Allen Smith, OPAL Board President, with Wally Gudgell, recipient of the winner of the “Peter Fisher Award for dedication to the cause of fair housing on Orcas Island,” OPAL Community award, in May 2011. Smith will accompany OPAL Executive Director Lisa Byers to the BoardSource Leadership Forum on Sept. 15 in Chicago as one of five national finalists for the Prudential Leadership Awards for Exceptional Nonprofit Boards.
From OPAL Community Land Trust
OPAL Community Land Trust has been named one of five finalists in this year’s Prudential Leadership Awards for Exceptional Nonprofit Boards, according to Jenifer Holland, governance consultant with BoardSource.
The annual award is a program of BoardSource, a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing the public good by building exceptional nonprofit boards and inspiring board service. Prudential and The Prudential Foundation provide support for the program.
The five finalists, who were chosen from applications submitted from throughout the country, will participate in a live question-and-answer competition at the 2012 BoardSource Leadership Forum in Chicago on September 15. OPAL’s executive director, Lisa Byers, and board president, Allen Smith, will represent OPAL. A panel of nonprofit leaders and experts will judge the competition and select the winners, who will be announced during an awards ceremony at the close of the conference. Cash prizes range from $2,500 to $25,000.
“We are honored to be included,” said Byers. “One of OPAL’s strengths has always been the commitment and talent of the Orcas people who have served on our board of trustees.”
The awards are intended to inspire and support new approaches to strengthening and building organizational impact through board leadership. Videos prepared by the 24 semi-finalists, including OPAL, may be viewed on BoardSource’s YouTube channel. A link to the videos may be found on the news page of OPAL’s website (www.opalclt.org/news).
OPAL stands for “Of People and Land,” representing a commitment to protecting natural resources while providing permanently affordable homes for people who are vital to the Orcas Island community. Incorporated in 1989, OPAL now provides homes for 121 households. OPAL continues to accept applications from people who are not able to purchase a house on the open market. For more information, go to: www.opalclt.org. For further information, call OPAL at (360) 376-3191.
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As a member of the OPAL board it should be noted that this project came together in less than a week. It would not have happened without Patrick Bennett. Without his commitment there would be no video….or prize. Thank you Patrick!