2004 Smith awards

2004 Smith community progress awards are announced

The selection committee for the Tompkins Trust Co.'s annual Robert S. Smith Award for Community Progress and Innovation has announced this year's awards.

Three local agencies will be receiving the Tompkins Trust Co's Smith awards, and they are:

City of Ithaca Department of Planning and Development, for a proposed project to research and review transportation demands in the city of Ithaca and Tompkins County.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Community Beautification Program, for the development of an anti-litter campaign in the city of Ithaca and Tompkins County.

Cornell University's Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, for a proposed integrated biodiesel production service.

Established in 1994 through a grant of $100,000 by the Tompkins County Trust Co. (now Tompkins Trust Co.), the Robert S. Smith Award seeks to promote community outreach efforts directed toward tangible solutions of social and economic problems, and to stimulate innovative and creative student projects that will generate program partnerships between community organizations and Cornell students.

Robert Samuel Smith, who died Jan. 25, 2004, was chairman emeritus of the Tompkins County Trust Co. and the W.I. Myers Professor of Agricultural Finance Emeritus at Cornell.

In 1999 Smith and his wife endowed the Morgan-Smith Trail at Cornell Plantations in recognition of their dedication to Cornell and their love of woods and nature. Smith's effective service to Cornell, agriculture and the Ithaca community was modestly given, yet deeply admired by colleagues and community members alike.

June 17, 2004