Donald Graham

Donald Graham, "of York, Penn., traces his involvement in sustainability to his father, Sam Graham, who was a professor in the former School of Forestry at U-M, the predecessor of SNRE. The senior Graham was a pioneer in what is now called environmental sustainability.

"In the 1940s and 1950s, before many of the issues were generally recognized, he published articles on, among other topics, the environmental consequences of overuse of DDT, and the threat of long-term water table problems. His son's commitment to the environment was reinforced as an engineering student when he realized that his elective studies in the business school provided him with the skills to develop sustainable enterprises.

"Graham earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering in 1955 and a master's in mechanical engineering in 1956. He put theory into practice in his early manufacturing experience in the recycling of plastics, where his methods reduced landfill needs while saving on raw materials.

"He founded Graham Engineering Co. in 1960 in his basement, and today the Graham Group's holdings include industrial businesses operating out of roughly 60 locations worldwide, and significant private equity and marketable security investments. He serves as the chair of the board of trustees of the Mpala Foundation in Kenya, which addresses ranch and wildlife conservancy, among other issues. He has also been active in the Recycling Advisory Council."

"Don leads four investment companies with significant private and marketable security investments plus world wide operating companies diversified across numerous manufacturing fields. Don is a member of the U-M President’s Advisory Group, the College of Engineering National Advisory Committee, and is a Co-chair of “The Michigan Difference” campaign. Don has co-funded the implementation of the U-M Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute."

"Don currently serves as a Director on the board of Berry Plastics, Infiltrator Systems, Western Industries, Supreme Corq, National Diversified Sales, Touchstone Wireless Repair and Logistics, Graham Engineering Corporation and Graham Architectural Products Corporation; Don is also a member of the Advisory Board of Graham Partners Investments, Graham Partners II, LP, Inverness Capital Partners and Striker Partners, and serves on the boards of several charitable organizations."


 * Chairman, The Graham Group

Related Sourcewatch

 * Graham Foundation