World Green Energy Symposium (WGES) Council, Ambassadors and Partners Proudly Announce Elder George Alevras of Greece 2022 WGES NOVA Recipient

    WASHINGTON, DC, May 02, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The WGES NOVA award is presented to those who have made outstanding contributions in clean energy or sustainable innovations in existing energy technologies based on actual case studies. This year WGES celebrated and highlighted individuals and organizations who have shown exemplary leadership, innovation, and commitment to solving societal inequities through sustainable and educational solutions.

WGES is proud to announce, Father (Elder) George Alevras a distinguished and charismatic Hieromonk, from Mt. Athos, Greece for his great work and unique contribution to the benefit of mankind. Elder George works tirelessly to promote the universality of Hellenism and environmental consciousness as universal values. His interests lie in promoting environmental, spiritual, and cultural awareness and supporting grassroots initiatives that boost social and environmental development in Greece. The pivotal role bees play in a healthy ecosystem is a topic close to Elder's heart. "Bees are the protectors of life and a beehive's productive and collaborative capacities continue to marvel the human mind. We must be in tune with the principle of unity and take the beehive as a prototype of God's community," Elder George remarks. Last May, Father George Alevras, blessed the beekeepers of the world in honor of UN World Bee Day. Throughout the year, he also works with the Beekeeping Cooperatives of Greece to help educate the public on bees while also supporting Greek honey producers achieve the highest international standards of quality.

Elder George serves as an important bridge builder for community solidarity and economic revitalization. In collaboration with Ambelli, a community organization, Elder George has launched several projects in his native region of Trikala. By tapping into the potential of abandoned lands and communities, Elder George's initiatives are bringing regions back to life and spurring economic growth. Impoverished families are returning to work, supporting local food production and environmental preservation efforts.

Out of love and respect for Elder George and in order to fulfill a dream of his, simple people came together and contributed financially to establish the TRIKI Center for Work Education and Employment under his leadership. The center's anti-poverty program tackles unemployment in addition to providing access to basic necessities to the most vulnerable. A few of the program's highlights: The installation of TRIKIBOX, a ready-to-use creamery TYROBOX or cheese production site which features modern equipment capable of yielding 300 liters of milk daily and an autonomous Photovoltaic system. In its initial phase, the program will operate on close to 20 acres of land and will support impoverished families in the region. TRIKIFARM is a farming program which employs the economically disenfranchised in organic olive oil harvesting. The farming takes place on more than 80 acres of farmland and includes a new oil mill which produces the highest category of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

The NOVA Award was presented to Elder George virtually on April 13, 2022, at the 11th World Green Energy Symposium, United States (theWGES. US). "The WGES Council is pleased to present Elder George with the 2022 WGES NOVA AWARD in recognition of his commitment to sustainable practices and for helping the underserved," said Professor Robert J. Gallagher, Executive Chairman of the WGES Council, "Elder George has proven a dedicated spiritual leader, combined with a drive for action, results in an impactful change economically, environmentally, and spiritually." He added.

Elder George is in good company as recipient of 2022 NOVA Award. Other past WGES NOVA Award recipients include; the City of Philadelphia for its Greenworks sustainable program accepted by Mayor Nutter, the Country of Brazil presented for its Sustainable Program in Rio de Janeiro, Tishman, DOW, Johnson Controls for corporate leadership, innovative products & technologies, Drexel University for its Smart House Program accepted by the Dean and Students involved in the program, the District of Columbia for its Sustainable DC plan accepted by Mayor Vincent Gray, the University of the District of Columbia CAUSES for its Urban Food Hubs accepted by Dean Sabine O'Hara, for its concept as a model for Urban Agriculture, these are among other notable recipients.

All past NOVA Awards with only one exception were presented to states, countries, federal agencies, universities, academia, and global corporations for their sustainable programs, plans, and policies. With the pandemic, the climate crisis at an all-time high, the war in Ukraine, and the societal injustices peaking on a global level, WGES felt it important to recognize individuals who stepped up to societal injustice providing opportunities to create a more equitable sustainable economy. WGES Council honored these three individuals with the prestigious 2022 WGES NOVA AWARD. Elder George for impactful change through his initiation of sustainable employment for the underserved in a community in Greece, making positive change economically, environmentally, and spiritually. In addition, Mr. Aziz Ahmad Philanthropist, CEO of UTC Associates and Founder of Coders Trust was honored. Coders Trust is a sustainable education platform serving more than 60,000 students to date who would not have had the access or the finances to obtain the education in a sustainable career in Tech if not for this program. Mr. Michael Jones-Bey was recognized for tirelessly and effectively leading Con Edison's (a multi-billion-dollar electric service provider located in New York, USA) efforts to incorporate sustainable supply chain business practices while increasing contract opportunities for minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises in ways that strategically support the company's commitments to environmental stewardship and promoting economic growth within the communities it serves as well as his personal commitment to the cause.

