Entrepreneurs for Sustainability
Celebrates the 2006 Champions of Sustainability

Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (commonly referred to as E4S) was founded in December 2000 when Holly Harlan, a leading Cleveland economic-development professional, joined forces with several other local entrepreneurs who wanted to accelerate the application of the principles of sustainability into business practices. The organization celebrated its fourth annual Champions of Sustainability Awards on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2006, at Great Lakes Brewing Company. Peers nominated individuals who championed the cause in 2006 by implementing sustainability principles in their businesses or organizations, and a committee selected winners based on several criteria: an inspirational story, easily-translatable success and overall impact on “the triple bottom line,” i.e., people, the planet and prosperity. In addition to a one-year membership in Entrepreneurs for Sustainability, E4S awarded each recipient the opportunity to attend a meeting with Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson to discuss northeast Ohio's sustainable-living vision.

The 2006 Champions of Sustainability

Local Food: Parker Bosley, owner of Parker's New American Bistro Parker Bosley has been instrumental in initiating and strengthening local relationships between farmers and restaurants for more than 22 years. Realizing his original goal of utilizing as many products from local farms as possible, Parker's Bistro is one of only 10 restaurants nationwide to source 100 percent of its products from the local community. Regional restaurant chefs cite Parker as an influential source of inspiration and education when it comes to the local-foods movement and its application to the restaurant industry. This E4S award culminates his illustrious restaurant career, as he closed Parker's Bistro at the end of 2006. Parker, a founding member of North Union Farmer's Market, will continue to manage the Crocker Park, Westlake market and serve on the organization board. He continues to function as a liaison between farmers and consumers and to speak at public events in community outreach efforts.

Healthy, High Performance Building (green building): Carolyn Bentley, Great Lakes Publishing A staff member at Cleveland Magazine, for several years Carolyn Bentley wanted the publication to feature a “green rehab” story. Instead of merely remaining an interested observer, she became a driving force, partnering with the Cleveland Green Building Coalition, Detroit-Shoreway Community Development Organization and Cleveland Housing Network. When Carolyn and her husband John bought a home in need of significant repairs and improvement, they rehabbed the three-unit home following green guidelines. Attracting tenants with sustainable-living values, the Bentleys rent these units and serve as an inspiration for other landlords to take similar measures. Recently, the Bentleys purchased a single-family home and repeated the process again.

Next Generation Energy (renewable/energy efficiency): Gene Matthews, director of Facilities Services at Case Western Reserve University For nearly a decade, Gene has led his team in conducting campus-wide energy conservation and efficiency projects. Last year, Gene spearheaded a retrofit project at the Kelvin Smith Library (the main library, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week), which included the installation of motion and daylight sensors, eliminating 1,500 lamps and reducing the building's energy consumption by 30 percent. “At a university, students are the product,” says Gene, “and Case Western Reserve University's goal is to produce a generation of astute students who think critically about the impact of their choices in terms of people, planet and profit.”

Sustainable Transportation: Ryan McKenzie, City Wheels of Cleveland For many years Ryan McKenzie has advocated alternative environmentally friendly transportation. Previously Ryan worked with Eco-City Cleveland to educate the community about car-free living in Cleveland. He also was instrumental in getting RTA to install bike carriers on a number of the city's buses. McKenzie's latest entrepreneurial venture is City Wheels, a car-sharing program that offers citizens an alternative to purchasing and owning a car – a perfect service for those who do not have daily driving needs. City Wheels reduces the number of cars on the road, resulting in less pollution and improving the crowded on-street parking situations in a number of Cleveland's urban and university neighborhoods. Ryan's business model is so exceptional that organizations and individuals call weekly (from as far away as Kenyon and Columbus, Ohio) to inquire about City Wheels.

The Schneiderman Award for Socially Responsible Business: Mike Dungan, vice president of sales, Business Interiors and Environments, Inc. (BIE) In 2004, E4S added this award to honor Brian Schneiderman, a founding member of the organization. The award, now bearing his name, is given to an individual who particularly exemplifies the socially-responsible aspect of the triple-bottom line – people, planet and prosperity. Mike Dungan currently serves on the E4S board and is an ardent supporter of sustainable business practices in Cleveland. Consistently leading by example, Mike has increased sustainability awareness in the contract furniture and architectural/design community. In addition, he has implemented programs at BIE that provide exhibition space for local artists and meeting space for non-profit organizations. “Today's business decisions need to be carefully deliberated through the prism of the triple bottom line (people, planet, prosperity) to ensure the community-at-large benefits along the way,” says Mike.

Sustainability in Action: Sister Joanne Buckman, O.S.U., Ph.D., Director of Crown Point Ecology Center Crown Point Ecology Center in Bath, Ohio, is a regional model for sustainable agriculture of farm-based environmental education programs. Located on a 130-acre historic farmstead, it is comprised of nine children's gardens, a 10-acre certified organic farm, woodlands, fields, meadows and a pond-wetlands ecosystem. The farm operation sustains a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program and an ongoing commitment to share 35 percent of its harvest to feed the hungry. Since 1997, Crown Point Ecology Center has donated 182,000 pounds of vegetables to Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank, providing 121, 333 meals for people in eight Ohio counties.

Visit www.e4s.org to learn more about Entrepreneurs for Sustainability and the 2006 Champions of Sustainability nominees. Attend an E4S meeting this year and experience the environmental enthusiasm and expertise first hand. Who knows? Come November, you (or someone you admire) may earn recognition at the 2007 E4S Champions of Sustainability Awards.

E4S holds free monthly “Third Tuesday Network Events” at the Great Lakes Brewery. The gatherings feature presentations and discussions by local and national leaders in sustainability and networking among individuals in business, government, non-profit organizations and academia. Other programs sponsored by the organization include member roundtables, workshops, tours and its signature “Sustainability Implementation Group.” For more information, visit www.e4s.org or call (216) 451-7755.

Tim Zaun is a Licensed MEGA Life and Health Insurance agent, field service representative for the National Association for the Self-Employed and an active participant in the E4S network. He can be reached at t.zaun@NASE.org or (216) 308-3847.