{"id":6682,"date":"2017-05-12T11:34:28","date_gmt":"2017-05-12T11:34:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/2017\/05\/18\/furman-recognizes-corporate-sustainability-fellows\/"},"modified":"2022-09-07T14:57:01","modified_gmt":"2022-09-07T18:57:01","slug":"furman-recognizes-corporate-sustainability-fellows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/furman-recognizes-corporate-sustainability-fellows\/","title":{"rendered":"Furman recognizes Corporate Sustainability Fellows"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Center for Corporate and Professional Development at Furman University recently recognized three local executives as 2017 Corporate Sustainability Fellows. They are:<\/p>\n<p><strong>David Bereskin<\/strong> (CEO, Greenville Water)<br \/>\n<strong>Ron Cotterman<\/strong> (Vice President of Sustainability, Sealed Air)<br \/>\n<strong>Jacqui DiMaggio<\/strong> (Vice President of Finance, Greenville Technical College)<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur 2017 Corporate Sustainability Fellows are recognized leaders in the field who are making a difference in their organizations and have contributed significantly to the success of our postgraduate diploma by sharing their knowledge and best practices,\u201d said Sam Tisdale, Director, Center for Corporate and Professional Development at Furman.<\/p>\n<p>Corporate Sustainability Fellows also serve as guest speakers in Furman\u2019s Postgraduate Diploma Program in Corporate Sustainability, and in the Undergraduate Day and Undergraduate Evening Studies programs. They sponsor student fellows of the David E. Shi Center for Sustainability on the Furman campus, and support internships and career opportunities within their organizations. Fellows also support faculty research within Furman academic departments where there is an interest in corporate sustainability.<\/p>\n<p>Said Tisdale, \u201cCorporate sustainability is being embraced across the country, not only because it\u2019s the right thing to do, but because it makes business sense. It lowers business costs, improves productivity and enhances reputation. Our postgraduate diploma in corporate sustainability provides the tools, techniques and strategic thinking necessary for business leaders who want to build a coherent sustainability strategy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCorporate Sustainability Fellows are leading-edge thought leaders who champion the definition and implementation of sustainability initiatives for their organizations. There are many sustainability type educational programs across the country, but none are as comprehensive and business focused as Furman\u2019s program, which will be offered again in the spring of 2018,\u201d Tisdale added.<\/p>\n<p>For more information or to register, please contact Sam Tisdale, Director of the Center for Corporate and Professional Development at Furman at 864-294-2156, or visit the website at www.fusbp.com. Biographical information follows for the 2017 Corporate Sustainability Fellows.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_32111\" style=\"width: 303px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-32111\" class=\"wp-image-32111 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/218\/2022\/08\/David-Bereskin-Head-Shot-400x410-medium.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"293\" height=\"300\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 293px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 293\/300;\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-32111\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Bereskin, CEO, Greenville Water<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>David Bereskin (CEO, Greenville Water)<br \/>\n<\/strong>Bereskin is a Registered Civil Engineer and a graduate of the University of Illinois. He brings over 26 years of experience in the water utility profession. He started his career with a privately owned public utility system and has worked in the regulated private sector as well as the public service sector.<\/p>\n<p>In 2011, Bereskin transitioned to Greenville Water from the City of North Las Vegas, Nev., where he served as Director of Utilities. Under his watch, the utility instituted a sophisticated Automatic Meter Reading System, installed a state-of-the-art billing system, built the United States\u2019 largest membrane bioreactor water reclamation facility, and was presented with the 2005 Gold Award from the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies.<\/p>\n<p>With Bereskin as CEO, Greenville Water has implemented many positive changes, such as transitioning to monthly billing, enhancing Community Relations and improving productivity of the workforce. Greenville Water has consistently been honoured as having the best tasting drinking water in the state, and was recognized as having the best tasting drinking water in North America. Greenville Water was also recognized for being among the nation\u2019s top tasting tap water providers on the talk show \u201cLive\u201d with Kelly &amp; Michael.<\/p>\n<p>During Bereskin\u2019s tenure, Greenville Water has developed a Watershed Management Plan, Facilities Master Plan, Water Resources Master Plan and completed a crucial water loss study. The adaptive and environmentally viable Water Resources Master Plan ensures a sustainable, resilient and reliable water supply for Greater Greenville into the next century.<\/p>\n<p>Greenville Water guided the recent relocation of Greenville Water\u2019s Field Operations Division into a co-located facility that not only improved efficiencies but improved the appearance of the community at West Washington Street and West Broad Street with a beautiful open space now known as Prospect Green.<\/p>\n<p>Greenville Water has achieved AAA financial rating and repeatedly received awards from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States. Year after year Greenville Water wins coveted awards from the Partnership for Safe Water. Most notably, Greenville Water was presented the Gold Award for Exceptional Utility Performance from the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_32112\" style=\"width: 233px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-32112\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-32112 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/218\/2022\/08\/Ron-Cotterman-400x600-medium.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"223\" height=\"300\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 223px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 223\/300;\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-32112\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ron Cotterman, Vice President of Sustainability, Sealed Air<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Ron Cotterman (Vice President of Sustainability, Sealed Air)<\/strong><br \/>\nCotterman is a lecturer at Furman University and a member of the advisory board of Michigan State University. He has an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Florida and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and over 30 years of industrial experience in technology innovation, business development and sustainability.