Oct. 6, 2009 (Business Wire) -- Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler of Washington has been elected by The Tropics Foundation’s Board of Trustees as the incoming Vice President of the charitable organization. Kreidler is a past chairman of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Climate Change and Global Warming Task Force.

President of the Tropics Foundation Wayne Reece praised Commissioner Kreidler’s commitment to the organization’s mission to continue to bring attention to climate change and his support of sustainable agriculture practices throughout Latin America. “I continue to be impressed by Commissioner Kreidler’s leadership and personal commitment to the work of The Tropics Foundation and to the mission of CATIE,” said Reece. “His guidance will play an important role in leading this organization forward.”

One day prior to the Board elections in New York, Dewey & LeBoeuf hosted Climate Change at a Crossroads, an event that benefitted The Tropics Foundation and included a focus on global climate change and related issues. Other sponsors of the September 29 event in New York included Porsche Cars North America, Lloyd’s America, Weyerhaeuser Company, and Coventry.

Attendees of the Crossroads event were addressed by Dr. Alvaro Umaña, who will lead Costa Rica’s delegation to the Copenhagen world climate conference in Denmark. Dr. Umaña spoke on the real-world impacts of climate change and stated that the United States is still responsible for at least 25% of the deadly carbon emissions destroying the earth’s atmosphere.

The event’s program recognized recent major gifts made to The Tropics Foundation in support of CATIE. William Scott Page, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Lifeline Program, was recognized for his continued work and recent contributions including the modernization of the computer laboratory on the university’s campus. Weyerhaeuser Company received the 2009 President’s Award for its major gift which facilitated the creation of the foundation.

The Tropics Foundation is a charitable organization created to support sustainable development and conservation of the environment throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. The Tropics Foundation raises funds for and supports the programs of CATIE (pronounced CAH-tee-ay), a research and graduate university dedicated to promoting competitive and sustainable agriculture and natural resource management through higher education, research, and technical cooperation.