Amy Butler Inducted into Sustainable Business Hall of Fame

The late Amy Butler, director of sustainability for Michigan State University at the time of her death earlier this year, was posthumously inducted by members of the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum to the Sustainable Business Hall of Fame during the ninth annal Triple Bottom Line Bash on October 5 at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre in Grand Rapids.

The Bash, with more than 200 in attendance, is the signature event of the local sustainable business community.

Hall of Fame inductees are recognized for their individual contributions in the workplace for their sustainability efforts and results. Butler was joined by Mansfield Matthewson, retired director of purchasing for Grand Rapids Community College. In addition, 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 that recognizes extraordinary contributions to the growth of sustainable business in the West Michigan area over the course of a career. The Future Hall of Fame award honors an emerging professional whose work deserves wider recognition. 

As the Director of Sustainability for Michigan State University, Butler provided a holistic approach to the university’s mission of advancing knowledge and transforming lives by establishing a sustainability framework with four pillars of success: Campus, Curriculum, Community and Culture. This was a major milestone for the MSU community on how sustainability is an integral part of all aspects of the university. This is now embedded as a part of the university’s strategic plan that will guide the institution for the next decade.

Under her leadership, the university made steady progress in sustainability activities. This included MSU’s first Gold-rating through the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS), MSU’s first rankings in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings (most recently placing no. 33 in the world), as well as MSU making the Princeton Review’s Top 50 Green Colleges list for three consecutive years.

“I am humbled to accept this lifetime achievement award that recognizes extraordinary contributions to the growth of sustainable business in the West Michigan area over the course of a career,” said Sally Gatlin, Butler’s sister and lean enterprise manager at Michigan State University. “As Amy would often say, ‘You have to start the conversation first, then you can change the dialogue.’ Her passion and joy live on in those words. It is through all the lives that she touched, the passion she created in others to continue this work, at MSU, and beyond. Her passion will continue to spread throughout all the corners of the world, provided we continue to change the dialogue.”

Additionally, six local businesses 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 honors went to 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 people like Amy, 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.”