Ted Turner receives 2003 Argon Award The prestigious Argon Award for Success in Sustainability was awarded to Ted Turner, founder of CNN and chairman of the Turner Foundation, February 12 at Southface's fifth annual Visionary Dinner. Laura Seydel accepted the award on her father's behalf. The Argon Award, presented by Jacoby Development and Atlantic Station, is presented to a Georgia-based business or community leader who has made a significant commitment to environmental stewardship. Turner was recognized for his history of environmental activism and philanthropy.
Dennis Creech of Southface, Jim Jacoby of Jacoby Development and Atlantic Station, Laura Seydel of The Turner Foundation and Ray Anderson of Interface Inc. display the Argon Award for Success in Sustainability.
Turner was named an Atlanta Legend by Business to Business Magazine in January, 2003. Since the Visionary Dinner aims to bring together the business and environmental communities to envision a sustainable future, it was appropriate to recognize Turner's environmentalism by presenting him with the Argon Award this year. The Turner Foundation, founded in 1991, provides support for initiatives such as clean water and toxics reduction; clean air through improved energy efficiency and renewable energy; wildlife habitat protection; and the development of equitable practices and policies designed to reduce population growth rates. The Turner Endangered Species Fund is a core grantee of the Turner Foundation, which works to conserve biodiversity by emphasizing efforts on private land, particularly on the Turner properties. As the nation's largest private landholder, this work has a significant impact. The Turner Foundation has given more than $222 million to hundreds of organizations, many of them working to protect Georgia's environment and its citizens. Past Argon Award recipients are Ray Anderson, Chairman, Interface, Inc.; Arthur Blank, co-founder, The Home Depot; and Dr. William Chace, President, Emory University.

GEC Legislative Reception More than 200 people, members of Georgia Environmental Council (GEC) and others, attended the 2003 Legislative Reception at Southface to meet and mingle with legislators. GEC members displayed booths with their information, the Non Essentials band played and Carol Hassell, GEC Executive Director gave remarks. "Legislator of the Year" was presented to Nan Orrock. GEC's mission is to increase the effectiveness of its members to protect and enhance the environment of Georgia.

Nan Orrock (second on left) accepts the Georgia Environmental Council's "Legislator of the Year Award" from Dennis Creech, Carroll Hassell and Hans Neuhauser, executive director of Georgia Environmental Policy Institute, at the GEC Legislative Reception at Southface.

Southface Silver Anniversary May 2003 marks Southface's 25th Anniversary. Southface began as a volunteer effort called the "Georgia Solar Coalition." Broadening its outreach and scope, the organization renovated a home on Moreland Avenue and opened Southface there in the mid 1980s.

The Southface Energy and Environmental Resource Center in Midtown opened its doors in 1996, demonstrating more than 100 environmentally responsible technologies. Having outgrown its current facility with a staff of 25, and now addressing both residential and commercial sustainability efforts, a new commercial office facility is being planned next to Southface's existing home. The commercial building will celebrate Southface's exciting future and enable the organization to meet ever-growing demand for programs.

Southface Board

New Member Joins Southface Board

A.J. Robinson is president of Portman Properties and chairman of the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District. He is also on the Board of Directors of AmericasMart. Robinson has been a director of AmericasMart since the company was founded. In addition, he has served as the president of Portman Properties, Inc. and the managing general partner of Portman Holdings since the company's formation. He had been employed by Portman Overseas, first as executive vice president and then as president for more than five years.

Existing Southface Board Members Accept New Positions

Helping to guide the organization in this milestone year, three members of the Southface Board of Directors have accepted new positions. Jeff George assumes the role of Board Chair; Pam Sessions, Vice-Chair; and Steve Cave, Secretary. Paul Woodworth remains Treasurer of the Board.

