Major General Michael Stone, the Michigan National Guard Assistant Adjutant General for Installations, received the distinguished Innovator of the Year title at the Governor’s Energy Excellence Awards ceremony held Sept. 5, 2018 in Grand Rapids.
“I feel the governor said it best,” said Stone. “All of the nominees and projects are winners. I am honored to be recognized; but the U.S. Army is a Team Sport, and this was made possible by the amazing state and federal employees of the Michigan National Guard that understand resiliency. We, in the National Guard especially, know that energy is important. We must be able to operate in robust environments. This was also made possible by the great partnerships with non-profits, community leaders and Michigan utility companies."
From its foundation in 2015 the competition has drawn nearly 500 projects and people to submit entries in eight categories, namely: Best Projects – Residential, Public, Agricultural, Industrial/Manufacturing, Commercial (Private), Contractor of the Year, Innovator of the Year, and Best Energy Communication/Education Program.
The contest is administered by the Michigan Saves steering committee, a volunteer collective of business owners, scientists, public works employees, non-profit groups, and leaders in the field of energy. Together, they evaluate each project, whittle the applications down to a manageable number of finalists, and turn the winner selection over to the governor and select staff.
To read more about the winning projects, and the other finalists, visit mienergyexcellence.org.