David Rodgers: Recipient of Conservancy's Oak Leaf Award

Nature Conservancy's President Mark Tercek presenting David Rodgers with the Oak Leaf Award this past October.

The Oak Leaf Award is bestowed on Trustees or other volunteer leaders whose efforts have greatly influenced the success of The Nature Conservancy.

David Rodgers has served as a trustee for The Nature Conservancy’s Indiana Chapter since 2000. He is the president and owner of Whitewater Broadcasting Corporation in Richmond, Indiana, which owns several radio stations covering east central Indiana and western Ohio. David is a trustee who truly understands conservation at every scale—from on-the-ground challenges at home to planning for international work at the highest levels.

As The Nature Conservancy began thinking about a global conservation campaign, we first put our resources into the science and planning at the habitat level by forming five habitat assessment teams. David played an integral part of the process by funding and attending expert workshops to solicit the input of the world’s conservation leaders.

On a regional basis, he has been a huge advocate of the Conservancy’s invasive species work. When we announced a partnership with Meijer stores in the Midwest regarding the promotion of native plant sales, he had one of his radio stations to set up a live feed in the parking lot of a Meijer store to promote the partnership and the use of native plants.

David’s influence, leadership, and quiet philanthropy have been instrumental in helping The Nature Conservancy reach our international, regional and local goals. Congratulations, David!