Jeff Krejci
InterfaceFlor Commercial

The Nominator: Mike Dungan, BIE

How has the nominee implemented sustainable business practices in his or her business or organization?
As Cleveland+`s representative for the Interface Corporation, Jeff Krejci not only practices what his organization preaches but also is driven to share this knowledge with individuals he comes into contact with on a daily basis.

What is the triple bottom line benefit (people, planet, prosperity) of the nominee`s work?
People - Jeff generously offers his time and experience to anyone interested in learning about corporate social responsibility and sustainable material selection. Planet - Jeff`s work in the region has diverted thousands of pounds of used and new carpet samples from local landfills. Ensuring the specification of his product in construction projects allows for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions via Interface`s innovative closed loop manufacturing and logistics process. Prosperity - Jeff`s attitude demonstrates that sustainability can be fun as well important. Securing an order for sustainable products is secondary to allowing the story behind those products to be shared and advanced (at least most days, eh Jeff?)

How has the nominee inspired you to implement sustainable business practices?
For the past 6 years, Jeff has been a friend, mentor, and colleague when it comes to sustainable practices in the workplace. From his original recommendation for me to read Ray Anderson`s book `Mid-Course Correction` to his contributions as a co-convener and collaborator in Cleveland`s ZeroLandfill Celebration, Jeff is a great check and balance for me to verify the claims of sustainable manufacturers/organizations, and is a true accountability partner in sustainable practices both personally and professionally.

How can someone else translate the success of the nominee? Is the work of the nominee an example or model that others can follow?
One method - Measure and report annually the amount of sustainable flooring product Jeff is responsible for installing in our market (sq. yds, or $$) coupled with the amount of flooring product Jeff has recycled in our market and you will derive metrics that competing flooring manufacturers would have a hard time matching or exceeding. An alternate method - survey the specifying community to discover who has been impacted by the knowledge shared by Jeff through his workshops, factory tours, and one on one meetings.

How does the nominee actively participate in the sustainability community? How do they collaborate and share their knowledge with others?
Jeff has been a very visible supporter of numerous organizations in our market, including E4S, Cleveland Green Building Coalition, International Interior Design Association, and the American Institute of Architects. He is also very active behind the scenes, helping to bring thought leaders to the market to share new ideas related to sustainability. Recent examples include Ray Anderson, CEO of Interface, and Jim Hartzfeld, Director of InterfaceRaise.

Schneiderman Award
Not many people know this, but Jeff actually has a chemistry background and is very astute at translating very complex issues involving sustainable manufacturing, recycling, waste, and material selection into easily understood terms for any audience. He should have been a teacher, helping young people grasp the issues facing our planet today. However, our region is just as well off with Jeff`s chosen career path of representing the leader in worldwide sustainable manufacturing. His desire to teach others what authentic social responsibility looks like from his personal and professional perspective is unyielding. Whether you are a co-worker, a client, a colleague, or a competitor, you are usually better off after engaging Jeff in a conversation than you were before. There is not enough time available in this forum to describe the impact Jeff has made on our community over the years as a representative of Interface. However, I will say that Jeff`s involvement in the material selection decisions in our region`s construction industry have ensured that the facilities involved will enjoy improved indoor air quality, long term maintenance and care benefits, and a true closed loop end of life disposition opportunity through Interface`s recycling program. And for those facility decision makers who may not have selected Jeff`s product, it is probably safe to say that they learned something of value from Jeff in the process.

Back to the List of 2007 Sustainability Champions Nominees