Southface Board Member Loses Courageous Battle with Cancer

A respected member of Atlanta's real estate and construction industry, Bruce Wittschiebe passed away on February 27, 2003 of cancer at the age of 47. As Vice President with Hardin Construction Company and recently Vice President of Development for Cousins Real Estate Corp., Bruce was involved in the development and construction of numerous landmark buildings in the Atlanta area, such as the Crawford Long Hospital, Concourse Office Building and the Atlanta Airport Hilton. Bruce was introduced to Southface by Chair of the Board Jeff George, and had been an active Board member since early 2002.

A memorial service was held March 1 in Atlanta. Hundreds, including some of Atlanta's most prominent design and construction professionals, filled the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer to honor a revered friend and colleague.

Contributions may be made in Bruce's name to: The Lance Armstrong Foundation, P.O. Box 161150, Austin, Texas 78716 or The Georgia Tech Foundation, 177 North Avenue NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30332.

Southface interns and fellows, left to right: Amy Purdie, Jason Sydlowski, Cary Miller, Cyrus Bhedwar, Ethan Hirsch-Tauber, Kathleen Sciole and Corinne Benedek.

New Interns & Fellows

Cyrus Bhedwar, Research Fellow, graduated from George Washington University with a bachelor's degree in political science before spending six months at Southface as an intern. He returned to his home state of Delaware to pursue his Master's Degree in Energy and Environmental Policy, which will be awarded this May from the University of Delaware. Currently, Cyrus is assisting the City of Atlanta to develop energy and cost-saving programs and policies.

Cary Miller has returned for a second internship at Southface. An Ohio University graduate, with a B.S. in Environmental and Plant Biology, Cary has experience with environmental education and started the Athens Do It Yourself Festival. After his Southface internship, he hopes to pursue his interests in urban ecology and agriculture in graduate school.

Kathleen Sciole, Southface Intern, is from northern New York and graduated from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh with a B.A. degree in Environmental Science. While an undergrad Kathleen studied ecology, primatology, and marine science in Madagascar and Honduras. While at Southface she aspires to carpet the world with greenroofs.

Brian Holland, Southface Intern, grew up in metro Atlanta and is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies at the University of Georgia. He hopes to work in the sustainable development/design field in some capacity.

Jason Sydlowski, Southface Intern, graduated with a B.A. in Sociology and minor in International Eco-tourism from Colorado State University. He has worked with sustainable building practices at an eco-tourist resort in the American Virgin Islands and he hopes to continue working in the field of renewable energy sources.

Amy Purdie, Southface Intern, graduated from Carleton College with a degree in Mathematics. She has held one internship in Utah's Canyonlands National Park and aspires to use her Southface experience to eventually establish a land trust demonstrating how land protection, sustainable agriculture and people-oriented communities can unite to create a livable world.

Ethan Hirsch-Tauber, EarthCraft House Intern, graduated from New College of Florida in 2001 with a BA in Environmental Studies. He spent the next year in Sarasota, Fla. working for a community research organization, an organic farm and a remodeling contractor. His plans for the future include working in the fields of sustainable development, conservation biology, environmental education-or all three.

Sun Spots

Jim Hackler of EarthCraft House, Carl Seville of SawHorse and Dennis Creech of Southface display the "2002 Model reModel" award from Professional Remodeler Magazine, presented to the EarthCraft House Renovation Program in Las Vegas in February.	Members of the Atlanta Regional Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council at its 2002 Annual Meeting.

HERS on the Road took Southface's Mike Barcik and Mike Andreyuk to Rockville, Maryland to teach the Home Energy Rating System (HERS). Class attendees included: David Brosch, John Diem, Jeff Gilbert, Bion Howard, Ronald Jackson, Michael Lafferty, Tim LaRonde, Michael Lawson, Jack Rafferty, Glenn Thompson, E. Alison Tribble.	Since roughly 80 percent of a home builder's waste stream is recyclable, Peter Yost with Building Science Corporation shows how to minimize waste using an on-site grinder during a class presented by Southface at the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association.

Students from Emory, Georgia Institute of Technology, Appalachian State University, University of Georgia and Fernbank Science Center were among those who received scholarships to attend Greenprints 2003 from benefactors Green Street Properties, Walter P. Moore & Associates, Inc. and the Center for Transportation and the Environment.