Reames receives Michigan Chronicle Men of Excellence award

Tony G. Reames, Tishman Professor of Environmental Justice at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), Associate Professor of Environment and Sustainability, and Director of the Detroit Sustainability Clinic, received a Michigan Chronicle Men of Excellence Award last week at the 17th Annual Men of Excellence Awards and Induction Ceremony in Detroit. Every year The Michigan Chronicle presents the Men and Women of Excellence award to outstanding African-American men and women who have made significant contributions to the City of Detroit through their leadership, vision, exemplary service and dedication in all sectors.

This year’s 50 Men of Excellence honorees included Michigan Lieutenant Governor Garland Gilchrist II, as well as many other distinguished honorees and leaders in politics, education, business, health care, public service, religion and the arts. Honorees are nominated by at least two previous Men of Excellence honorees. To qualify, a potential honoree must be an African American executive or business owner with a proven track record in their industry, a commitment to community service and a positive role model.

Past Men of Excellence honorees include Joe Tate, Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, and Brad Holmes, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Detroit Lions, among many other visionary black leaders.

Cathy Nedd, president of Real Times Media – the parent company of five of the most respected African-American owned news organizations in the United States, including Michigan Chronicle and Chicago Defender – delivered opening remarks before nearly 1,000 spectators at the awards ceremony at the MGM Grand on July 27.

“Let’s take a moment to recognize the profound impact these men have had. They are dedicated to their work, their families and their communities, and they have consistently gone above and beyond to make a difference. Their accomplishments are a testament to the power of dedication, hard work and a deep sense of responsibility for those around them,” Nedd said.

Hiram E. Jackson, CEO of Real Times Media, acknowledged that the Michigan Chronicle has consistently highlighted black achievements throughout its 88-year history.

“It’s our job to celebrate black people,” Jackson said. “If you believed everything that was said on the six o’clock news (about black people), you’d think we were all selling drugs and robbing somebody … but if that’s what you’re expecting, you don’t really know us.”

Jackson said skeptics had originally predicted the annual Men of Excellence awards would not last more than two or three years.

“(They said) there aren’t that many black men in the community doing amazing things. But now, in year 17… we have lawyers and doctors, business leaders and law enforcement. We have the lieutenant governor on that list.”

Reames has been working with underserved communities in Detroit since 2014 and was nominated for his sustained leadership and innovation in sustainability, environmental justice, and energy equity. At the Detroit Sustainability Clinic, Reames and his team provide technical assistance, resources, and multi-year engagement opportunities to strengthen community priorities and implement climate solutions in Detroit’s most underserved areas.

Most recently, Reames served as the Biden-Harris appointee at the U.S. Department of Energy, where he was deputy director for energy justice and first deputy director for state and local energy programs. He led the implementation of the President’s Justice40 initiative, which directs 40 percent of the benefits of federal climate investments to communities most affected by the climate crisis. Reames also founded and led the Office of Energy Justice Policy and Analysis, which advances equitable decarbonization in historically marginalized neighborhoods.

Reames adds the Men of Excellence award to a growing list of accolades. In 2019, he was named a Grist 50 Fixer, and in 2022, he received a Jan Brinch Award for Public Service Collaboration from the National Council on Electricity Policy. In addition to his federal service and academic roles, Reames is also a veteran of the U.S. Army.

Jackson emphasized that the Michigan Chronicle and Real Times Media focus on “stories about people you may not know but who are doing great things in the community. They may not be the loudest, but they fight hard every day. Their story is never told,” Jackson said. “This is our way of saying, ‘Brother, we see you. We see you.’ We understand how hard it is sometimes to be a Black man in America. And we just want to take a night to celebrate their success and say thank you.”

For more information about this event, see this article in the Michigan Chronicle.