The Southwestern Virginia Technology Council presented the Presidential Award to Jack Kennedy at the group's annual gala held at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon in June. The award was for his "driven determination and steadfast leadership in advancing Energy and Space exploration in Southwestern Virginia and across the Commonwealth" and it was presented by Virginia Technology Alliance Chairman Donald Purdie and Apollo 17 lunar astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt.
Kennedy is a co-founder of the Energy Technology Summit, held annually in April on the campus of the University of Virginia's College at Wise, brings experts and firms to the coal-producing region to review space-based solar power, solar power utilities, wind turbine technology, electric and hydrogen-powered automobiles, fusion, and a host of other cutting-edge energy technologies for possible investment. Hundreds of business, academic and government leaders have attended the summit the past three years for the technology council-sponsored event.
A civil, commercial, and military space enthusiast, Kennedy serves as a gubernatorial appointee on the 13-member Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority board of directors governing the state's commercial spaceport at Wallops Island, VA. From the 'Space Island' location the first commercial cargo launches will take flight to the International Space Station next year.
Kennedy's advocacy of the spaceport has manifested in many forms ranging from organizing ZeroGravity flights for Virginia school teachers; organizing enactment of Virginia laws favorable to commercial space launch opportunities; writing space-related commentaries for daily newspapers; editing a space-related blog read by hundreds from around the world; and, organizing college and university student earth science and observational astronomy programs.
Kennedy is a co-founder of the Energy Technology Summit, held annually in April on the campus of the University of Virginia's College at Wise, brings experts and firms to the coal-producing region to review space-based solar power, solar power utilities, wind turbine technology, electric and hydrogen-powered automobiles, fusion, and a host of other cutting-edge energy technologies for possible investment. Hundreds of business, academic and government leaders have attended the summit the past three years for the technology council-sponsored event.
A civil, commercial, and military space enthusiast, Kennedy serves as a gubernatorial appointee on the 13-member Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority board of directors governing the state's commercial spaceport at Wallops Island, VA. From the 'Space Island' location the first commercial cargo launches will take flight to the International Space Station next year.
Kennedy's advocacy of the spaceport has manifested in many forms ranging from organizing ZeroGravity flights for Virginia school teachers; organizing enactment of Virginia laws favorable to commercial space launch opportunities; writing space-related commentaries for daily newspapers; editing a space-related blog read by hundreds from around the world; and, organizing college and university student earth science and observational astronomy programs.
The Space Frontier Foundation presented Kennedy with the prestigious "2009 In-Service to the Frontier Award" at ceremonies held at NASA Ames in Silicon Valley, California for his work in advancing first of its kind commercial space launch state law in Virginia. President Obama honored him with inclusion in the space policy conference last April at the Kennedy Space Center.
A Virginia licensed attorney, Kennedy is the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Wise County and Norton and resides in Wise, Va. He holds six degrees in business, management, judicial administration, political science, space science and law.
A Virginia licensed attorney, Kennedy is the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Wise County and Norton and resides in Wise, Va. He holds six degrees in business, management, judicial administration, political science, space science and law.
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