Wildlife Habitat Council Announces Greg Cekander As Incoming Chairman Of The Board

The Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) announces Greg Cekander, Vice President Environmental Management, Waste Management Inc. (WM), as its new Chairman of the Board of Directors. Cekander was appointed to the position, which carries a two-year term, on March 10, 2011, during the biannual Board meeting, which took place in Silver Spring, Maryland. He previously served a two-year term as Secretary-Treasurer on the WHC Board.

"As a long time member of the WHC Board, I’ve seen the impressive work that’s been done by the organization and its members," said Cekander. "I look forward to building upon WHC’s successes as we continue to collaborate with our members and communities to enhance biodiversity and environmental education across North America."

"WHC is privileged to have a Board composed of the best executive leadership for advancing public/private partnerships in biodiversity conservation," said Robert Johnson, president, WHC. "Greg Cekander understands the conservation challenges we face and brings to the Chairmanship a passion for innovation and service excellence, both of which will strengthen WHC’s impact in attaining its mission."

In his capacity at Waste Management as Vice President of the Environmental Management Group, Cekander champions environmental leadership programs in the solid waste management industry. He directs his team in the development and implementation of programs, tools, training, and processes associated with engineering operations in the field focusing on: infrastructure design and capital program management, landfill gas design/operational management, air emissions, greenhouse gas (GHG), and carbon footprint and accounting, as well as environmental due diligence with associated asset purchase/divestures. In addition, his team evaluates the engineering science surrounding our business practices and looks to expand service offerings through use of innovative technologies for our customers. Cekander was first elected to the WHC Board in 2004.

WM is a longtime WHC member, having joined in 1989. In 2007, the company took a bold step by including preservation and restoration of wildlife habitat across North America as one of its four core environmental initiatives. CEO, David P. Steiner, made the announcement at the World Business Forum that by 2020, the company planned to certify 100 programs at WM sites through WHC, and increase the number of acres set aside for conservation and wildlife habitat to approximately 25,000. Greg was instrumental in helping WM reach this goals in 2010 — a remarkable ten years early. WM currently maintains the highest number of certified program of any WHC member with 103 Wildlife at WorkSM, 17 Corporate Lands for LearningSM programs and has set aside 26,000 acres for wildlife.

The Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) is a nonprofit, non-lobbying organization dedicated to increasing the quality and amount of wildlife habitat on corporate, private and public lands. WHC devotes its resources to building partnerships with corporations and conservation groups to create solutions that balance the demands of economic growth with the requirements of a healthy, biodiverse and sustainable environment. WHC-assisted wildlife habitat and conservation education programs are found in 43 states, the District of Columbia and nine other countries. To learn more, visit www.wildlifehc.org.

###