DRI President’s Medals Awarded to Fred Davis and Lou Emmert

DRI President Stephen Wells has awarded DRI’s President’s Medal to two individuals: Sprint Vice President and General Manager Lou Emmert of Las Vegas; and Reno government relations consultant Fred Davis. The President’s Medal is the Institute’s highest non-scientific award, which acknowledges exceptional contributions much like the honorary degrees bestowed by teaching campuses in the University and Community College System of Nevada.

"These are two people who have made extraordinary contributions to DRI by expanding the community base which supports the Institute in so many important ways," Wells said. "Our scientists’ research efforts are benefitting from new facilities and equipment, and state and local decision makers are more aware of the expertise available at DRI to focus on environmental challenges because of Emmert and Davis."

Wells presented the medal to Davis at the March 28 Nevada Medal award dinner in Reno and to Emmert at the Nevada Medal award dinner in Las Vegas on March 30.

Wells said Emmert, who has chaired the DRI Research Foundation for three years, has developed the foundation into an effective fund raising organization that has produced millions of dollars for research equipment and laboratory improvements. Davis, who served as a special assistant to DRI’s president for ten years and acted as the Institute’s ambassador to Nevada’s government and business sectors, has helped communicate the value of DRI’s scientific and technical resources across the state.

Davis and Emmert are the sixth and seventh recipients of the medal, joining former Nevada First Lady Sandy Miller, DRI Foundation emerita trustees Countess Angela Dandini and Elizabeth West Stout, Senator Harry Reid, and former Foundation trustee and founder and chair of the DRI Golf Extravaganza, Jerry Cail.