SUNY ESF
The Feinstone Environmental Awards

2024 Feinstone Environmental Awards

Thursday, October 17, 2024 | 6 pm | Gateway Center 

Congratulations to our 2024 honorees, David Gerber, Senior Vice President at Arcadis and Lauren Kochian, President of the MOST.

Thank you to our 2024 Feinstone Awards sponsors and attendees. Proceeds from the event support student scholarships at ESF. 

Thank you to our Presenting Sponsor

Thank you to our Lead Sponsors

2024 Feinstone Environmental Award Honorees

David R. Gerber, P.E.

Senior Vice President, Arcadis

Dave has over 36 years of engineering and construction experience, specializing in managing large, complex, multidisciplinary construction and contracting projects and programs. At ARCADIS Dave currently serves in
two primary roles: as Pursuit Director – stewarding ARCADIS’ largest and most important environmental pursuits; and as Construction Services Technical Solution Leader — bringing innovative solutions and assured outcomes to clients’ most challenging construction and contracting needs.

Dave is a long-time passionate supporter of ESF and its Environmental Resources Engineering (ERE) Department, of
which he is an alumnus and current adjunct assistant professor. He is an emeritus member of the ESF College Foundation Board, and a past president, and ex-officio member of the ERE Advisory Council. He cares deeply about environmental conservation and currently serves as Vice President of the Cazenovia Preservation Foundation.

Dave lives in Cazenovia with his wife Sharon where he actively stewards ongoing habitat improvement across their 70-acre property. He received his B.S. in Environmental Engineering from ESF and a Master of Engineering Management degree from The George Washington University.

Lauren Kochian

President, MOST

Lauren is the president of the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology (MOST), a position she’s held since 2018. Prior to her appointment as president, Lauren championed the MOST Foundation and museum operations efforts as executive vice president. Under her leadership, the museum has seen significant growth and investment, dramatic increases in attendance, and new strategic partnerships. Lauren has overseen the development of new dynamic exhibits and diverse programming that expands access to the MOST for all Central New Yorkers. This includes the SUNY ESF Summer Science Week, a free camp for students entering 9th grade in the fall.

Lauren has more than 20 years of fund development, marketing, and public relations experience. Her previous roles include marketing and development for Arc of Onondaga and Syracuse Stage. She serves on the board of the Arts & Culture Leadership Alliance and the advisory council of Golisano Children’s Hospital.

A Syracuse native, Lauren earned a B.S. in public relations from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School and a master’s degree in media management from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School & Whitman School of Management.

About the Feinstone Awards

One of the oldest and most-respected award programs in the environmental field, the Feinstone Awards program was established by Sol Feinstone, a widely known historian and author who was a 1915 graduate of ESF. His goal was to reward people and organizations that exemplified his belief that the best insurance for a free society lay in people’s desire to do voluntarily the things that need to be done for the good of all. The program recognizes leaders who care for the environment, encourage volunteerism and add to society’s understanding of environmental issues and their solutions. The Feinstone program has made more than 100 awards, honoring people from across the United States for their significant contributions to protecting the environment and promoting the spirit of volunteerism. Past award recipients have back­grounds in science, conservation, government, public policy, teaching and the media.

For more information, please contact ESF College Foundation (315) 470-6683 or foundation@esf.edu.