Podcast appearances and mentions of John A Lanier

John A. Lanier joined the Ray C. Anderson Foundation as Executive Director in May 2013. Serving in this role has been an immense honor, and he feels privileged to work with his family to advance the legacy of Ray, his grandfather. Lanier's passion for environmental stewardship was sparked by Ray's example and story, and he never tires of sharing this story with others. For those that don't know, Ray Anderson was the founder and chairman of Interface. He was a pioneer in building product sustainability and proved how sustainability can make good business sense. Prior to joining the Foundation, John Lanier was an associate attorney with Sutherland, Asbill and Brennan, LLP, specializing in U.S. Federal taxation. He represented the interests of various Atlanta-based nonprofits, gaining experience in nonprofit formations, compliance and applications for recognition of tax-exempt status. During that time, the Ray C. Anderson Foundation was one of his clients. Lanier currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for Southface, the southeast's nonprofit leader in the promotion of sustainable homes, workplaces and communities through education, research, advocacy and technical assistance. Lanier was a member of the 2014 class of the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership (IGEL). Lanier earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law, and he holds Bachelor of Arts Degrees in History and Economics from the University of Virginia. He is an Atlanta native who simply enjoys life. Lanier is blessed to be married to Chantel, a truly wonderful woman, and the two of them have two children, Joseph Ray (J.R.) and Cecilia.   Show Highlights Learn Interface's journey as they climbed mount sustainability  John shares his grandfather's insights on how a company could be profitable and responsible to the planet How business can be a force for good in the world.  John lets you know if the current economic system that has generated more quality of life than any other is sustainable  John explains how Atlanta's soccer club, Atlanta United represents the sustainability movement  Why John says we need a systems level approach to sustainability, a redesign of our economic system   “We need as many people understanding the intricacies, the nuances of what it takes to solve sustainability challenges as possible, and that requires people being willing to read and listen to podcasts like this and go deep on these issues. Becoming experts in as many different areas within sustainability as possible. It's hard work. It takes time, but it's a rewarding journey.”  -John Lanier   Full Transcript GBMS With John Lanier   Show Resources Ray Anderson TED Talk Mid-Course Correction Revisited  Ecocentricity Blog  LinkedIn Twitter Ray C. Anderson Foundation U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation   Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES Charlie on LinkedIn Green Building Educational Services GBES on Twitter Connect on LinkedIn Like on Facebook Google+ GBES Pinterest Pins GBES on Instagram   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to www.gbes.com/join to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on iTunes.  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the Green Building Matters Podcast!   Copyright © 2020 GBES

Today I am thrilled to welcome John A. Lanier, the Executive Director of the Ray C. Anderson foundation. John works to advance the legacy of Ray, his grandfather, whom you might recognize as the founder of carpet tile manufacturer Interface, Inc. Twenty years ago, Ray detailed his and Interface’s sustainability journey in his book Mid-Course Correction, and John has now released an update called Mid-Course Correction Revisited. In today’s podcast, John and I discuss Ray’s legacy, what has happened in the 20 years since Ray first documented his journey, and John’s vision for the future. Resources and links discussed in this episode can be found at gettinginthelooppodcast.com . ABOUT TODAY’S GUEST John A. Lanier is the Executive Director of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, a Georgia-based private family foundation honoring the legacy of the late Ray C. Anderson. Ray, who was John’s grandfather, was the founder and CEO of Interface, Inc. the world’s largest manufacturer of carpet tile and a leading company committed to environmental sustainability. John shares his late grandfather’s passion for Earth and her natural systems, and he is the author of Mid-Course Correction Revisited, released this year to explore what it will take to create prototypical companies and economies of the 21st Century. HIGHLIGHTS 4:30 Ray C. Anderson’s legacy and the work of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation 6:30 Interface’s sustainable business journey and transformation 11:15 Picking up where Ray’s story left-off 14:00 Moving from company examples to a macro-economic perspective 20:20 Making the change to a more circular economy happen 25:00 Ways to shift culture and change mindset within companies 30:00 Recognizing the limitations of an abundance mindset

John A. Lanier joined the Ray C. Anderson Foundation as Executive Director in May 2013. Serving in this role has been an immense honor, and he feels privileged to work with his family to advance the legacy of Ray, his grandfather. Lanier's passion for environmental stewardship was sparked by Ray's example and story, and he never tires of sharing this story with others. Mid-Course Correction Revisited: The Story and Legacy of a Radical Industrialist and his Quest for Authentic Change The original Mid-Course Correction, published 20 years ago, became a classic in the sustainability field. It put forth a new vision for what its author, Ray C. Anderson, called the “prototypical company of the 21st century”?a restorative company that does no harm to society or the environment. Anderson recounts his eureka moment as founder and leader of Interface, Inc., and one that was doing business in all the usual ways. Bit by bit, he began learning how much environmental destruction companies like his had caused, prompting him to make a radical change. Mid-Course Correction not only outlined what eco-centered leadership looks like, it also mapped out a specific set of goals for Anderson’s company to eliminate its environmental footprint. This second edition delves into how Interface worked toward making them a reality, birthing one of the most innovative and successful corporate sustainability efforts in the world. Mid-Course Correction Revisted contains a new foreword by Paul Hawken, several new chapters by Ray C. Anderson Foundation executive director John A. Lanier, and interviews with Janine Benyus, Joel Makower, Andrew Winston, Ellen MacArthur and other leaders in green enterprise, the circular economy, and biomimicry. Drawdown

John A. Lanier joined the Ray C. Anderson Foundation as Executive Director in May 2013. Serving in this role has been an immense honor for him, and he feels privileged to work with his family to advance the legacy of Ray, his grandfather. Prior to joining the Foundation, Lanier was an associate attorney with Sutherland, Asbill and Brennan, LLP, specializing in U.S. Federal taxation. He represented the interests of various Atlanta-based nonprofits, gaining experience in nonprofit formations, compliance and applications for recognition of tax-exempt status. Lanier currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for Southface, the southeast's nonprofit leader in the promotion of sustainable homes, workplaces and communities. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Project Drawdown and Chattahoochee NOW. Lanier earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law, and he holds Bachelor of Arts Degrees in History and Economics from the University of Virginia. John resides in Atlanta with his wife Chantel and two-month-old son, J.R.