Three wind industry professionals were honored at the Women of Wind Energy's (WoWE) annual luncheon at the American Wind Energy Association's WINDPOWER 2012 Conference & Exhibition this week.
The awards spotlighted professionals at the pinnacle of the industry, as well as the next generation of leaders. In addition, a new acknowledgement was added this year for someone who has repeatedly encouraged and helped women's career development in wind energy.
The following individuals received awards:
- William Holmes, partner and former chairman of the renewable energy initiative at Stoel Rives LLP, received WoWE's Champion Award. This new award honors an individual who has significantly contributed to the advancement of women in the field of renewable energy, through mentoring and professional development, as well as advocating for workplace practices that support women in a manner that fosters a path forward.
- Leslie Freiman, general counsel, chief regulatory officer and secretary for EDP Renewables, was honored with the Woman of the Year Award, which recognizes a woman who stands out for her leadership, inspiration and significant contributions to the expansion and improvement of renewable energy completed at the highest level. Freiman first started in the wind industry in 2004 as a project counsel for Zilkha Renewable Energy and since then has been influential in transitioning a 30-person development team to a 300-person wind energy operator.
- Jennifer Jenkins, executive director of the Distributed Wind Energy Association (DWEA), was honored with the Rising Star Award, which is given to a woman who is relatively new to wind energy and is already making significant professional contributions. Jenkins was brought on as DWEA's executive director in July 2010, just one month after the association was formed. In the last two years, she has developed a membership program that includes over 90 members.
