John Noel is a businessman, preservationist, and CEO of John Noel Investment Real Estate Co. He was President of the SACE Board of Directors from 2001 – 2020, the immediate past President of the TennGreen Land Conservancy (formerly named Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation), and an active advocate for the protection of Tennessee’s treasured places. He has been at the forefront of several precedence-setting campaigns involving water quality and land conservation. His efforts have been featured in National Geographic Magazine.
Noel serves on numerous boards including The Climate Institute in Washington, D.C., and Tennessee Conservation Voters. The National Society of DAR honored Noel with the 2007 ‘National’ Conservationist Award and Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen presented him with the 2008 Governor’s Lifetime Conservation Achievement Award, Tennessee’s highest environmental accolade. Noel was also appointed to the Tennessee Energy Policy Task Force to help set energy policy for the state of Tennessee. Additionally, he teamed up with the Governor to permanently protect over 70,000 acres of eco-rich Cumberland Mountains lands. A known speaker on the topic of Climate Change, Noel champions energy conservation, renewable energy sources, open lands, and all things linked to a healthy life and healthy planet.