Miles O'Brien To Be Master Of Ceremonies At EAA AirVenture Museum Gala

Lester Brown, founder and president of the Earth Policy Institute, and founder of the Worldwatch Institute, along with Terry and Mary Kohler, of Windway Capital Corp., will be the recipients of the 2009 Lindbergh Award in recognition of their dedication to the environment.

"Mr. Brown and the Kohlers convey an outstanding spirit of individual initiative and incredible accomplishment," said Lindbergh Foundation Chairman John King. "This makes them perfect recipients for our Lindbergh Award."

The Lindbergh Award is presented annually to individuals who have made significant contributions over many years toward improving our quality of life by balancing technological advancements and the preservation of our environment. A gala will be held at the EAA AirVenture Museum, in Oshkosh, WI on Saturday, May 16, 2009. The ceremony includes a reception, silent auction, dinner and a program, including remarks from the award recipients.

Brown has been described by the Washington Post as "one of the world's most influential thinkers." He is an award-winning environmentalist and internationally recognized author of more than 50 books on global environmental issues. Before starting the Earth Policy Institute in 2001, Mr. Brown founded Worldwatch Institute and was its president for 26 years.

"Lester Brown is an exceptional portrayal of the Lindbergh Foundation's ideals," said King. "He presents a realistic view of the world, yet remains optimistic as he suggests practical solutions to many of today's most pressing environmental issues."

Terry Kohler is president and CEO of Windway Capital Corp., and Mary Kohler is vice president of the Windway Foundation. Windway Capital Corp., is the parent company of Vollrath, which manufactures commercial-grade pots and pans; and North Sails, which makes high-tech racing sails, including those used by America's Cup winners.

"Terry and Mary Kohler's use of their aircraft to reintroduce swan and crane eggs in the United States is an excellent example of the Lindbergh Foundation's concept of balancing technology and nature," said King. "Their commitment to this work is just what the Foundation seeks to honor with our Lindbergh Award."

It was 1989 when then-Governor Tommy Thompson asked Mr. Kohler to help with a project between the Wisconsin DNR and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. They needed to transport to trumpeter swan eggs collected from Alaska and bring them safely back to Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Zoo. Mr. Kohler jumped at the chance. That request launched a nearly decade-long commitment by Terry, Mary, and the flight crew of Windway Capital who made annual flights to Canada's Wood Buffalo National Park to bring whooping crane eggs to the US, so the hatched birds could be returned to the wild.

In 1994, the Kohlers began supporting the Milwaukee County Zoo's annual tracking of endangered Humboldt penguins in Chile. They also helped rescue piping plover eggs in the Dakotas when floods threatened the nests. But their conservation work is not limited to birds. They also helped transport a baby orangutan from Colorado to Wisconsin and have been involved in conservation projects related to trout streams and aerial surveys of ancient coral beds in Montana, and the Wisconsin ice age trail.

Mr. Kohler also made a round-the-world flight over Russia to deliver Siberian crane eggs to Western Siberia in 1997. The trip became the first-ever flight across Russia by a private jet. It took 14 days and 39.2 hours of flight time. Nearly 13,000 miles were traveled, mostly above the Arctic Circle.

FMI: www.lindberghfoundation.org