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portland business journal | june 29, 2012
June 29, 2012
BUSINESS NEWS FROM THE FOUR-COUNTY REGION
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Leaders to watch in the sustainable business ecosystem
Who they are . . .
Why they matter . . .
Aaron Berg
As the founder of Blue Tree Strategies and the founding chief financial officer of Clean Energy Works Oregon, Aaron
Berg is working to build sustainable business models that are both replicable and scalable. Through four-year-old Blue
Tree, Berg is working on new models for energy efficiency finance to be applied through regional programs like Clean
Energy Works and in low-income housing environments.
Mia Birk
Mia Birk may as well be the face of Portland’s biking infrastructure. The former manager of the city of Portland’s
bicycle program joined Alta Planning + Design in 1999 and provides expertise in bike- and pedestrian-friendly
development to clients around the country. Birk also serves as an adjunct professor at Portland State University
where she helped start the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation.
Eric Brody
A one-time sustainability lead for Nike, Eric Brody now provides his expertise on everything from environmental
scorecards to raw material sourcing to consumer education for a wide range of clients in the apparel and sports
industries. For the last three years Brody has been a driving force behind the Outdoor Industry Association’s ongoing
efforts to create and disseminate an industry-wide Eco Index.
Jay coalson
A longtime champion of the growth of green building, Jay Coalson has turned his attention to the world’s waste
streams by taking over as executive director of the Zero Waste Alliance. The attention being paid to the goal of zero
waste “looks and feels like green building did 10 years ago.” Coalson has plans to implement district-scale zero waste
pilot projects and apply peer-to-peer technology to finding non-landfill uses for waste products.
Mark Edlen
Anyone who has heard Mark Edlen talk about the 20-minute neighborhood knows the passion that he has for
sustainable development. But while Portland is well-versed in the idea of transit-friendly urban development that
embraces all the principles of green building, the rest of the world is just starting to get to know Gerding Edlen’s style.
Watch for Edlen’s impacts to crop in other cities, including some in China.
Keith Peters
The Portland-based Council for Responsible Sport was formed in 2007 to replicate low-impact sporting events through
a program called ReSport Certification. To date 40 different events have become ReSport Certified including the
U.S. Olympic Trials marathons in Houston. Peters, a former Nike executive, is now working on ReSport Certification
standards that include food, lodging and transportation for multi-day events like the Track & Field Olympic Trials.
Jon Thomsen
Under Jon Thomsen’s leadership, the Portland office of Ecova, has remained a powerhouse of sustainability and
energy efficiency expertise even while the headquarters of the company are based in Spokane, Wash. Thomsen also
heads up Ecova’s utility practice, helping utilities across the country make use of new technologies to meet electricity
load demands through efficiency.
Martin Tull
Just a year ago, the Green Sports Alliance was launched by the Portland Trail Blazers and a handful of other sports
franchises. Since then, Martin Tull, the group’s founding executive director, has continued to add teams and venues
to what quickly became a global roster. Tull has a deep commitment to driving sustainable practices by leveraging the
passion of sport. Watch for news around the time of alliance’s Green Sports Summit coming up in September.
Jeff Wolfstone
Long before the idea of becoming a Benefit Corporation took hold in the business community, Jeff Wolfstone was
helping company leaders who want to do the right thing incorporate those values into their legal structures. Wolfstone
focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, commercial finance, corporate law and
governance, venture capital and private equity, sustainability and nonprofit corporations.
Justin Yuen
Justin Yuen has built his company as a shining example of how a technology company can further the goal of
sustainability both within its own operations and through its clients. Yuen, also a Nike alum, is a frequent speaker on
the integration of sustainability and business and serves as a board member for organizations including the Northwest
Earth Institute and the Portland Parks Foundation.
President & Founder
Blue Tree Strategies
Principal
Alta Planning + Design
Principal
Shift Advantage
Executive Director
Zero Waste Alliance
CEO
Gerding Edlen
Executive Director
Council for Responsible Sport
Executive Vice President
Ecova
Executive Director
Green Sports Alliance
Shareholder
Lane Powell
President
FMYI
Reprinted for web use with permission from the Portland Business Journal. ©2012, all rights reserved. Reprinted by Scoop ReprintSource 1-800-767-3263.