SOCIAL IMPACT BREAKFAST SERIES
Moving Toward a Resilient Circular Economy
with Jeff Denby, co-founder of The Renewal Workshop; and Ron Gonen ’04, founder and CEO of Closed Loop Partners and former adjunct professor at Columbia Business School
Wednesday, June 3, 2020
7:45–8:45 AM EDT
Webinar details included in RSVP confirmation email.
While Closed Loop Partners has been investing in the circular economy for years, COVID 19 has pressingly demonstrated the need for a transition to more resilient supply chains in global industries. Ron Gonen will examine the roles of transparency and collaboration in this process, as well as how his firm supports companies aiding in the transformation. Ron will be joined by Jeff Denby of The Renewal Workshop, a Closed Loop portfolio company, who will discuss his team’s efforts to eliminate waste in apparel and textile manufacturing.
About the Speakers:
Jeff Denby
Co-founder of The Renewal Workshop
Jeff is the co-founder of The Renewal Workshop. His passion for sustainability in the apparel industry drove him to develop a new business model that diverts apparel bound for landfill to The Renewal Workshop facility where it can be renewed and enjoyed by consumers again.
Prior to The Renewal Workshop, Jeff was the co-founder of PACT, an apparel brand that aims to change the apparel industry for good. PACT makes organic cotton basics in a transparent supply chain that aims to improve the lives of the farmers who grow the organic cotton and the workers who make the clothing. He managed supply chain, product development, and brand creative, while leading business development with key retailers. He led PACT through concept, fundraising, development, launch, acquisition, and growth spanning the full venture lifecycle of building a successful brand in the apparel industry. PACT has gone from selling its first collection of organic underwear online to a full-scale lifestyle brand available in more than 500 retail outlets with partners such as Whole Foods, Nordstrom, and Amazon.
While pursuing his MBA at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, Jeff worked on brand and sustainability programs for Gap, Jack Daniel’s, and eBay. Jeff graduated with first class honors from the University of Waterloo in Canada with a degree in mechanical engineering and holds an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. He lives in Oakland, California.
Ron Gonen ’04
Co-founder and CEO of Closed Loop Partners and Adjunct Professor at Columbia Business School
Ron is the co-founder and CEO of Closed Loop Partners, a New York based investment firm composed of venture capital, growth equity, private equity, project finance, and an innovation center focused on building the circular economy. Investors include many of the world’s largest retailers and consumer goods companies, as well as family offices interested in investments that provide strong financial returns and tangible social impact.
Prior to Closed Loop Partners, Ron was the deputy commissioner of sanitation in New York City in the Bloomberg Administration. He oversaw the collection and processing of NYC’s paper, metal, glass, plastic, textile waste, electronic waste, organics, and hazardous waste as well as public policy. In 2013, NRDC and Earth Day New York named Ron as the Public Official of the Year in New York City.
Ron has been an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School since 2010. In 2012, he was the recipient of the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Ron has been recognized with a number of business and environmental awards including recognition as a Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Program which is the highest distinction for environmental protection given by the United Nations and recognizes outstanding visionaries and leaders in the fields of policy, science, and entrepreneurship and the Medal of Excellence from Columbia University, which recognizes alumni under the age of 45 for excellence in scholarship, public service, and professional life.
The companies that he has led have been recognized as innovators in sustainable business practices. Recognitions include The Conference of Mayors – Public/Private Partnership of the Year, Technology Pioneer from the World Economic Forum, and the Wall Street Journal’s #1 Venture Backed Cleantech Company of the Year.
Earlier in his career, Ron was the co-founder and CEO of RecycleBank from 2003 to 2010. He started his career at Deloitte Consulting. Ron was a Henry Catto Fellow at the Aspen Institute and past term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds a number of technology and business method patents in the recycling industry.
He received an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Social Impact Breakfast Series
The center works with the GBC and SEC to organize an informal discussion series with professionals / alumni in the social enterprise field and is designed to foster an open dialogue and provide opportunities for candid questions.