George Nassos, Program Director and Industry Associate Professor
“Environmental sustainability is such a critical concept in any business school, I believe that every company in the metropolitan Chicago area with annual revenues exceeding $5 million should send one of their employees to study in the MS in Environmental Management and Sustainability program, or hire one of our graduates – but the challenge is that they don’t know this.”
Notable Vignette
After earning my MBA at Northwestern University, I taught for the Loyola University MBA program as an adjunct for four years until my employer transferred me to Europe. I decided then to look for a teaching position after I leave the corporate world as a smooth transition to retirement. To fulfill that goal, I later took early retirement from an environmental company to join Stuart at a time that it was looking for someone to direct the newly created environmental management program. I initially decided to stay at Stuart for three or four years before retiring. That was 12 years ago, and I am working harder now than I did in the corporate world, but I am enjoying it more. I believe that time is one’s most valuable asset, and my goal has always been what I can give to this planet rather than what I can take from it.
What excites my about Stuart
The environmental sustainability field is the fastest growing business segment today. Having introduced sustainability into the curriculum ten years ago, we have developed one of the world’s top programs in this area as ranked by the Aspen Institute in their biennial Beyond Grey Pinstripes survey. This has attracted many outstanding students that have gained experience in many different fields, but because of their passion for the environment, they are back in school to get retooled for a career in this most critical field. The opportunities are great and I love being able to open them up for the students.
My Teaching Philosophy
I emphasize the application of business concepts in the real world. Rather than giving exams where the students regurgitate back to me what I taught them, I expect the student to apply the concept to their place of work or some other business.
My Teaching/Research Interests
Applying sustainable strategies in all different kinds of businesses is necessary to mitigate the problems being created by overpopulation, climate change, depleting natural resources. Conducting research in renewable energy projects like wind energy and waste-to-energy is of critical importance.
