TRC’s Cliff Gladstein Receives Breath of Life Award for Lifetime Leadership in Clean Transportation and Energy

Gladstein serves as a senior leader on the Clean Transportation Solutions team at TRC, where he drives market strategy to accelerate the adoption of low- and zero-emission commercial transportation technologies

Breathe Southern California has presented its 2025 Breath of Life Award to Cliff Gladstein, a nationally recognized environmental advocate and founding president of Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA), for his decades of leadership in accelerating the adoption of clean fuels and zero-emission technologies. The award was presented at the SLS Hotel Beverly Hills during the organization’s gala celebrating its 122-year legacy of advancing clean air through research, education and advocacy.

Gladstein, whose firm was acquired by TRC Companies in 2023, now serves as a senior leader on the Clean Transportation Solutions team at TRC, continuing to guide nationwide efforts to reduce emissions from the commercial transportation sector.

“Cliff Gladstein is extremely deserving of being named our Breath of Life Award recipient,” said Marc Carrel, president & CEO of Breathe Southern California, the nonprofit organization presenting the honor. “Cliff is a pioneer in the clean transportation and clean energy industries and was involved before most people knew what alternative fuels and EVs were. The world of transportation and energy has changed dramatically since the 1990s and many of those changes wouldn’t have happened if it were not for the leadership and hard work of Cliff Gladstein. He pushed policymakers and vehicle makers to understand the benefits of transitioning to cleaner cars, trucks, buses, ships and aircraft. That has made our air cleaner and our families healthier.”

In 1993, Gladstein founded Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA), then known as Gladstein & Associates (G&A), to accelerate the deployment of low- and zero-emission vehicles, ultra-low carbon fuels and infrastructure for commercial transportation. That work continues at TRC, where Gladstein’s team has managed more clean fleet deployment projects than any other firm in North America, facilitated the development of some of the world’s largest alternative fuel corridors and secured more than $2 billion in grants and funding for clean transportation projects. The team has also created leading educational conferences to help fleets and stakeholders navigate the transition to sustainable transportation solutions.

Gladstein’s key career milestones include serving as the principal consultant on the drafting of the first Clean Air Plan for the city of Los Angeles in the early 1990s and creating the Interstate Clean Transportation Corridor (ICTC) project in the mid-1990s to promote the use of clean alternative fuels in goods movement, which led to the deployment of clean natural gas and electric trucks – reducing diesel fuel use by billions of gallons.

“I am deeply honored to receive the Breath of Life Award from Breathe Southern California,” said Gladstein. “This recognition underscores the collective efforts of our TRC team and our commitment to advancing clean fuels and transportation technologies. We are making significant strides in improving air quality and promoting sustainable energy solutions, and I am proud to be part of this transformative journey.”

Each year, Breathe Southern California presents its Breath of Life Award to honor individuals whose leadership has significantly contributed to cleaner air and healthier communities.

Information was sourced from TRC. To learn more, contact Lmarkle@trccompanies.com.