Business Plan Steering Committee. Governor Andrus will present the awards in-person at the third-annual Sustainable Northwest Auction and Awards Gala on March 14 th at the Portland Art Museum.

“Governor Andrus has always been a leader ahead of his time, and so are the recipients of the Andrus Awards. They are ground-breakers in conservation and sustainability and their leadership deserves to be recognized and followed,” said Martin Goebel, President of Sustainable Northwest.

Environmental activist and organic farmer, MaryJane Butters is a pioneer of sustainability and conservation. She is the founder of a thriving environmental group, has developed a diverse array of organic products, and runs a rural enterprise that has been featured in National Geographic magazine. She trains future organic farmers through a farm apprentice program, runs a B&B that was featured in the New York Times Style Magazine, designs and sells her own line of organic linens, and is the creator of Project F.A.R.M. (First-class American Rural Made), an organization that supports rural women’s handicrafts. She is the author of three books on farm living, and her magazine, MaryJanesFarm, is distributed nationwide.

Since 2002, the Oregon Business Plan has provided the strategic framework for Oregon's business and elected leaders, building a stronger, more competitive state economy. In 2006 the focus of the Plan was turned to Oregon’s reputation for sustainability as a competitive advantage, and to leveraging “green” products, services, and expertise. With strong support from the community, the 2007 Oregon Business Plan Steering Committee strategically focused on “green” industries, from wood products to solar energy, to discover industry needs and to find big ideas that advance the sustainability strategy. This focus is proving effective, finding Oregon ahead of the curve with expanded markets and opportunities for sustainable businesses and jobs.

The annual “Andrus Leadership Awards” recognize people’s demonstrated commitment to stewardship of the environment, economic entrepreneurship, and service to the community. Past recipients have included Stahlbush Island Farms of Corvallis Oregon, Norm Thompson Outfitters of Portland Oregon, Jefferson State Forest Products of Hayfork California, and Celilo Group Media of Portland Oregon.

Among his many conservation accomplishments, Cecil D. Andrus has helped established numerous National Recreation Areas in Idaho. He also championed the “Birds of Prey” sanctuary in Idaho, and served as the Carter Administration’s point-man for protection and preservation of what Andrus termed, “the crown jewels of Alaska.” Through numerous additions to the national park system, the wilderness system, the wild rivers system, and national wildlife refuges, Andrus ensured the preservation of some 103 million acres in perpetuity through the Alaska Native Land Claims Settlement Act. In 1994, Governor Andrus helped establish the nonprofit organization, Sustainable Northwest.

 “I think Sustainable Northwest is precisely the kind of environmental organization we need for today and tomorrow – one that addresses both environmental and economic challenges and opportunities, actively bridging rural and urban interests, for the good of both,” said Cecil D. Andrus of the organization he founded in 1994. He added, “The people we are honoring with Andrus Awards embody those values and pursuits.”

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Award event details: Friday, March 14, 2008, 5:00 p.m.- 10:30 p.m., Portland Art Museum - Mark Building, 1119 SW Park Avenue, Portland, Oregon.