Norman Christopher (2018)

Norman Christopher (2018)

Norman Christopher, Executive Director for the Office of Sustainability Practices at Grand Valley State University, is known equally for his work promoting sustainability within the university and the community, and has been a fixture in local sustainability for many years.

Among other accomplishments, he helped establish sustainability as the seventh value of the university and helped establish the Grand Rapids Community Sustainability Partnership.

Christopher is is a past chairman of the Family Owned Business Council, a 2000 graduate of Leadership Grand Rapids, and a co-founder of the Grand Rapids Community Sustainability Partnership. He was appointed to serve on Governor Granholm’s Michigan Climate Action Council; and by the United States Department of Commerce to serve on their Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee.

He is currently a member of the Grand Rapids Community Sustainability Partnership Leadership Team; chair of the BIFMA and NSF e3 Furniture Sustainability Standard Joint Committee; and on the board and advisory groups of Seeds of Promise, Valley City Sign, and the Sabal Pointe Condominium Association. He has also contributed numerous articles and papers to journals and periodicals. Submitted book chapters include Sustaining Michigan: Metropolitan Policies and Strategies, Michigan State University Press; and The Handbook of Sustainability in Management Education, Elgar Publishing. He is the author of the book Sustainability Demystified! – A Practical Guide for Business Leaders and Managers.

In addition, Christopher is a seasoned executive with background and experience in various management capacities including President, CEO, and COO responsibilities. He has improved business performance at chemical companies such as Lubrizol Corporation and Haviland Enterprises in Grand Rapids.

He holds degrees from University of North Carolina and the University of Connecticut, and completed the Program for Management Development at Harvard University.