Oct. 31, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Mansfield Matthewson, Grand Rapids Community College’s former purchasing director, was inducted into West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum’s Sustainable Business Hall of Fame earlier this month.
Hall of Fame inductees are recognized for their individual contributions in the workplace for their sustainability efforts and results.
Matthewson was joined by the late Amy Butler, who was the director of sustainability for Michigan State University. Luis Chen, founder of Wormies Vermicompost, was honored as this year’s Future Hall of Fame Award winner.
The Sustainable Business Hall of Fame is a lifetime achievement award recognizing extraordinary contributions to the growth of sustainable business in West Michigan over the course of a career. The Future Hall of Fame award honors an emerging professional whose work deserves wider recognition.
Under Matthewson’s leadership, GRCC made every reasonable opportunity for minority, women, disabled persons and micro business enterprises to participate in GRCC’s contracts as suppliers, contractors, and subcontractors performing work for the college.
“I am very thankful for this lifetime achievement honor,” said Matthewson, who retired from GRCC earlier this year. “As director of purchasing, I thought it was crucial that GRCC’s spend mirror the demographics of the student body and the community we serve.”
Six local businesses also were recognized, including Sustainable Business of the Year South East Market. These organizations and institutions are recognized as best representing the region’s commitment to the triple-bottom line and its efforts to advance climate leadership, social justice and the creation of a circular economy. The other businesses were the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, Hope College, Meijer, PADNOS, and Volta Power Systems.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to recognize the important work that local businesses and institutions are doing to advance sustainability outcomes,” said Daniel Schoonmaker, WMSBF executive director. “Our honorees are representative of West Michigan’s leadership within the state and country.”
The honors were bestowed at the organization’s ninth-annual Triple Bottom Line Bash at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre.