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November 2010

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Winrock International fielded four climate science and adaptation experts for a USAID study of glacier melt in the Himalayan region and the downstream Asian countries. Asia faces wide-ranging social, political and economic implications as a result of changes in glaciers and hydrology due to climate change and other factors. The final report, Changing Glaciers and Hydrology in Asia: Addressing Vulnerabilities to Glacier Melt Impacts, was presented Nov. 16 at The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and can be read in full here. The presentation is available here.


Winrock International’s American Carbon Registry® announced approval of a pioneering greenhouse gas (GHG) offset methodology to quantify agriculture-sector emissions reductions through changes in fertilizer management. The methodology for N2O emissions reduction was developed by Winrock under a grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Click here to read the full press release.


In September, Russian youths gathered to express their concerns and views on social issues through film. The “Alternative is Success -2010” Film Festival, a grant project of the LIDER program implemented by Winrock International, featured short films on a variety of topics including the environment, the prevention of drug abuse, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles.


Winrock International will send a delegation to the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP) in Cancun, Mexico. Staff experts will be featured speakers at REDD+ side events and have a booth at the expo on Forest Day, Sunday, Dec. 5. The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun, from Nov. 29 to Dec. 10, encompasses COP 16 and the sixth Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP).


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Winrock’s D.C. Area Office Recognized with Silver LEED Certification
Winrock earned a Silver LEED rating for its D.C. area office.After earning a gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program for their headquarters in Little Rock, Ark., Winrock International has now earned a Silver LEED certification for their new D.C. metro office space in Arlington, Va. 
 
Winrock’s newest location, located on the 5th floor of an 11-story office building built in 1984, features natural lighting on all sides and has been renovated using renewable materials such as bamboo flooring and veneers, linoleum flooring and tackable cork surfaces. Additionally, more than 75 percent of demolition and construction materials were diverted from landfills and high-recycled-content materials were used whenever possible.
 
The facility is positioned near many restaurants, shops and banking centers, as well as a major metro stop, local bike path networks and a walking path – giving employees alternative commuting options and access to a variety of community amenities for lunchtime and after hours.
 
“An important part of Winrock’s mission is to sustain natural resources and protect the environment,” said Frank Tugwell, president and CEO of Winrock International. “We are trying to minimize or eliminate any negative impacts our organization may have on the environment. This office space embodies our commitment to that promise and our mission.”
 
The sustainable office design was completed by OTJ Architects; GPI Inc. handled the mechanical, electrical and plumbing; Dietze Construction served as the general contractors; and the structural engineering was conducted by SK&A Structural Engineers, PLLC.

Winrock’s Sudan BRIDGE Program Helps Vocational Training Center Reopen After 20 Years
The Sudan BRIDGE program helped a vocational training center in Southern Sudan reopen after 20 years.For the first time in 20 years, a much needed vocational training center in Southern Sudan is finally able to reopen its doors, fostering new hope for citizens in the region.

Winrock International’s Sudan BRIDGE program supported the initiative of the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) to repair and reopen the institute after 20 years of war destroyed the already underdeveloped infrastructure of the region. The Wau Vocational Training Center, a government facility in Western Bhar el Ghazal, was one of the numerous institutions damaged as a result of the conflict.

The USAID-funded BRIDGE program assisted with infrastructure improvements at the training center, including the renovation and furnishing of dormitories and offices, and is providing funding for tuition and room and board for 45 trainees. As a result, the center can now resume its role as a key provider of valuable vocational training to help Southern Sudanese citizens learn welding, carpentry and masonry –  skills that can help them secure gainful employment.

With the ability to increase enrollment and support residential programs, the center is well on its way to meeting a government-mandated goal of training 2,000 students per year. The Wau Vocational Training Center, along with state and county governments and BRIDGE, are taking the first steps toward rebuilding not only Southern Sudan’s labor force but also hope for the future.

Arkansas Business names Winrock Chief Financial Officer as ‘Nonprofit CFO of the Year’
Mike Myers, Winrock chief financial officer, was named Nonprofit CFO of the Year by Arkansas Business.Mike Myers, chief financial officer for Winrock International, was named the 2010 Arkansas Business Nonprofit CFO of the Year. Myers was honored Nov. 16 at a ceremony in Little Rock, Ark.

The award from Arkansas Business, the state’s leading business journal, turns “the spotlight on unsung heroes of the business and nonprofit world, the chief financial officer,” wrote Jeff Hankins, president and publisher of the business journal. Each year the awards ceremony honors CFOs in three categories: banks, private companies and nonprofits.
 
“Being named CFO of the year is a great honor; however, I do not see it as an individual honor but one for Winrock International,” Myers said. “Winrock’s work is risky and challenging, but those risks and challenges are exceeded by the reward of knowing thousands of lives each year are improved because of our work. I thank my friends at Winrock for sharing this adventure with me every day and allowing me to have the most interesting job an accountant can have.”
       


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