Cox Enterprises and The Trust for Public Land Announce Phil Pryde as the 2018 National Cox Conserves Hero

ATLANTA, Oct. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Enterprises and The Trust for Public Land today named Phil Pryde as the 2018 National Cox Conserves Hero. As the winner of this award, Pryde's nonprofit beneficiary, The San Diego River Park Foundation,will receive $50,000. This is in addition to the $10,000 awarded when he won at the local level. Pryde won this award through a public voting process that was conducted on CoxConservesHeros.com between Oct. 1–15.

"We would like to congratulate Mr. Pryde for being recognized as our 2018 National Cox Conserves Hero," said Maury Wolfe, sr. director, Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Affairs, Cox Enterprises. "The work he and the other nominees have done speaks to the positive impact a single individual can make at the local level. Thank you to all of the nominees for their dedication to the environment and community."

Phil Pryde has been involved with local conservation groups for 48 years, currently serving on the Board of Directors for The San Diego River Park Foundation and the Anza-Borrego Foundation. He has shaped conservation work in the San Diego region in many ways, including preventing construction of dams on local rivers, supporting the creation of the county's first USFS Wilderness Area, and helping makechanges that allowed conservation groups to acquire or otherwise protect federal lands.

"I'm truly honored to accept this award," said Pryde. "The San Diego River is an important part of the community here and you may be sure I'll continue to help protect it. I want to thank Cox Enterprises and the Trust for Public Land for their generosity. These funds will be put to good use by the San Diego River Park Foundation so that everyone can continue to enjoy the river."

The Cox Conserves Heroes program is celebrating 10 years of recognizing community members who work tirelessly to create, preserve or enhance outdoor spaces. First the program honors standout environmental volunteers from local markets in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Virginia and Washington. Winners from these markets are awarded $10,000 to donate to their nonprofit of choice. These individuals then go on to compete in the national competition.

In partnership with The Trust for Public Land, the Cox Conserves Heroes program is part of Cox Enterprises' national Cox Conserves™ sustainability program. Through the Cox Conserves Heroes program, the James M. Cox Foundation has donated $860,000 to environmental nonprofits and honored more than 200 volunteers since the program's launch a decade ago.

About Cox Enterprises:
Cox Enterprises is a leading communications, media and automotive services company. With revenues over $20 billion and approximately 60,000 employees, the company's major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications (cable television distribution, high-speed internet access, telephone, home security and automation, commercial telecommunications and advertising solutions); Cox Automotive (automotive-related auctions, financial services, media and software solutions); and Cox Media Group (television and radio stations, digital media, newspapers and advertising sales rep firms).

The company's major national brands include Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book and Manheim. Through Cox Automotive, the company's international operations stretch across Asia, Australia, Europe and Latin America. To learn more about Cox's commitment to people, sustainability and our communities, please visit www.CoxCSRReport.com.

About The Trust for Public Land:
The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Millions of people live within a 10-minute walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. To support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to you, visit www.tpl.org.

SOURCE Cox Enterprises