THANKS TO LAURY

BALLE salutes the many years of service of Laury Hammel following his recent decision to step down from the board. Laury, founder and president of the Longfellow Tennis Clubs in the greater Boston area, played a central role in launching BALLE in 2001, served as co-chair of the board until 2007, and led the organizing team for this year’s conference at Boston University.  

Said BALLE co-founder Judy Wicks, “Over the last seven years, Laury has given his heart and soul to this movement, and we are all deeply grateful for his energy and boundless enthusiasm in seeding business alliances across the country. There would have been no BALLE without Laury’s initial leadership.”

One of the places where Laury has left his mark is in the greater Boston area, where over the last year he catalyzed several new BALLE networks and paved the way for the recent conference at Boston University.

In an open thank you letter, the chair of the BALLE Board, Michelle Long, wrote, “We appreciate the enormous work and leadership you put into organizing a conference that certainly set a new standard for BALLE and for the living economies movement.  Your efforts were clearly key in making the event a resounding success.”

A heartfelt thank you to Laury from all of us at BALLE! 

News

About BALLE

Using the Power of Community to Green Small Business, interview with Mary Rick on GreenBiz.com.

About the Networks (Existing or Forming)

Why local matters to the community, commentary by Janice Shade, ED of Local First Vermont, in the Times-Argus, January 31, 2008.

Business alliance's name change puts 'Local First,' Gazette.net, February 27, 2008, by Kristina Gawrgy.

About Relevant Topics

My Forbidden Fruits (and Vegetables), New York Times, March 1, 2008, by Jack Hedin.

The Dairies Are Half-Pint, But the Flavor Isn't, New York Times, February 20, 2008, by Marian Burros.

How Do We Define the Green Jobs Economy? Grist, February 20, 2008, by Kevin Doyle.

A Green Energy Industry Takes Root Under the California Sun, New York Times, February 1, 2008, by Matt Richtel and John Markoff.

In Oregon and US, green groups are mostly white, Oregonian, January 27, 2008, by Scott Learn.

Local Gyms Outpace the National Chains, New York Times, January 2, 2008, by Tara Parker-Pope.

What's Your Consumption Factor? New York Times, January 2, 2008, by Jared Diamond.

Homespun Electricity, From the Wind, New York Times, December 13, 2007, by Kristina Shevory.