Patagonia to be honored at the Fishermen’s Ball, May 16
April 17, 2018
Riverkeeper Team
For immediate release: April 18, 2018
Contact: Cliff Weathers, Communications Director
cweathers@riverkeeper.org; 845-445-8257
Hosted by CNBC’s Steve Liesman, with a special performance by Zeshan B
Outgoing Board Chair Joe Boren and activist Mary McNamara also to be honored
New York — Riverkeeper, New York’s Clean Water Advocate, will honor Patagonia at its annual Fishermen’s Ball on May 16 at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers. Hundreds of clean water advocates from around the state will attend this year’s event, making this one of the largest gatherings of environmental activists in New York. The Fishermen’s Ball will celebrate a decade of water quality testing by the organization and will raise critical funds for Riverkeeper.
Patagonia, the American marketer of sustainable outdoor clothing and gear, will be honored with Riverkeeper’s “Big Fish Award” for its continued advocacy for the environment. The company is recognized internationally for its activism, contributing nearly $90 million to date in grants and in-kind donations. Rick Ridgeway, Patagonia’s Vice President of Public Engagement, will accept the award on behalf of the company. Ridgeway is one of the world’s foremost mountaineers, and was among the first group of Americans to summit K2, considered the hardest of the world’s high-altitude mountains to climb. National Geographic has honored Ridgeway with its “Lifetime Achievement in Adventure” award. He serves on the boards of Conservacion Patagonica and the Turtle Conservancy, and is on the Advisory Boards of World Wildlife Fund and the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. Clothing designer Eileen Fisher will present the award to Patagonia.
Riverkeeper’s outgoing Board Chairman, Joseph L. Boren, will be honored as a “Big Fish Emeritus” by well-wishers at the event. Boren recently retired as the President of Ironshore U.S Field Operations and served as Chairman of Ironshore Environmental. He was formerly Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AIG Environmental, which he built into the leading U.S. provider of environmental insurance products and services. Boren has experience in every segment of the environmental market; a regulator, practitioner, and insurer. Boren joined the Riverkeeper Board of Directors in 2009 and served as Treasurer prior to being elected Chair.
Ulster County activist Mary McNamara will also be honored as the organization’s “Hudson Hero.” McNamara, who serves on Riverkeeper’s Advisory Board, helped lead the fight against a private water bottling facility in Ulster in 2015 and continues to advocate for shared water resources. The co-creator of several new intermunicipal watershed alliances in the Hudson Valley, McNamara has secured support from universities, state programs, and not-for-profit organizations.
The Fishermen’s Ball will be hosted by Pulitzer Prize journalist and Emmy Award-winning news personality Steve Liesman and will feature a special performance by Zeshan B (“Cryin' in the Streets,” “Lonely Man”). The rhythm and blues artist was recently featured as one of Rolling Stone magazine’s “10 New Artists You Need to Know.”
There will also be a video program by National Geographic filmmaker Jon Bowermaster entitled A Healthy Hudson: From Source to Sea.
WHAT: Riverkeeper’s Fishermen’s Ball honoring Patagonia, Joe Boren and Mary McNamara
WHO: Confirmed guests include:
- Eileen Fisher, fashion designer, past “Big Fish” Award recipient
- Debbie Harry, singer, songwriter and actor
- Tim Guinee, actor (Elementary, Iron Man)
- Karenna Gore, environmental activist, attorney
- Heidi Albertsen, supermodel, environmentalist
- Steve Liesman, CNBC senior reporter, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist
- Zeshan B, rhythm and blues performer
- Jon Bowermaster, National Geographic filmmaker
- Paul Gallay, Riverkeeper President & Hudson Riverkeeper
Additional supporters and VIPs to be announced.
WHEN: May 16, 2018
5:30pm: MEDIA REGISTRATION – pre-registration required
6:30pm: Cocktails & Arrivals
7:30pm: Dinner & Program
WHERE: Pier Sixty Chelsea Piers on the Hudson River at 23rd Street
SOCIAL: @riverkeeper on Instagram & Twitter, hashtag #onHudson
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Riverkeeper is a member-supported watchdog organization dedicated to defending the Hudson River and its tributaries and protecting the drinking water supply of nine million New York City and Hudson Valley residents. For more than 50 years, Riverkeeper has helped to establish globally recognized standards for waterway and watershed protection and serves as the model for the growing Waterkeeper movement that includes more than 300 Keeper programs around the globe. Visit us at riverkeeper.org.
