Newsletter- Summer 2007

Message from the Executive Director

Regina Hauser

Saying Goodbye to Family Members and Welcoming

a New Member

June has been a month of change for us. First, the month started with Clem Laufenberg’s death, which was expected, although perhaps not so soon. Clem was one of the Network co-founders and coordinated the premier events for the Network. It had been our hope that we would be able to celebrate our upcoming Tenth Anniversary in October with Clem. Clem hadn’t been directly involved in planning our workshops for several years, but he still joined the events planning committee every month to discuss topics and breakfast speakers. We were thrilled to hear every month of the latest bicycle or ski trip from which he had just returned. Recently, his travels were curtailed but he still came to our meetings, listened and shared ideas. We will continue to use his standards for putting on inspirational quality events to keep his spirit alive within the Network.

This month also marks the retirement of Jeanne Roy from the Network’s board of directors. Jeanne has been a tireless advocate for organizations to adopt the Natural Step framework over the past 10 years. The story of Jeanne’s involvement in founding the Network is local legend. In 1997 she and volunteers, including Clem Laufenberg, organized a Natural Step workshop which attracted so much interest that three workshops were necessary to accommodate the 500 business and community leaders who attended. Attendees wanted more than just informational workshops and thus the

Network was formed under the umbrella of the Northwest Earth Institute.

In 2002 the Northwest Earth Institute decided that it was time for the Network to fledge and fly on its own. Jeanne served as one of the five founding board members, and was a great help to me when I started out as executive director. She had two notebooks ready for me on that first day in May 2002. She seemed to know every detail of every activity and procedure. She got me off to a great start. Since 2002, the board has grown from 5 to 10 members. As a board member Jeanne has always looked at the Network’s programs through the lens of The Natural Step framework, and asked how each of our programs promote the use of the framework. She has been vigilant in making sure that the Network, just like the Natural Step framework, focuses on systemic changes and not get sidetracked by a “flavor of the month” in sustainability. Jeanne has also served as our “editor-in-chief” of case studies and articles. It is our hope that she will continue to help us in this area as she has time. Thank you Jeanne, we are grateful for your generosity and authenticity in steering the Network forward. Your service has been invaluable.

Replacing Jeanne on the board is Nancy Stueber, president of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. OMSI has been a leader among museums in sustainability practices and education. Welcome Nancy!