AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Texan by Nature (TxN), a Texas-led conservation non-profit, today announced 20 honorees of the 6th annual Texan by Nature 20 (TxN 20) - an official ranking of companies with Texas operations that have made a demonstrative commitment to conservation.
The TxN 20 recognizes the best and most innovative work in conservation coming from business based or operating in Texas. As part of the TxN 20, Texan by Nature honors companies across 12 industries in the Lone Star State whose ingenuity cultivates impactful programs and forges new, beneficial paths in conservation. With 171 million acres of land and global leadership across multiple industries, Texas is fortunate to have industry leaders who see the value in partnering with conservation initiatives while also developing innovative, environmentally sustainable methods and processes within their business.
“We believe in building a sustainable future through action, collaboration, and innovative models,” said Joni Carswell, CEO & President of Texan by Nature. “It’s an honor to recognize Texas-based industry leaders who demonstrate that integrating business with conservation drives valuable global impact.”
A catalyst for thought leadership, innovative partnerships, and community-led solutions, Texan by Nature has been working with the Texas business community to implement Texas-led conservation practices. The TxN 20 not only provides recognition to honorees but a catalog of best practices and metrics to industry peers. The honorees' commitment to conservation, their projects and programs, best practices, and lessons learned are examples and inspiration for us all.
“I’m happy to celebrate this year’s TxN 20! They are pioneers, collaborators, and changemakers. I encourage other companies to follow their example and engage in conservation. Together, we can set the standard for sustaining a prosperous economy, rich natural resources, and a secure future for the next generation,” said former First Lady and Texan by Nature Founder, Laura Bush.
The 2024 TxN 20 is catalyzed by Jetco Delivery. "With our investment in the TxN 20, we hope to amplify cross-industry innovation and action that will inspire and propel businesses toward a sustainable future," said Kyle Kristynik, President at Jetco. "In addition to TxN 20 aligning with our non-negotiable core value of safety, it also reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting Texas communities."
To select the 2024 TxN 20, company data submissions were evaluated and independent research across 2,000+ of Texas’ publicly traded and private companies was conducted for 12 industry sectors. All companies were evaluated on key criteria through a 17-point scoring system to narrow down the list to the top 60 companies in Texas. Key scoring criteria included: stated commitment to conservation; reported metrics related to conservation; measured investment in conservation; reported Return on ConservationTM results; positive conservation impact on land, water, wildlife, people, waste, energy, and more; and activities such as infrastructure, production and supply chain, employee engagement, and more. Each year, an esteemed selection committee of top industry leaders is formed to evaluate the top 60 companies and select the final honorees for the TxN 20. TxN 20 selection and recognition is also supported by HOLT CAT and Marathon Petroleum.
2024 TxN 20 HONOREES INCLUDE:
- Acme Brick
- Cemex
- Cirrus Logic
- Citi
- City of San Antonio Office of Sustainability
- Darling Ingredients
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
- Farmer Brothers
- GM
- H-E-B
- HOLT CAT
- IBM
- Marathon Petroleum Corporation
- Mary Kay
- North American Development Bank
- Overland Partners
- Texas Health Resources
- WM
- WSP
- Xcel Energy
To read more about each 2024 TxN 20 honoree, please visit: https://txn20.org/2024-honorees/
The TxN 20 2024 Selection Committee members included:
- Andrejs E. Avots-Avotins, MD, PhD, The Elizabeth & Drayton McLane, Jr. Chair in Health & Wellness Vice President of Medical Affairs - Baylor Scott & White Health - Temple
- Tracee Bentley, President & CEO - Permian Strategic Partnership
- Matthew Crommett, Managing Director - LH Capital, Inc / Lyda Hill Philanthropies
- Michael Dorff, Communications and Public Affairs - Raytheon
- Ed Ferguson, Chief Sustainability Officer - Blue Triton Brands, TxN Advisory Council
- Robert Horton, Vice President, Environmental Affairs & Sustainability - Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, TxN Board of Directors
- Devin Hotzel, Manager, Government Relations - Enbridge
- VJ Smith, Manager, ESG and Stakeholder Engagement - Marathon Petroleum
- Audrey Templeton, Enterprise Risk Manager - Molson Coors
- Anahi Villarruel, Environmental Affairs - H-E-B
- Rick Archer, Founding Principal - Overland, Architecture + Urban Design
- Stoney Burke, Founder/ CEO - Aquia Group
- Edward Craner, Sr. Vice President - HOLT CAT
- Edan Dione, VP, Environmental, Energy & Chemical Management Programs, Corporate Environmental Affairs - IBM
- Zach Dooley, Vulcan Materials
- Jesse Hereford, Head of Strategic Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement - North American Development Bank
- Bob Malone, Chairman, President & CEO - Sonora Bank
- Richard McDonald, Corporate Director Sustainability - Sundt Construction Corporation
- Jayme Shy, TxN Board of Directors
- David Smith, TxN Board of Directors
- Preston Smith, Co-Founder and Managing Partner - Wildwood Environmental Credits
Activating new investments, amplifying and accelerating innovations, and connecting partners to the resources they need to succeed, Texan by Nature offers select programs to help engage Texans in the stewardship of the state’s rich land and diverse communities including the Conservation Wrangler program, TxN Certification, the Conservation Summit, Symposia series, the TxN 20, and select statewide initiatives. For more information on TxN partnerships and programs, or to learn how to get involved, please visit www.texanbynature.org.
ABOUT TxN:
Texan by Nature (TxN) brings conservation and business together to advance conservation - positively impacting natural resources, prosperity, and health across Texas and beyond. TxN partners deeply with conservation groups and business, acting as an accelerator for conservation groups and a strategic partner for business. TxN projects and programs have impacted 7M+ people, 19.5M acres, and all of Texas' 254 counties. Get involved and learn more at www.texanbynature.org and follow on Facebook @TexanbyNature, Twitter @TexanbyNature, and Instagram @texanbynature.
