BEND, Ore. — The Conservation Alliance board elected Michael LaLonde, President and CEO of Deschutes Brewery, to serve on the organization’s board of directors. LaLonde joins the board as the organization seeks to recruit more members from the craft brewing sector. The Conservation Alliance membership will elect a second new board member in June.
“We made the strategic decision to actively recruit craft brewers into The Conservation Alliance membership, and Michael is a leader in that world,” said John Sterling, Conservation Alliance ExecutiveDirector. “We look forward to working with Michael as we draw the connection between trail and tavern.”
LaLonde joined Deschutes Brewery in 2005 as CFO. Prior to Deschutes, he worked for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community in Scottsdale, AZ for 12 years. He has volunteered his time with the Red Cross, Bend Chamber of Commerce, The Boys and Girls Club, the Deschutes River Conservancy, and Oregon State University-Cascades.
“As a craft brewery from Oregon, our company culture is deeply connected to the great outdoors. My fellow brewery co-owners and I ski, snowboard, bike, run, surf, boat, hunt, fish, you name it,” said LaLonde. “I am energized by the difference we can make by banding together with other Conservation Alliance members to put ‘boots on the ground’ to help protect our wild places. The need for action is more urgent than ever right now.”
LaLonde fills the seat vacated by outgoing board member Chelsea Hadlock of Ibex OutdoorClothing. The Conservation Alliance membership will vote in May to fill the board seat to be vacated by Scott Whipps of Toad & Co., who reaches his term limits in July.
“We are fortunate to have many quality people interested in serving on The Conservation Alliance board,” said Sterling. “We miss Chelsea, but know Michael will add a lot to our board composition.”
LaLonde’s term began in January.
About The Conservation Alliance
The Conservation Alliance is an organization of like-minded businesses whose collective contributions support grassroots environmental organizations and their efforts to protect wild places where outdoor enthusiasts recreate. Alliance funds have played a key role in protecting rivers, trails, wildlands and climbing areas. Membership in the Alliance is open to all companies who care about protecting our most threatened wild places for habitat and outdoor recreation. Since its inception in 1989, The Conservation Alliance has contributed more than $19million, awarded 552 grants, helped to protect more than 50 million acres of wildlands; protect 2,991 miles of rivers; stop or remove 29 dams; designate five marine reserves; and purchase 12 climbing areas. For complete information on The Conservation Alliance, see: www.conservationalliance.com.