Sustainable Connections "Thriving Community, Economy and Environment"

Sustainable Connections has nearly 20 years of experience helping thousands of businesses, government agencies, non-profits and households make financially and environmentally attractive choices. We'll briefly cover how, through the Community Energy Challenge, Toward Zero Waste and Green Building & Smart Growth programs.

Derek Long Bio:

Derek has a long record of entrepreneurism and program development in government, for-profit, and nonprofit sectors. He co-founded Sustainable Connections in 2002 and became Executive Director of Cloud Mountain Farm Center prior to an anticipated merger with Sustainable Connections at the end of 2018. He is committed to creating a community and economy that works well for all people, and believes our region is rich with the potential to do so.

Before his foray into the nonprofit world, he co-founded Viatru, an online Fair-Trade retail service, and also worked with the Federal Reserve Bank. Derek attended the University of Toledo, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with Honors. He has served on the boards of the Washington Business Alliance, Waterfront Advisory Group, Countywide Affordable Housing Task Force, Community Food Co-op, and Cloud Mountain Farm Center.