White House names Brack a “Champion of Change”

Jul 19, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House today presented a “Champion of Change” honor to Center for a Better South President Andy Brack for the think tank’s efforts to develop practical ideas on ways to boost recovery for Gulf states following last year’s oil disaster.

Andy Brack

“On behalf of the Center, I am honored to receive this recognition because the kind of work we do is changing the South for the better,” said Brack, who chairs the board of the seven-year-old regional nonprofit. “By working with some very smart people across our region, we were able to craft a dozen ideas at the request of Navy Secretary Ray Mabus to consider as he developed the Administration’s Gulf recovery plan last year.”

On Wednesday, Brack is scheduled to meet privately with Mabus at the Pentagon to review Gulf efforts. (Mabus is pictured with Brack at top left.)

“The Center will offer to continue its idea work to help people along the Gulf, just as we strive to help people across the South by offering pragmatic ideas on tax reform, environmental issues and other policy matters,” Brack said.

Earlier today at a ceremony at the White House, Brack and several others received national recognition for their work to create a better, sustainable economy for people in the Gulf states. The honor, started earlier this year, is offered weekly to profile Americans doing extraordinary things in their communities to “out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the rest of the world,” according to the White House Web site (www.WhiteHouse.gov/champions).

“Not only did we offer a dozen creative ideas on how to improve the economic, educational and environmental landscape of the Gulf states, we showcased the disaster and recovery efforts on BetterGulf.org, a photo blog updated every day from June to November last year. “

The Center for a Better South is a pragmatic, nonpartisan think tank dedicated to developing progressive ideas, policies and information for thinking leaders who want to make a difference in the American South.