About Green Business Networking

Green Business Networking was formed in 2005 when a small group of business leaders began meeting informally to discuss ways to work together to advance green, sustainability and wellness ideas and businesses. The group grew quickly, and now boasts participation from over 3,500 business leaders, entrepreneurs, consultants and evangelists in the Los Angeles area. Yet despite this growth, it strives to remain a place where doers can go to meet like-minded people in a relaxed atmosphere.

Green Business Networking is the LA County Network for the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, operates as a non-profit under the umbrella of the Earthways Foundation, and is currently lead by Greg Wendt, Ferris Kawar, and Benjamin Shakin.

Greg Wendt (Founder, Steering Committee Chair)

Gregory Wendt is the Director of Sustainable and Responsible Investing for Enright Premier Wealth Advisors, Inc., recognized as one of the top 100 independent Registered Investment Advisory Firms in the nation. Greg advises clients who want to align their wealth through investments that reflect their priorities and concerns for a better world. Greg is one of only a handful of Sustainable Investing experts in Southern California with a career that began in 1991 as a financial advisor in leading firms Smith Barney, Paine Webber and Prudential Securities. He is frequently profiled or quoted as an expert in the media including "Living with Ed" Television Show on Home and Garden Television, Business Ethics magazine, Daily Variety, Financial Planning magazine and Yogi Times magazine. Mr. Wendt is co-founder of the non-profit "Green Business Networking," and the conference "Green Economy Think Tank Day" - an annual effort to gather Greater LA's sustainability leaders to evolve solutions for our region's green economy. A native of Southern California, Greg has lived in Santa Monica for 27 years. In his spare time Greg enjoys swimming surfing, gourmet cooking, reading, meditation, hiking and hosting wonderful events for his family and friends. learn more from www.gregwendt.com and Greg's blog www.sustainablewealth.blogspot.com.

Benjamin Shakin (Program Director)

Benjamin Shakin is founder and president of Sprout Business Consulting - consulting and virtual incubation for startup and growth companies and non-profit organizations making a positive impact in the world. Sprout Business helps passionate entrepreneurs polish and realize their visions by providing experience, resources, relationships and critical support where they are most needed, and also provides grant writing expertise for promising non-profits. Benjamin is a member of the Green Business Networking steering committee, and the Los Angeles county Business Alliance for Local Living Economies launch committee.

Benjamin earned his Masters of Business Administration from USC's Marshall School of Business, and his BA in Philosophy from New York University. He has 10+ years experience in retail and B2B sales, marketing and business development, and 20+ years in startup, early stage and growth company management. You can reach him through Sprout Business and LinkedIn.

Ferris Kawar (Steering Committee Member)

Ferris Kawar is currently the Recycling Specialist for the City of Burbank and a LEED AP. Before going to work for the City, Ferris was the VP of Sustainability and co-founder of Greenopia, a consumer-friendly directory designed to help individuals easily locate local eco-friendly alternatives to the products and services they use every day. Prior to Greenopia he was the Residential Program Coordinator for Sustainable Works, a non-profit environmental education organization that was tasked with promoting sustainability to residents and businesses in Santa Monica.

Armed with a degree in Marketing and experience from a previous career in advertising in San Francisco, Ferris has found his home in Los Angeles where he is an active leader in the green business movement. He sits on the board of advisors for Sustainable Works, is a member of Green Business Networking’s steering committee and previously sat on the Venice Neighborhood Councils Environmental Committee.

Robin Shank (Director of Operations)

Robin Shank is an experienced operations manager with a passion for getting work done by being mindful of people and planet. After receiving her MBA in Sustainable Management from Presidio Graduate School in 2011, Robin has been working in operations management, marketing, PR and as event staff for Green Economy Think Tank, Green Business Networking, Green Festival (first LA Festival), Good Food Festival (inaugural LA event) and as research specialist for Practice Greenhealth (a non-profit providing sustainability support to hospitals and medical centers). This augments a substantial resume of positions with increasing responsibility in operations management, production and distribution for the nation’s leading newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, The Miami Herald and LAWeekly (the definitive source for information in Los Angeles).

Dale Barbee Ottley (Event Manager)

Dale Barbee Ottley is a production accounting professional who also has held several positions in her 20 years working in the entertainment industry including producing special events at studios, independent production companies and for celebrities. As a traumatic brain injury survivor she entered the health and wellness awareness movement as owner and president of Aria perfectly green events, as the PR and Marketing ambassador for Planet Lunchroom, and by contributing to several other non-profit organizations that have a commitment to sustainable education. Dale serves on the network and Marketing service committee for the Valley Green Building Task Force, the steering committee for the Burbank Green Alliance working on special events, and has recently been appointed director of a land conservation foundation where she is working to preserve several hundred acres of private land in the North West region of the US as a home for indigenous wildlife. As a survivor Dale writes a weekly blog, contributes to several inspirational web sites and Internet magazines as a sustainable party planning consultant, and is a certified diversity vendor with the State of California.

Ambassadors & Volunteers

Jeff Hayes

Jeff is CEO at The Vector Group, a Los Angeles-based business consultancy that helps companies profit from sustainability. The firm provides middle market businesses the expertise, tools and methods to fast-track corporate sustainability programs. Unlike many sustainability consultants Jeff has extensive experience running business teams in more traditional settings. In his free time Jeff writes and plays music, surfs, and is a fan of Edward Tufte, John Singer Sargent, & Gustavo Dudamel.