First Female Recipient of Alliance’s Chairman’s Award
Chosen by First Female Honorary Board Chair

For More Information
Ronnie Kweller 202-530-2203 rkweller@ase.org
Craig Schattner 202-530-4346 cschattner@ase.org

For Immediate Release

Washington, D.C., August 17, 2010 – Alliance to Save Energy Honorary Board Chair Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the first woman to hold that post on the Alliance’s Board of Directors, has selected Department of Energy (DOE) Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Cathy Zoi to receive the prestigious Chairman’s Award.  The award will be presented September 14 at the Alliance’s 2010 Evening with the Stars of Energy Efficiency. 

The gala celebrates energy efficiency trendsetters in front of a crowd of more than 500 members of Congress, industry leaders, high-level government officials and federal agency staff.

Zoi joins these previously-announced Stars of Energy Efficiency:

• U.S. Green Building Council President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi
• Danfoss
• U-Haul
• Environment Canada and Efficiency New Brunswick
• Cincinnati Zoo
• OPOWER

"Assistant Secretary Zoi has championed energy efficiency since well before her days as chief of staff for environmental policy in the Clinton Administration," said Alliance President Kateri Callahan. "We are thrilled with this selection by Sen. Shaheen – her first major decision as honorary chair of the Alliance board – and we welcome Assistant Secretary Zoi to a long line of distinguished winners of our Chairman’s Award."

Before she was appointed DOE Assistant Secretary, Zoi served as the founding CEO of the Alliance for Climate Protection, a nonprofit organization chaired by former Vice President Al Gore that is dedicated to increasing awareness of and solutions to global warming. In July 2008, Zoi and Gore created Repower America, and challenged the nation to achieve 100 percent of U.S. electricity production from zero-carbon-emission sources within 10 years.

"Energy efficiency is about grasping the full potential of our economy, our technology and our ingenuity," said Zoi. "The efficiency field is full of innovative entrepreneurs and passionate advocates, and it’s an honor to be recognized by them."

"Cathy Zoi is a tireless champion for energy efficiency, overseeing one of the largest investments in energy efficiency in our nation’s history through the Recovery Act and helping to move our country toward a more sustainable energy future," said Sen. Shaheen. "Whether in her current job as assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy or in her past work as CEO of the Alliance for Climate Protection and as pioneer of the highly successful ENERGY STAR Program, Cathy has proven that she is an aggressive advocate for America’s clean energy future and well-deserving of our recognition."

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The Alliance to Save Energy is a coalition of prominent business, government, environmental, and consumer leaders who promote the efficient and clean use of energy worldwide to benefit consumers, the environment, economy, and national security.