Merritt to Keynote Sustainability Conference

Raleigh, NC, April 25, 2007– Randy Merritt, president of Georgia-based Shaw Industries, will be the keynote speaker for Sustainable North Carolina”s 2007 N.C. Sustainability Awards & Conference to be held on October 22, 2007 in Chapel Hill, N.C., according to dBusiness New.  SNC is a non-profit that works as a catalyst for a sustainable economy through professional education, networking, information, implementation assistance and recognition.

Now in its sixth year, the N.C. Sustainability Awards has become a prestigious honor for organizations that have taken on the challenge of integrating social responsibility and environmental stewardship into their strategy and operations.

“The level of energy and excitement at last year’s conference was simply amazing,” said John Gallagher, managing director of Cherokee Investment Partners, former award winner and a sponsor of the 2007 conference. “It is clear that we have reached a tipping point. Companies in North Carolina and around the world are realizing the value of sustainable approaches to their business strategies and are eager to learn more.”

This high-profile event attracts business, government, nonprofit and academic leaders from across the southeast region. The program has been expanded to include interactive discussions with business leaders and experts on taking sustainability from theory to real world practice. Past speakers have included internationally-recognized authors and experts including: Amory Lovins, Paul Hawken, Bill McDonough and Brian and Mary Nattrass, as well as corporate CEOs such as Sally Jewell of REI and John Replogle of Burt’s Bees.

Under Merritt’s tenure with the largest carpet manufacturer, Shaw Industries has initiated hundreds of environmental initiatives that have positive environmental, economic and social impacts. Collectively, these initiatives are known as the Shaw Green Edge. The Shaw Green Edge demonstrates an investment in long term solutions that build toward a completely cradle-to-cradle company in the future. 

“Simply put, Shaw Industries has developed processes that allow its products to be recycled into more of the same products in a perpetual loop,” said Merritt. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to share our experiences and lessons learned on the journey to sustainability at the N.C. Sustainability Awards & Conference.”

Shaw Industries was named by Fortune Magazine as the most admired corporation in the textileindustry. Its cradle-to-cradle carpet has garnered a spot on the Fast Company “Fast 50” list for 2007, which identifies “profit driven solutions for what ails the planet,” and has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a recipient of the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award.

Sponsors for the 2007 N.C. Sustainability Awards & Conference include Cherokee Investment Partners, Bank of America, The Biltmore Company and the N.C. Department of Commerce. Print media partners are Green@Work magazine and Business North Carolina. For more information on the 2007 N.C. Sustainability Awards & Conference, visit www.sustainnc.org/2007awards or e-mail info@sustainnc.org.