Have you ever wondered how companies continually improve upon their sustainability initiatives or how they convince management to invest in renewable energy, or high capital sustainability improvements? Join us for our “Where are they now? Past Award Winners Progressing on the Sustainability Journey” panel in our Governor’s Sustainability Awards Ceremony Morning Symposium to learn from those who have lead the way in their companies and have become champions of sustainability.
Joining Steve Rundell, founder and CEO of Solvent Systems International, we will have Chris Perzan, Director of Environmental and Energy Affairs and Sr. Counsel to Navistar, Inc. (14-time winner) and Dan Scoles, Manager of EHS & Sustainability at NOW Foods (4-time Award winner) speak on this panel.
Solvent Systems International was one of the very first Governor’s Sustainability Award winners, when it was first named the Pollution Prevention Award. Both Navistar, Inc. and NOW Foods have won the Award multiple times for their sustainability efforts, and we truly look forward to having them share their expertise!
Meet our newest panelists below. Please visit our Awards Ceremony webpage to see the entire agenda for the day. We hope that you can join us on October 27th at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers! Don’t forget to register!
Chris Perzan, Director of Environmental and Energy Affairs and Sr. Counsel to Navistar, Inc.
Navistar, headquarters for International Truck and Engine Corporation, is a manufacturer and marketer of medium and heavy trucks and mid-range diesel engines. Navistar, Inc. last won a Governor’s Sustainability Award in 2009 – which is where some of these sustainability highlights have originated. Since they are a 14-time Award winner, their initiatives are vast and diverse. This is just a small snippet of sustainability initiatives that Navistar, Inc. has implemented.
When they won their last Award in 2009 at Navistar’s Melrose Park plant, continual improvement was part of the ISO14001 system and the company’s commitment to the environment. The Environmental and Energy Organization, a team within Navistar, developed and implemented strategies for reducing the use of energy and water at the facility. Energy was targeted to conserve natural resources and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In one year, energy use was reduced from 73,154,585 kWh during both production and nonproduction hours to 69,024,673 kWh. This reduction has given Navistar an annualized saving of over $100,000. Navistar also has reduced water usage. By reviewing current operations and implementing a conservation program, Navistar reduced water consumption by over 37 percent (almost 20 million gallons). These efforts not only saved millions of gallons of water but reduced the cost of water usage and disposal by over $200,000.
Chris Perzan is Director of Environmental and Energy Affairs and Sr. Counsel at Navistar, Inc., a global manufacturer of trucks and engines based in Lisle, IL. He is responsible for the group overseeing environmental compliance and energy reduction efforts at Navistar facilities and is also the principal environmental lawyer for Navistar. Prior to working at Navistar, he was an Assistant Attorney General in the Illinois Attorney General’s Office in Chicago and Assistant Counsel at the Illinois EPA in Springfield. He is a graduate of Washington University School of Law in St. Louis and Knox College. We are excited to learn more about how they have continued their sustainability journey, and what lies ahead in the future.
Dan Scoles, Manager of EHS & Sustainability at NOW Foods
Established in 1968, NOW Foods manufactures the natural product industry’s most comprehensive line of natural health products, including dietary supplements, sports nutrition, foods, and personal care items. In addition to a passion for nutritional excellence, NOW supports social and environmental efforts throughout their industry and community.
NOW Foods last won a Governor’s Sustainability Award in 2011 – which is where some of these sustainability highlights have originated. Since they are a 4-time Award winner, their initiatives are vast and diverse. This is just a small snippet of sustainability initiatives that NOW Foods has implemented.
NOW regularly hosts conservation and clean-up events in support of Make a Difference Day and Earth Week; a tradition which goes back over a decade. In addition, NOW is exploring the feasibility of geothermal cooling for their warehouses. Recent sustainability efforts include:
- the purchase and use of a Diversi-Tech Dust Cartridge/ Filter Cleaning Machine which allows for the in-house cleaning and reuse of dust collector filter cartridges,
- installation of an automatic night cooling system which allow more efficient control of warehouse temperatures,
- expansion of in-house recycling and reuse programs to include food dust collections. This material is offered for beneficial reuse as hog feed supplement,
- holding a Christmas light recycling drive,
- installation of a rain/moisture sensor to prevent unnecessary landscape watering,
- providing free barrels to the Village of Bloomingdale for use as trash receptacles in parks, and for use in resource collection drives, and
- hosting an educational booth at the Green Fair.
Dan is a veteran in the Environmental & Occupational Health and Sustainability fields. He has worked in Private Industry, Manufacturing, Governmental, and Educational institutions for over 20 years promoting environmentally responsible business practices and safe work environments. Dan has a Master of Public Health degree from Benedictine University with emphases in Environmental and Occupation Health Administration, and a BS in Environmental Health Sciences from Illinois State University. He is a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) and a Certified Safety Professional (CSP). Dan’s work has contributed to numerous environmental awards and recognitions for his employers, including the Illinois Governor’s Sustainability Award 2008-2011. Dan is an Adjunct Faculty member at the College of DuPage and teaches environmental studies courses in his spare time. Dan resides in Roselle, IL.