Stoel Rives LLP is pleased to announce that Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) has been named Innovator of the Year in the 2019 Sacramento Region Innovation Awards program. The honor will be presented at the awards program to be held on Nov. 7 at the Crest Theater in downtown Sacramento.
SMUD began serving Sacramento in 1946 and today is the nation’s sixth-largest community-owned electric utility. It is recognized nationally and internationally for its innovative energy efficiency programs and renewable power technologies.
“We created the Sacramento Region Innovation Awards program to celebrate the regional innovation ecosystem in its entirety,” said Christopher L. Russell, a Stoel Rives partner and chair of the Sacramento Region Innovation Awards. “SMUD’s commitment to the Mobility Center, the Powerhouse Science Center, HackerLab, CleanStart and other organizations working to develop an innovation economy in the region, as well as its initiatives to address climate change, demonstrates that SMUD embodies the region’s spirit of innovation in thought leadership and environmental stewardship.”
As a community-owned, not-for-profit electric service, SMUD aims to provide customers with safe, reliable electricity at affordable rates. The utility is focused on reducing its reliance on carbon-based fuels and meeting ambitious environmental goals set by the elected board of directors and state lawmakers to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
SMUD is committed to finding ways to reduce its impact on the environment, improve regional air quality and conserve resources. Nearly 20 percent of its 1,200-vehicle fleet is composed of hybrid or electric vehicles, helping to reduce air emissions. Its buildings are designed to be energy efficient; its customer service center won the highest award given for energy efficiency and environmental, the LEED platinum award, and all new SMUD buildings will be LEED certified at least at the silver level. In addition, SMUD is on track to provide one-third of its energy from renewable sources by 2020, thanks to investments in wind, solar and biogas.
Founded in 2016, the Sacramento Region Innovation Awards program recognizes the area’s vibrant innovation community — from startups to established companies — and their breakthrough creations. The program is organized and hosted by Stoel Rives LLP, with support from the Sacramento Business Journal and Moss Adams LLP. To learn more, visit https://www.sacramentoinnovati
About the Innovation Awards: Stoel Rives has celebrated innovative companies and their accomplishments since hosting the first Innovation Awards in Salt Lake City in 2002. Each consecutive year, the law firm has honored groundbreaking advancements from emerging to established businesses. In its commitment to foster the innovation ecosystem across its footprint, Stoel Rives has since expanded its Innovation Awards program to Boise, Idaho (2006) and Sacramento, California (2016). In 2017, the firm partnered with the Puget Sound Business Journal as a presenting sponsor of the publication’s inaugural innovation awards program in Seattle, Washington. www.stoel.com/innovation
About Stoel Rives LLP: Stoel Rives is a leading U.S. corporate and litigation law firm. One of the largest national firms focused on energy, natural resources, climate change and the environment, Stoel Rives also serves the agribusiness, real estate and construction, food and beverage, health care, life sciences, and technology industries. With more than 350 attorneys operating out of 10 offices in seven states and the District of Columbia, Stoel Rives is a leader in regulatory and compliance matters, and business, labor and employment, land use, and intellectual property law.
About Moss Adams LLP: With more than 2,600 professionals across 20-plus locations in the West and beyond, Moss Adams and its affiliates provide insight and expertise with specialized accounting, consulting, and wealth management services to help organizations and individuals gain traction, manage risk, and seize opportunity. For more information, visit Moss Adams LLP.
About the Sacramento Business Journal: The Sacramento Business Journal provides coverage on the latest in Sacramento business news, digitally and in print, and is an industry leader in our region for delivering breaking news to the business community. In addition, the Business Journal hosts a number of events each year to provide content relating to current news in a variety of industries. For more information, visit www.sacramentobusinessjournal.
