Green Sports Alliance President Allen Hershkowitz to Retire

Source: Green Sports Alliance

Portland, OR (June 22, 2016) – The Green Sports Alliance today announced that the organization’s president Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, has decided to step aside from his formal role within the Alliance in order to intensify his green sports initiatives internationally. Dr. Hershkowitz’s departure takes effect June 30, following the sixth annual Green Sports Summit,June 28-30 in Houston. Executive Director and Alliance co-founder Justin Zeulner continues to run day-to-day operations.

The move is part of a leadership transition plan that has been in the works for some time, said Scott Jenkins, chairman of the board. “We will maintain a close relationship and continue to benefit from Allen’s vision and enthusiasm.”

“I have been deeply engaged in sports greening work for 12 years and there is a global need and appetite for meaningful organizational change that can have a vast impact on climate change,” Hershkowitz said. ”My time at Green Sports Alliance has been rewarding and I look forward to broadening the scope of my sports greening by fostering an international coalition that builds upon many of our accomplishments here in the United States.” Hershkowitz was a co-founder of the Alliance. Prior to that, he served as a senior scientist for the Natural Resources Defense Council for 26 years.

During Hershkowitz’s tenure as President of the Green Sports Alliance, the organization’s revenues more than doubled, membership grew by more than 20 percent, a Corporate Member Network was created, and the influence and visibility of the organization grew internationally. Hershkowitz played a key role in the organization’s early growth– first as a board member, then more recently as its president. What started as a six-team group in the Pacific Northwest is today’s thriving 370-plus member organization that serves all North American major and minor leagues, teams, and venues; NASCAR; USTA; collegiate sports; and a growing number of international sports entities. Through convening key stakeholders and sharing best practices, the Alliance enables leagues, teams and venues to green their operations more effectively and more profitably. Today, the Green Sports Alliance is considered the leader in the global sports greening movement.

“As a result of Allen's leadership, the organization is stronger than ever. Thanks to his mentorship of staff, the organization’s board development, and expanding partnerships across the industry, the Green Sports Alliance leads from a broad base of committed experts with knowledge and experience in all facets of the greening of sports,” Jenkins said.

Justin Zeulner, Executive Director
Justin Zeulner has been a key player with the Green Sports Alliance since it began, first serving as a founding member of its board of directors. He joined the staff as chief operating officer in late 2014, and was later named executive director. His commitment to environmental sustainability runs deep. Before joining the Alliance, he was a senior project developer at Vulcan, Inc., where he focused on public engagement and campaign development around conservation and climate change. Prior to that, he served as senior director for sustainability and public affairs for the Portland Trail Blazers. Among his accomplishments there, he was directly involved in environmental initiatives that led to the Moda Center achieving LEED Gold status, the first LEED Gold existing building in professional sports in the world.

Statement of Direction
In the coming months, the Green Sports Alliance will expand on its successful foundation of working with leagues, teams, venues, and NGOs. Particular areas of focus include deepening the program with collegiate sports; expanding its international presence through establishing additional strategic partnerships and enrolling new member organizations; and furthering the growth of its corporate members network. The Alliance will soon begin development of an athlete engagement program. Details will be announced in the near future.

About the Green Sports Alliance
The Green Sports Alliance leverages the cultural and market influence of sports to promote healthy, sustainable communities where we live and play. The nonprofit does so by inspiring sports leagues, teams, venues, their partners, and millions of fans to embrace renewable energy, healthy food, recycling, water efficiency, species preservation, safer chemicals, and other environmentally preferable practices. Alliance members represent more than 370 sports teams and venues from 20 different sports leagues and 14 countries. Visit greensportsalliance.org for more information.