The CEOs for Sustainability executive network has selected Kurt Lesker IV, President and CEO of Kurt J. Lesker Company, as its newest co-chair. Lesker succeeds Raymond Yeager, president and CEO of DMI Companies, whose three-year term concluded this month. Lesker will serve alongside Jana Lake, President of 3R Sustainability and Sustainability Assurance Services.
“Kurt’s leadership experience, along with his commitment to the mission of CEOs for Sustainability, position him well for this role as co-chair,” said Lake. “Kurt understands the value of operating a responsible business and has demonstrated this through his care for his people and our environment. I’m looking forward to leading alongside him.”
“I’m excited to serve in this role as co-chair after being involved with CEOs for Sustainability for the past several years,” said Lesker. “At Kurt J. Lesker Company, we live our values – sustainability has become a core focus area as we feel a responsibility to future generations to leave the company and planet better than we found it. Our close partnership with Sustainable Pittsburgh and the CEOs for Sustainability network has become an important aspect of that commitment.”
“Kurt is passionate about making this network the strongest resource it can be,” said Joylette Portlock, Ph.D., Executive Director of Sustainable Pittsburgh. “He has been a critical partner to the Sustainable Pittsburgh team, contributing strategic thinking on how to expand upon the broad regional impact of this group.”
The Kurt J. Lesker Company (KJLC) has grown from a regional manufacturer and distributor of vacuum components into a worldwide supplier in virtually every market. As part of the company’s commitment to sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), KJLC has embedded numerous activities into its operations, focusing on the goals of employee health and wellness, responsible consumption and production, and decent work and economic growth. Examples include hosting 5K runs/walks, nutrition seminars, and meditation; working with suppliers to eliminate styrofoam peanuts and other non-sustainable packaging materials, using renewable energy sources and reducing water consumption; beginning an apprenticeship program to support internal team members, and joining the United Way’s Disability Inclusion Consortium to foster a more supportive work environment for team members living with disabilities.
During his seventeen years at KJLC, Lesker has held leadership roles within many strategic areas including Sales, Quality, and Industrial Engineering. During his tenure as CEO, Kurt has led the organization to record levels of growth and profitability. With a strong focus on delighting customers and a healthy corporate culture, the company has achieved double digit growth in each of the last three years.
“Kurt’s extensive background in manufacturing and distribution and Jana’s expertise in sustainable business practices, reporting and accreditations, lend a multi-sector, complementary, and regionally valuable approach to leading the CEOs for Sustainability group,” added Portlock.
Hosted by Sustainable Pittsburgh, CEOs for Sustainability is a leading executive network providing regional thought leadership on business sustainability. The group represents more than $150 billion in total revenues and 100,000 employees. Recently, the group has focused efforts on developing an equitable, comprehensive multi-sector regional decarbonization strategy, focused on three key areas: change at scale, meaningful community engagement, and measurement and accountability. Last year the group hosted five trainings, meetings, and events, including the annual CEOs for Sustainability C-Suite Summit. Combined, these events garnered more than 300 participants.