Social policy and economic impact have always been two driving forces for Ron Gonen. Even before he could drive, he was a founding member of the National Conference for High School Students Against Hunger and Homelessness and created the first recycling program at his high school.

Years later, as a Senior Consultant at Deloitte Consulting, Ron was a co-recipient of Deloitte's National Impact Award in 2002 for developing a business unit that provides pro bono consulting services to non-profit and charitable organizations.

A sharp brain with a soft heart, he has always felt strongly about examining the true cost of business, and what can be accomplished by creating better and more efficient systems.

Which — after two degrees and several consulting management positions —led him to dinner with an old friend and a single question: Why shouldn't people be rewarded for recycling? This was the challenge that spurred Ron to create an entirely new species of green: incentive-based recycling. Soon, Ron was in the world of mechanical garbage truck arms, chip scanners and wireless data servers. Seeing his idea through meant developing the best technology, finding the right people to help and getting a bit lucky.

In 2004, after raising $50m in capital, RecycleBank became a breakthrough reality and huge coup in waste management that has already won accolades across industries:

National Recycling Coalition 2007 Innovation Award
Social Venture Network 2007 Innovation Award
2007 Philadelphia Sustainability Award
2006 Waste News Corporate Environmental Award
2006 Incentive Magazine: Top Loyalty Program

RecycleBank now has over a hundred thousand participating households. As the program rolls out nationally, it will become millions.

Ron received an MBA from Columbia Business School where he was a
Eugene M. Lang Center for Entrepreneurship award winner and received a
BA in History and Economics from the University of Massachusetts where he graduated cum laude and was awarded Massachusetts Commonwealth Scholar honors.

At Deloitte Consulting, and previously at AndersonConsulting/Accenture, he developed CRM and strategic account management programs for clients such as Bank of America, Bank of Montreal, Bank One, GE Capital, Cable & Wireless and DIRECTV.

In Ron's recycling bin, you'd find an astounding stack of newspapers. Plus some beer bottles, having previously been poured into a cold glass with salt around the rim and a little lemon. Maybe.

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