<\/p>\n<p>In his position as Vice President of Sustainability at Sealed Air, Cotterman is responsible for company-wide sustainability strategy, a position he has served in since it was created in 2006. In this global role, Cotterman leads initiatives in operational excellence, delivering customer value, and partnering across the value chain. He is responsible for key innovations in areas such as food packaging, which extends shelf life and prevents food spoilage, inflatable BubbleWrap\u00ae packaging that reduces transport and protects products from damage during transit, and highly efficient cleaning products that reduce water and energy consumption.<\/p>\n<p>Cotterman is driving progress toward 2020 Sustainability Goals that demonstrate Sealed Air\u2019s vision to create a better way of life. His efforts have been recognized by Climate Savers and Fortune\u2019s \u201cMost Admired.\u201d Ron actively collaborates with a range of organizations including the World Wildlife Fund, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Doctors without Borders, Sustainable Packaging Coalition, Ameripen, and Europen.<\/p>\n<p>Selected accomplishments in the field of corporate sustainability for Cotterman include:<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Building partnerships with leading NGOs including World Wildlife Fund, Doctors without Borders and Ellen MacArthur Foundation to drive programs that create both business and societal benefits.<br \/>\n\u2022 Serving as a frequent speaker on global food waste impacts and how to implement solutions for prevention of food waste.<br \/>\n\u2022 Founding member of a new trade organization (AMERIPEN) dedicated to addressing needs surrounding packaging and the environment.<br \/>\n\u2022 Working with teenage Boy Scouts to appreciate the environment through high adventure treks; instructor for Sustainability Merit Badge.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_32113\" style=\"width: 185px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-32113\" class=\"wp-image-32113 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/218\/2022\/08\/jacqui-dimaggio.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"175\" height=\"219\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 175px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 175\/219;\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-32113\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jacqui DiMaggio, Vice President for Finance, Greenville Technical College<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Jacqui DiMaggio (Vice President for Finance, Greenville Technical College)<\/strong><br \/>\nDiMaggio is Vice President for Finance at Greenville Technical College. Her areas of responsibility are diverse and include the Business Office, Purchasing, Financial Aid, Construction Services, Facility Resources, Auxiliary Services and Campus Police departments. In this role, she is responsible for all aspects of the college\u2019s financial operations including budgeting, general accounting, grant accounting, and financial reporting and analysis.<\/p>\n<p>She oversees the financial stability the college, which has a fixed asset base of over $150 million, an annual operating budget of $85 million, and an annual cash flow greater than $150 million. She is also responsible for construction projects, coordinating with the State Engineer, the State Board for Technical Education, the Commission on Higher Education, the Joint Bond Review Committee and the State Fiscal Accountability Authority to secure approval for new building projects, renovations and leases.<\/p>\n<p>DiMaggio holds an MBA from Syracuse University, and earned a graduate certificate in Higher Education Leadership from the University of South Carolina. DiMaggio is active in the community, participating in several programs designed to benefit the Upstate. She was part of the Diversity Leaders Initiative through the Riley Institute at Furman University, a program which encourages community leaders to serve as champions and supporters of dialogue and collaboration around diversity issues. She is a graduate of Furman\u2019s inaugural Postgraduate Diploma in Corporate Sustainability and the Women\u2019s Leadership Institute.<\/p>\n<p>DiMaggio has also participated in Leadership Greenville through the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, a 10-month program designed to grow Greenville\u2019s leadership through an intense focus on the issues most directly relevant to the community. She serves on the Board and is currently the Chair of the Board for Goodwill Industries of the Upstate\/Midlands South Carolina.<\/p>\n<p>Selected sustainability accomplishments for DiMaggio at Greenville Technical College include:<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Influenced decisions in construction of Center for Manufacturing Innovation: added clerestory for daylighting benefits and strategically located windows for daylighting as well as heating and cooling benefits; life cycle analyses guided HVAC equipment selection; counseled on recycling of solid waste, metals and other materials.<br \/>\n\u2022 Included 10,000-gallon rainwater harvesting system for site tree irrigation for Institutional Effectiveness\/Logistics facility; implemented plan for redundant water source for building chilled water system; included \u201cLiving Wall\u201d in design.<br \/>\n\u2022 Received the Energy Reduction Milestone Award for reducing energy usage by 20 percent or more prior to the 2020 deadline.<br \/>\n\u2022 Routinely incorporates concepts such as life cycle costs in selecting building systems.<br \/>\n\u2022 Used information from Post Graduate Diploma in Corporate Sustainability to update existing Continuing Education curriculum.<br \/>\n\u2022 Established a \u201cSustainability Team\u201d composed primarily of class graduates.<br \/>\n\u2022 Concepts from the Postgraduate Diploma in Corporate Sustainability program helped Greenville Tech decide against initiating solar and green roof projects under consideration as the \u201cbusiness case\u201d did not support implementing them.<br \/>\n\u2022 Supported use of sidewalk grinding process to eliminate trip hazards instead of removing\/replacing sidewalks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Center for Corporate and Professional Development at Furman University recently recognized three local executives as 2017 Corporate Sustainability Fellows. 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