ESF Honors December Graduates

12/08/2010

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) will award 128 degrees, including 38 master's degrees and nine Doctors of Philosophy, during the 2010 December Convocation1 p.m. Dec. 11 at Hendricks Chapel.

Three alumni will be honored during convocation.

Howard "Bud" Ris '75 and James V. Breuer '72 will receive Graduate of Distinction awards. Robert Sand '50 will receive posthumously the Lifetime Achievement award.

Ris has been president and chief executive of the New England Aquarium since 2005. Prior to leading the aquarium, he was president of the Union of Concerned Scientists, a multi-issue environmental organization tackling a range of public policy issues from climate change to biotechnology and invasive species, and was a senior fellow at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland.

As president of Heuber-Breuer Construction Company, Inc., a family business that has been part of the fabric of Syracuse since 1880, Breuer, who studied in ESF's Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management, has helped build the company from a small construction firm to one that is playing a key role in reshaping Syracuse. Heuber-Breuer is playing a pivotal role in ESF's journey into its second century as it constructs Centennial Hall, the College's first residence hall, on the west end of campus. Breuer serves on numerous boards, including St. Joseph's Hospital, Loretto Health Centers and Syracuse University. Hueber-Breuer has a history of community involvement through donations of time and money to local charities.

Sand, who died Sept. 6., was a naval veteran of WWII and graduated from the then-College of Forestry in 1950. He became the first chief forester for Cotton-Hanlon, Inc., a firm that specializes in timberland management. He retired in 1991 after a 40-year career. Sand was an active member of the New York State Forest Owners Association (NYFOA). In 1988, the NYFOA presented him with the Heiberg Award for his outstanding contributions in the fields of forestry and conservation. He was also a member of the New York Chapter of the Society of American Foresters (SAF), serving as both president and vice president. He was dedicated to ESF, serving as president of the ESF Alumni Association for four years. He was active in ESF alumni activities for nearly two decades.