On April 13, 2022, the WGES brought together top experts, leading decision makers, buyers, investors, innovators, global industry and local, state, and federal agencies and delegates in a platform conducive for information exchange, opportunities, networking, and actionable solutions to a packed audience. WGES works in collaboration with universities, government agencies, businesses, environmental organizations, chambers of commerce, economic development, and other nonprofit organizations.

The WGES continues to follow in its tradition of having a cross section of the country's and the world's top experts and dynamic speakers. The presenters provided updates on actual case studies and opportunities, economic and sustainable opportunities for careers and contracting and discussions followed centering on issues and solutions. This year's agenda was post covid focused and topics from the subject matter experts and scientists included Safe Buildings, Health & Environment, Climate, Navigating Finance & Contracts in Clean Energy & Sustainability, Powering the Grid, Maximizing Cyber Security, Clean Water Solutions, Angel Investing, Transportation, US Government Agencies Forecasts for Clean Energy Programs.

The prestigious list of speakers included; executives from top global companies, top government officials from major government agencies, procurement and program officers, top subject matter experts in clean energy and sustainability, expert climate change scientist, health research scientists, deans and professors from academia, clean water experts, among others;

The program was kicked off by Professor Robert J. Gallagher, Executive Chairman of the WGES Council, multi-faceted, highly respected visionary, educator, and senior advisor who has dedicated his entire career to education and public service. His expertise and commitment to the thread of health, sustainability and economic development has led to his engagement in working with the top leaders, top government officials, scientists, Nobel laureates and researchers while overseeing the WGES. He currently serves as a guest lecturer and adjunct professor courses are centered on Health, Biological Sciences and Infectious Diseases while also serving as a senior advisor in education and promoting programs on clean energy and sustainability as an economic implicator while incorporating the importance it has on our health and that of our planet.

The esteemed list of presenters and the organizations they represent included:
Mr. Kevin Kampschroer, with 40 years as a U.S. Government Official and the overseer of the Office of Federal High Performance Green Buildings for all of the U.S. General Services Administration who owns and/or leases an inventory of more than 8,800 assets, maintains more than 370 million square feet of workspace for 1.1 million federal employees, and preserves more than 500 historic properties. He spoke on new barriers that face building energy conservation and consumption.

Mr. Andrew Knox represents the Office of the United States Secretary of Defense, Pentagon Sustainability Officer for the U.S. Department of Defense. Andrew spoke on the United States Department of Defense's 24-7 Free Electricity procurement initiative.

Mr. Stephen Ambrose, leading Climate Advisor, Chair of the Washington Exec Climate Change Council and Chief Climate Scientist for SAIC – a mission solutions driven company with $7.1 billion dollars in revenues and 24,000 employees.

The Honorable Bill Anderson, former United States Assistant Secretary of the United States Air Force for installation, environment, and logistics and the Air Force's first Senior Energy Executive. He was appointed by Former President Bush Currently; he is a Private Investor and CEO of Generations Advisors.

Ms. Daisy Gallagher, Founder and CEO of GGW, Inc., Senior Advisor for Angel Investors Board, 25 years award winning strategist for sustainable and economic programs for local, state, and federal governments and private industry, and WGES Organizing Team Lead.

Sabine O'Hara, Ph.D., Founding Dean, Program Director, University of the District of Columbia (UDC)College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES). UDC is the only urban land grant university in the United States.

Dr Reginald Swift, Scientist and Founder of Rubix Life Sciences LLC also presented. He and his company have worked on more than 150,000 infectious disease profiles, and deep analytics that have led to the development of 40+ successful clinical trial platforms for infectious diseases such as Covid 19, Ebola Zaire, Legionnaire's Listeria, Norovirus, Q-Fever, MRSA, Zika and more. Dr. Swift talk focused on climate change and how it especially affects the health of children, the elderly, the poor and those underserved and those with underlying health conditions. He spoke about the need to include more diversity in clinical trials and in research.

Mr. Gary Lawrence, is a leading sustainable and resilient strategist and subject matter expert for WGI, Inc. He has consulted for and consults to the UN, OECD, US government agencies, and many national governments and global cities. Gary's presentation was on how choosing to integrate better sustainability, resiliency, and adaptation (SRA) in infrastructure planning is a great way to reduce the carbon footprint. His talk explored why it is also important not to just seek an "either/or" solution, especially now when the current need is so severe it needs all/and solutions.

Mr. Aziz Ahmid, CEO & Founder UTC, Co-Founder CodersTrust, Inc., He is a technology subject matter expert, sharing his expertise around the world including at the Vatican conference sponsored by Pope Francis, at the European Parliament in Belgium, and at the WGES, among others.

Mr. Ronald Uba, Acting Supervisor Business Development Specialist, Office of Business Development, U.S. Department of Commerce MBDA and Mr. Jean Robert Baguidy, MBA. Senior Advisor, Capital Access & Global Markets / Certified Blockchain Specialist / Export Trade Finance / Venture Capital, U.S. Department of Commerce, MBDA. Through its business center, the U. S. Department of Commerce MBDA Centers in fiscal year 2021 alone awarded 35 grants, totaling $13.9 million in federal funding, and expanding the program to 9 new locations. MBDA Business Centers provide technical and business development services that help minority-owned firms grow and scale, secure capital, and penetrate new markets.

