Melanie Stewart, sustainability manager for UNMC and Nebraska Medicine, has been chosen as one of the 2017 recipients of the Midlands Business Journal’s annual 40 Under 40 Awards.
The award honors 40 Greater Omaha, Council Bluffs and Sarpy County entrepreneurs, executives and professional men and women under the age of 40 at a breakfast on Dec. 15.
Although she said she was pleased to be recognized, Stewart — who was named the med center’s first sustainability manager in 2014 — stressed that the award was for achievements that the entire campus has worked on.
“It was an honor to be nominated,” she said. “It’s nice to know that people notice the work that we’re doing and the effect that it has on health and our community. Still, it is important to note that while we’ve done some impressive things, it’s definitely a campus effort — the energy we’ve saved has every bit as much to do with facilities and the energy group — and the people who turn off lights — as it does with me.
“The LiveGreen Ambassadors have done a lot of work to get the word out to campus and in turn lots of people help achieve these goals by recycling, carpooling, conserving water, and shutting hood sashes, just to name a few.”
Stewart, who has been with the med center since 2000, pointed to the med center’s embrace of the Sustainability Master Plan, written in 2011, as integral to the success of sustainability efforts.
“We hit a lot of milestones by 2015, with a 25 percent reduction in energy use, a 22 percent reduction in water use, so those are fantastic achievements.”
She said that metrics show that other goals within the master plan, such as use of active transportation with TravelSmart, continue to move within reach.
Stewart said that the medical center provides a work climate that fosters the growth of young leaders.
“If you are going to lead the world, you have to have leaders on campus, and you have to have new ideas, new ways of thinking, to solve new problems. I think anybody who is looking to be a leader can do that here.”
The Midlands Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” issue, featuring Stewart and other Omaha-area business leaders, will be released on Dec. 15.
Congrats Melanie !
Great that you are being recognized for all your hard work…
Congratulations, Melanie! You’ve led the way!
Congratulations Melanie! You deserve it! Saralyn
Congratulations Melanie on this well-deserved honor!!
Congrats on the recognition Melanie, well deserved.
Congratulations Melanie!
Awesome Melanie – you deserve this.
Congrats Melanie!!
Well deserved. Thank you for everything you do, Melanie!
Melanie, congratulations. This was a much deserved honor for your leadership on campus and your very real accomplishments.
Congratulations, Melanie! You definitely changed the direction for things here (for the better!), and you deserve to be recognized!
Well deserved honor, Melanie!
Congratulations Melanie! The goals we've reached may have been a group effort, but your dedication and guidance have been indispensable.
Congratulations, Melanie!
Congratulations Melanie! You've been a great leader and pushed everyone on campus forward.
Thanks for all your dedication and work. It's so important.
Congrats, Melanie! Well deserved for all of your hard work and dedication.
This is such a well-earned honor, Melanie! Thank you for your dedication to sustainability and for helping UNMC and Nebraska Medicine become better environmental stewards.
Melanie, you have been such a huge help to me and to Ben with our Energy initiatives and the launch of the Energy Curtailment education website at the Medical Center. Your infectious optimism, enthusiasm, and ability to wrap that around the real challenges that face our organization make you an invaluable resource and a great mentor. We are privileged to have you in our department !
Well deserved indeed! You do an outstanding job leading our campus' sustainability efforts.
Congratulations Melanie! You do a great job!
Congratulations Melanie!
Congratulations, Melanie, on this well-deserved recognition. Your efforts in campus sustainability have had a huge impact. Keep up the good work!
Congratulations Melanie! Having spent just a bit of time with you at Earth Day and over some e-mails, I can see why you are being honored.
Congratulations Melanie!!
Thank you all for your kind words. One of the best parts of this job is getting to work with so many different people and we wouldn't have accomplished any of our goals without all of you! I look forward to accomplishing our 2030 goals with your help!
Thanks again,
Melanie
Way to go, Melanie! Thanks for all you do to make our world a better place.
Congratulations, Melanie! Thanks for all of your hard work!
Congrats Melanie!
It is great to work with Melanie. She is so on top of what she does!