October 2010

Collin O'Mara
Secretary, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control

Tonight’s speaker and I have at least two things in common – we are both “new kids on the block” and, like me – he is reportedly a night owl.  According to his staff, they can’t figure out whether Collin is still on California time or he is naturally a night owl as his emails often originate at midnight and beyond. However as time wears on they have concluded it is a species issue, not a time zone issue.

Now that you know the two things we have in common, the comparison stops there.   Besides our new Secretary of DNREC being young & tall, he is also:

• A U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional or, a LEED AP – one of fewer than 200 in Delaware. 

•  A graduate of Stanford University’s Business School’s Executive Management Program in Business Strategies for Environmental Sustainability.
  
•  A Marshall Scholar at Oxford, a Presidential scholar at Dartmouth, and a University Fellow at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
  
•  And so much more!

When Governor Markell went looking for the new Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, he found a bright, successful, experienced and insightful leader in California and convinced him to come back east to lead the Governor’s push for green business in Delaware and to stay on top of current and emerging environmental issues.   

Before coming to Delaware, Sec. O’Mara was the primary architect of the City of San Jose Green Vision – an ambitious 15 year plan that plans to transform San Jose into a world center of clean technology and, in doing so, demonstrate the logical link environmental sustainability and economic growth.  You should read the 10 point plan for San Jose, as it is plain to see that they mean business, and not just figuratively!  The goals are clearly stated, publicly tracked, and reported on the City’s green vision website. 

When Governor Markell picked Collin O’Mara, one blogger called this selection “… Markell’s most visionary” and further stated he was “smart and sophisticated in his understanding of environmental economics”. 

According to a study by the Center for American Progress and the Political Economy Research Institute, a national green economic recovery program focused on green building and green energy infrastructure would create 2 million new green jobs – hopefully, many of them will be in Delaware.  To help make that happen, we are fortunate to have Collin O’Mara as the Secretary of DNREC and as our speaker this evening – I am pleased to welcome to The Committee of 100 – Collin O’Mara.