Sam Geil

Geil Consulting

Sam is the Founder & Chairman of the Board of Directors for IGIHOF. Board Chair of Geil Enterprises, Inc. (GEI) a Fresno, CA based company serving the Industrial Services market. He joined GEI in 2004 and led several initiatives including “Geil Green” focused on sustainability, the Geil Green Brand listed below, and 100% Employee Owned Company (ESOP).
In September 2014, Sam launched Geil Consulting specializing in strategic planning, mentoring and board governance and has developed the “Business Sustainability” model for organizations wishing to integrate sustainability throughout the enterprise.
Sam’s involvement in the Green Industry began during his tenure with Grundfos Pumps and continued at Geil Enterprises Inc. with the acquisition of A-MAZ Cleaning Products. In May of 2007, Sam was a guest of California Governor Schwarzenegger, to participate in the Pacific Economic Summit in Vancouver, British Columbia representing green industries in California.
Sam is a graduate of San Jose State University-School of Business and attended Executive Programs at both the University of Southern California and the Kellogg School of Business. Additionally, Mr. Geil is a Certified Green Build Professional.
 

Renee Chu-Jacoby

Craig School of Business

Renee Chu-Jacoby, is a Social Entrepreneur, Business Strategist, and Management Instructor. In 2002, she cofounded Jacoby Enterprises, a consultancy specializing in business start-ups, organizational development, and alternative education. Renee is also a Business Management Lecturer/Instructor at the Craig School of Business - CSU Fresno. Her professional passion is in supporting organizations, purpose-oriented groups, individuals, and families in realizing their full potential. She holds special interest in assisting businesses in adopting social platforms that align with aspects of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Renee completed her Bachelors in Business Administration with an emphasis in Organizational Development and Leadership from Fresno Pacific University, in addition to extensive coursework in Management with a specialization in Manufacturing and Retailing for the Apparel Industry completed at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Additionally, she holds a MBA from the Craig School of Business, CSU Fresno.

Mark Maxwell

Director of Sustainability

Department of Sustainability

University of California, Merced

B. S. Business Management

LEED Accredited Professional

CalGreen Inspector

QSP Certified

Mark is the Director of Sustainability in the newly formed Office of Sustainability and provides support to the campus departments, staff faculty and students on sustainability. Mark is responsible for managing, tracking and coordinating all building documentation for LEED submittals to the US Green Building Council. On new construction projects, he oversees each project from design through construction and gives support to all project teams to insure all LEED Criteria is met. He manages the campus commissioning program and also lectures a LEED Lab Class where students certify existing buildings on campus under the LEED Operation and Maintenance certification program.
 

Fernando Parra

Assistant Professor of Accountancy and the Director of the Institute for Family Business at Fresno State

Fernando and his four sisters were raised in a family business that produced restaurant desserts.  From an early age, he understood that a philosophy of strong work ethic, integrity, and loyalty to family were key to a purposeful life with harmonious relationships. The family values he learned as a child by assisting with the business bookkeeping and logistics motivated to seek an education in business.  
Fernando was inspired by his father’s career as a professor and followed an educational journey that has enabled him to have a meaningful impact on our students. He obtained a PhD in International Business with a focus on Information Systems and a Graduate Certificate in Accounting from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Fernando also holds a Masters of Information Technology and a Bachelors of Business Administration in Computer Information Systems, also from UTEP.
Fernando has played a key role in building sustainable solutions for  small to medium-sized businesses with enterprise software solutions in the medical, retail and legal industries. Fernando is honored to have served in several boards, including President of the Information Systems Doctoral Students Association which promotes diversity in business schools and supports future professors of Hispanic, African American and Native American heritage. He is also a champion of promoting Service-Learning opportunities at Fresno State where students connect with Community-Based-Organizations to engage in experiential learning.

Fernando is committed to inspiring students to fulfill their potential as community-focused, business leaders. When not at work, Fernando enjoys being a great parent of 3 Ewoks (Brussel Griffons).

 

​Tom Bowman

President, Bowman Change, Inc

Tom Bowman is an IGIHOF inductee who helps government agencies, cultural institutions, utility companies and other organizations improve public engagement on health and environmental issues, and helps businesses reap the benefits of making social and environmental change central to their missions. He is founder of the exhibition design firm Bowman Design Group and founder and president of the communications consultancy Bowman Change, Inc. Under his leadership, Bowman
Design Group received a Cool California Small Business of the Year Award for demonstrating a repeatable model for decarbonizing operations while saving money. The firm also earned APEX/ASTM and the international FAMAB sustainability certifications for the exhibition industry. Bowman is author of The Green Edge and a frequent public speaker who has appeared on NPR’s Marketplace, CNN’s Local Edition and in leading publications such as Time, the New York Times, Science, Yale Environment 360 and others.

Roland Geiger

Cypress Systems, Inc.

Roland Geiger is the customer relations and operations manager at Cypress Systems, Inc.—a biotech company that pioneered and developed natural food forms of minerals that they have supplied to health supplement manufacturers globally since 1995. He believes sustainability is a partnership with nature, and the long-term health of people and the planet depends upon
businesses and individuals aligning with nature. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in organizational development and leadership from Fresno Pacific University and has owned and managed four small businesses. He is a member of the board of directors for the Eco Village Project of Fresno and is actively involved in community
development through the Fresno-Madera Continuum of Care (FMCoC) and Wings Advocacy – Fresno, whose services he is working to integrate into the eco villages of Fresno.

Charlie Harris

Life Flower

Charlie Harris has been with IGIHOF since 2014 and has served as Treasurer and Vice President. He is the Co-Founder of  Life Flower, LLC, a company that provides high tech and holistic solutions for plants, food, energy, waste, and water. Life Flower focuses on ecosystem solutions and regenerative farming for smarter communities. He has studied architecture and the environment at UC Santa Barbara and is a certified Green Building and Sustainable Designer. Charlie served as the intern president for the Green2Gold Incubator where he led grant writing and business planning. He also worked for the city of Fresno, in the long range planning department where he co-authored the economic and healthy communities’ working papers. Charlie aspires to push our economy to a more eco-friendly and resource based economy through smart architecture, recycling, farming, energy, holistic health, and social investment. Charlie also enjoys attending community events and supports anything that encompasses positive collaborations with people and our planet.