American Public University System (APUS) signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) as a charter signatory in September 2007.  Since that time, APUS has been dedicated to taking meaningful steps toward reducing the school’s carbon footprint.  This Sustainability Summit will focus on issues of sustainability in higher education.  Invitees include representatives from all colleges and universities in West Virginia, as well as representatives from institutions of higher education within 100 miles of its Charles Town, West Virginia campus.  Participants will have an opportunity to hear from three leaders in sustainability, each possessing a thorough understanding of the unique opportunities and challenges for sustainability in the region.  Attendees will have an opportunity to network in order to learn from one another and further our mutual goal of creating a more environmentally friendly campus. 

Summit Schedule

*There will be optional tours of the APUS Academic Center, a green building, following the program.

Event Location
Holiday Inn Express
The Ranson Jefferson Room
681 Flowing Springs Road
Ranson, West Virginia 25438
304-725-1330

A small block of rooms has been held for this event at nightly rate of $89. Please call the Holiday Inn Express and mention the APUS Sustainability Summit to book.

To RSVP please contact Ms. Kelly Wenner at kwenner@apus.edu.

Questions?

If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact Ms. Beth Gray at egray@apus.edu.

Summit Speakers

See Dr. Wallace Boston’s introductory presentation about APUS here.

Edward T. McMahon (see Mr. McMahon’s presentation here.)
Senior Resident Fellow/Charles E. Fraser Chair for Sustainable Development and Environmental Policy
Urban Land Institute

Ed McMahon is the ULI Charles Fraser Senior Resident Fellow for Sustainable Development. ULI, based in Washington, D.C., is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. As the Senior Resident Fellow for Sustainable Development, McMahon’s responsibilities include leading ULI’s efforts to conduct research and educational activities related to green and sustainable development practices.

Before joining the Urban Land Institute in 2004, McMahon spent 14 years as the Vice President and Director of Land Use Planning for The Conservation Fund in Arlington, Virginia where he helped to protect more than 5 million acres of land of historic or natural significance. He is also the co-founder and former President of Scenic America, a national non-profit organization devoted to protecting America’s scenic landscapes. Before that, he taught law and public policy at Georgetown University Law Center for 9 years, and served in the U.S. Army, both at home and abroad.

McMahon is the author or co-author of 15 books and over 200 articles. His books include: Conservation Communities: Creating Value with Nature, Open Space and Agriculture; Better Models for Development in Maryland; Developing Sustainable Planned Communities; Green Infrastructure: Connecting Landscape and Communities; Land Conservation Finance, and Balancing Nature and Commerce in Gateway Communities. McMahon also writes regularly for Urban Land Magazine, Planning Commissioners Journal and other periodicals. During the past 20 years McMahon has drafted numerous local land use plans and ordinances. He has organized successful efforts to acquire and protect urban parkland, wilderness areas, and other conservation properties.

McMahon serves on several advisory boards and commissions including: the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation Maryland, The Governor’s Institute for Community Design and the Orton Family Foundation.

McMahon has an M.A. in Urban Studies from the University of Alabama, Birmingham and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law School. He and his wife live in Takoma Park, Maryland.

Clement Solomon (see Dr. Solomon’s presentation here.)
Director of Sustainability
West Virginia University

Clement Solomon is the Director of Sustainability at WVU. His primary role at the institutional level is to lead efforts related to crafting the vision and developing new frameworks for action. He is also involved in bringing together various aspects of academics, operations, and services to build a culture of sustainability across the campus. During his tenure at WVU, Dr. Solomon has played a key role in bringing together various stakeholders to foster collaboration, forge consensus, and develop creative and customized sustainable solutions.

He is a member of several advisory boards and professional associations and is an adjunct faculty member at WVU. He has two master’s degrees, one in Mechanical Engineering and the other in Civil/Environmental Engineering. He also has a PhD in Natural Resource Economics and is a certified ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems Lead Auditor.

Noah Mehrkam (see Mr. Mehrkam’s presentation here.)
Founder and Partner
Arcland Property Company

Noah Mehrkam is founder and partner of Arcland Property Company, a real estate development and land advisory firm focused on commercial properties in the Washington, DC metropolitan region. Primarily engaged in developing longterm portfolio assets, Arcland also acquires value-added properties, and provides consulting services. Current properties include a corporate campus totaling up to 270,000 square feet, a 400-acre master planned community, and multiple self-storage facilities.

Prior to founding Arcland, Mr. Mehrkam sourced and managed development projects for The Rector Companies based in Manassas, Virginia. His work included the development of condominium and other residential land, build-to-suit warehouse space, retail and office properties, as well as a self-storage facility. Before joining the commercial real estate sector, Mr. Mehrkam was Director of Real Estate for the Civil War Trust, a national land conservation organization, where he managed a team that negotiated the acquisition and disposition of thousands of acres of historical land.

Mr. Mehrkam is a faculty member for Georgetown University’s graduate real estate program, where he teaches a course on real estate entrepreneurship. He is also a member of The Real Estate Group and serves on the Technical Assistance Panel committee of the Urban Land Institute’s Washington District Council. He earned a B.A. from West Virginia University and holds a M.S. in Real Estate Development from Johns Hopkins University.