Corporate Social Responsibility 

What can startups learn about how to integrate social responsibility into their mission and culture?  Come learn about the different ways that social responsibility can look within your walls and how it can help improve the health, impact and growth potential of your organization. Join us for a panel discussion featuring:

Iris Cole - Facilitator

Iris Cole is an innovative, strategic and bi-lingual leader with an international profile and 20+ years of experience working as an executive and sustainability consultant in both the public and private sectors. Ms. Cole is an entrepreneur, having started several companies including FEF Group, Inc., a design and project management firm with a focus on sustainable development, She Raises the Bar, one of the only companies in the Caribbean solely focused on Sustainable Enterprise and Corporate Social Responsibility, and most recently Do Good Artist, an innovative social enterprise creating social impact through multi-sector collaborations between the arts and other industries.

Cheryl Zukowski - Unifi, Inc.

Cheryl leads the Channel Marketing function at Unifi, Inc – manufacturer of REPREVE® recycled polyester made from recycled plastic bottles. She develops joint branding campaigns with global partners in a variety of industries to build awareness around sustainability and the importance of recycling. Prior to joining Unifi, Ms. Zukowski spent over 11 years at Reynolds American, marketing various reduced-risk products such as e-cigarettes and several smokeless tobacco alternatives. She holds an MBA from Wake Forest University and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.  

Silas Martin - Industries for the Blind

Silas Martin is the Vice President of Base Supply Centers and IT for IFB Solutions, the largest employer of people who are blind in the United States with 500+ blind and visually impaired employees. Silas has been a leader at IFB Solutions for 18 years where he lives the mission and is passionate about providing opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired in need of training, employment and services. Silas believes all people who are blind or visually impaired have the right to succeed in every area of life.

In the past five years, Silas has grown the Base Supply Center division from $30M to $60M in sales and currently operates 18 stores on military bases and Government agencies on the East Coast, Puerto Rico, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. As a member of IFB Solutions Executive team, he offers strategic direction in other areas of the company including: three textile manufacturing plants, an optical division with 40 locations and producing over 1,200 pairs of glasses per day for Veterans, and a workforce services division that specializes in call center operations. Outside of his career, Silas is a loving husband, Superhero dad of two, and Associate Pastor of his church.