Mr. Michael Jones-Bey as Director for Corporate Social Responsibility for Con Edison and serving on its Sustainability Leadership Council he oversees the successful implementation of projects and sustainable contracts from Con Ed for minorities and women businesses. Con Ed is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the United States, with approximately $12 billion in annual revenues, and over $62 billion in assets. The company provides a wide range of energy-related products and services to its customers through its subsidiaries.

Mr. Larry Wells, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and Ms. Mary Rogers, U. S. Department of Energy Brookhaven National Labs, both represented their U. S. Government agencies and spoke about the procurement opportunities and forecasts available for government contractors, large and small businesses.

Michelle Picard and Natasha Vialva Haynes presented sustainable procurement opportunities in SIEMENS. In 2021, Siemens AG employed some 303,000 people worldwide. In fiscal 2021, Siemens Group USA generated revenue of $17 billion and employed approximately 40,000 people serving customers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Michelle and Natasha reported that Siemens has more than 17,000 suppliers. Siemens has an array of holistic portfolio addressing sustainability across all parts of the infrastructure, innovative industrial, smart buildings, grid modernization, and transportation. $720 Million dollars were spent in 2021 with small and diverse business.

Ms. Virginia Gibson, water expert and Co-Founder SUSTAP LLC, a sustainable technology and product- based company currently serving several government agencies and prime contractors served alongside Ms. Celeste Wunder, President, IMMI on the Clean Water panel. Ms. Wunder presented the NanoBOT sustainable technology solution. It has been tested by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ("NOAA") The research conducted at NOAA over three (3) years has proven that NanoBOT completely eliminates algae, bacteria, toxins, and micro-organisms in water. "NanoBOT is a powerful, all-natural disinfectant, which has successfully eliminated 100% of bacteria and dangerous water toxins including algae cysts" - Dr. Peter Moeller, Director of NOAA, Harmful Algal Bloom Division at Hollings Marine Laboratory.

Mr. Dan Loague, President DC Archangels Investors Group and Mr. Randall Reade, Vice President DC Archangels Investors Group. An advisory board guides the Washington, DC Archangels. Board members are serial entrepreneurs (those with extensive experience in creating, building, and exiting a business) or represent venture capital firms or local groups of angel investors. All have a broad-based national business network of investment partners and business development experts, and several actively work with investors in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Members' net worth ranges from SEC accreditation to several hundred million dollars.

The WGES Council has featured Ambassadors and Ministers from different countries over the years. They provide information on the sustainability efforts of their Country. Brazil, Canada, South Korea, among them. This year the WGES Council invited the Minister of Environment and Energy from Greece, Mr. Kostas Skrekas. He highlighted Greece's strong commitment to sustainability, including expansion in energy efficiency of homes, and electric car market. Billions of dollars invested in modernizing and liberalizing the energy market. Greece has made the historic commitment to decarbonize the country by 2023. By protecting the environment, Greece can create conditions for the development of the segments such as industry, tourism, the primary sector.

The 11th World Green Energy Symposium was moderated by Mr. George Roberts. Mr. Roberts is a celebrity News Anchor in Pennsylvania, USA and Host of the Emmy Nominated program, Computer Wise.

The next WGES will be held on April 12, 2023, there is a call for speakers, sponsors and Nova Award nominees for entities following the WGES criteria. These spots are reviewed by the WGES Council, there is always much interest and they do close quickly. Anyone interested in knowing more about how to participate, email [email protected], or visit www.thewges.us

Media Contact on behalf of the WGES
Washington, DC
Daisy Gallagher, AMA, CPM, CHT, Chief Public Information Officer
Gallagher & Gallagher Worldwide, Inc
[email protected]

About the World Green Energy Symposium (theWGES.us) The WGES takes place annually in the United States of America and has been doing for more than a decade. The WGES is well known for its exceptional quality driven programs and its ability for outcome based results for its participants. WGES brings together government agencies, global industry, academia, investors, innovators, delegates, together under one roof. Working in collaboration with universities, government agencies, businesses, environmental organizations, chambers of commerce, economic development and other for profit and nonprofit organizations, the WGES has earned its mark for providing a world stage as a platform for the education, information exchange and implementation of sustainability efforts through its master lectures, case studies, and audience interaction. Since its inception, WGES One Day Forums and 3 Day Conferences have been held at the invitation of - and hosted by - a City, State and/or Institution of Higher Learning, with partnerships with federal, state, local agencies, industry, academia and NGOs who have and share sustainable plans, technologies, contract opportunities, and/or programs as part of their framework supporting incentives, jobs and contracting opportunities as a vantage point for economic vitality and a healthier planet.

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