Former Augusta Mayor Bob Young will become president and chief executive officer of the Southeastern Natural Sciences Academy.
The nonprofit research and educational institution, which also operates the Phinizy Swamp Nature Park near Augusta Regional Airport, announced the appointment Wednesday.
Young served as mayor from 1999 to 2005 and was deeply involved in matters involving the Savannah River basin, the academy said in a news release, and helped make inter-basin transfers from the Savannah River a statewide issue.
While serving as co-chairman of the Urban Water Council of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Young also testified before Congress on water issues. Under his leadership, Augusta significantly expanded its constructed wetlands, undertook a near half-a-billion-dollar modernization of its utilities, and launched a green space program through public acquisition of land and easements.
Young succeeds Susan Nicholson, who retired this summer after helping the academy complete its strategic planning process.
Young said he is looking forward to strengthening the important and historic work the Academy has accomplished in the Savannah River basin.
“The research developed by the Academy has positioned the organization as a respected authority on the Savannah River,” he said. “I will be working with the Academy’s scientific team under the direction of Dr. Oscar Flite to develop a model to broaden our influence and with the education team to promote public awareness of critical water conservation issues.”
He will report to work Nov. 1, upon completion of his assignment with the Department of Defense Dependent Schools in Beaufort, S.C.
Southeastern Natural Sciences Academy was founded in 1996 in response to needs in the community for leadership in natural resource management and environmental education.
The mission of the Academy is to provide leadership to balance environmental sustainability and economic vitality through research-based solutions in the Savannah River Basin. The vision of Southeastern Natural Sciences Academy is to create solutions for abundant, clean, affordable and sustainable water resources for life.
Comments
Wish he would run for Congress.
It would have been nice for the Science org. out there to hire one of the volunteers that have worked there forever but At least they got Bob. Maybe they can send a crew out to the road that goes into Phynizy swamp and have them pick up tons of trash and tires they are dumping into phynizy swamp. With the Dr. Fred C. Davison endowment they can pay Bob and maybe he'll give them a little gas money. Big groups like that seldom appreciate what the volunteers do for free. This is why volunteers sometimes feel used. They work for years of back breaking hard labor then someone else lives large on all that toil.
wish Bob would run for congress. Not liking the pack I am seeing. I guess this explains why he is not running
Bob, we need your help. Save the water. Protect the river. When Rob Pavey reported how much polution is ALLOWED to be dumped, I couldn't believe it. We are drinking this water... sure, after it is treated, but who wants those chemicals and various forms of waste in our river... in our drinking water. Phinizy Swamp and the National Sciences Center are wonderful resources.
Congrats!
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