Green Sports Alliance Honors Mike Richter with Environmental Leadership Award

PORTLAND, Ore., May 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 7, the Green Sports Alliance honored Mike Richter with the Environmental Leadership Award at the 2026 Green Sports Alliance Summit.

For over a decade, the Green Sports Alliance has annually honored a sports sustainability innovator through one of its most esteemed awards, the Environmental Leadership Award. Mike Richter, U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer and President of Brightcore Energy, was recognized for his commitment to sustainability in both professional hockey and his corporate career.

In presenting the Environmental Leadership Award to Mike Richter, Jason Twill, co-founder of the Green Sports Alliance and Head of Capital for Alterra Mountain Company, stated, "Mike plays just as hard for the planet as he did on the ice for the Rangers. He is an incredible advocate of sustainability and a fantastic role model for the next generation. He inspires not only through his words, but through his actions.

His company, Brightcore Energy, is a leading energy developer making major strides in helping cities and communities around the country transition to clean energy, not to mention his decades of work supporting the greening of the NHL. On top of all this, Mike is a wonderful father, husband, and friend with a heart of gold."

Twill then directed the Summit audience to the video screens for a congratulatory message from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, himself the recipient of the Green Sports Alliance's Environmental Leadership Award in 2014.

"On behalf of the National Hockey League, it is my pleasure and privilege to congratulate Mike Richter on receiving the Green Sports Alliance's Environmental Leadership Award," said Bettman. "Throughout his career in hockey and beyond, Mike has exemplified leadership, integrity, and purpose, long before sustainability became a central focus in the sports industry. Mike helped shape the NHL's environmental efforts and played a key role in launching NHL Green more than 15 years ago."

Bettman continued, "Mike has always understood the connection between our game and the environment, from the arenas we operate to the outdoor rinks–where so many first experience hockey, and we remain inspired by his continued commitment to advance practical, innovative solutions that strengthen our game and the communities where we play."

In his acceptance speech, Mike Richter shared, "I'm absolutely humbled, and yes, I am surprised. This is with countless people behind me, standing on their shoulders–a lot of great ideas, concepts, and mostly hard work."

Richter continued, "You have to change minds, and what better platform than what we have here in sports.

What we're talking about, … it's physics; it's health; it's economics; it's actually ethics. All these things matter, and we have truth on our side to get this right. So I want to just say, please keep talking, keep yapping, keep doing what you're doing, keep meeting people where they are, keep being examples of the laser focus, the determination that you need to have success, and most of all, have that resiliency; we have to win this.

You are absolutely making the world a better place, and I appreciate you having me along for the ride. Thanks."

As this year's recipient of the Green Sports Alliance's Environmental Leadership Award, Mike Richter joins an esteemed group of previous honorees that includes Billie Jean King, Allan (Bud) Selig, Jack Groh, Christina Weiss Lurie, and Michele Uva.

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SOURCE GREEN SPORTS ALLIANCE