Ray C. Anderson

On Monday August 8, 2011, a great leader in business and sustainability was lost.  Ray Anderson, the founder and chairman of Interface, Inc. passed away at age 77.  Today, Interface is the world’s largest manufacturer of modular carpet tiles.  Anderson spoke and wrote on the importance of a reduced environmental footprint years before sustainability was a major movement in manufacturing and construction.  Growing up, my father worked under Ray Anderson at interface, and as I trained to be an architect, I continued to learn about his influential thinking in the rising movement of sustainability. Anderson published three books.  His first, Mid-Course Correction: Toward a Sustainable Enterprise: The Interface Model, shares Anderson's belief that businesses must embrace the principles of sustainability.  Ray's message also lives on in a number of speeches, including his TED talk.  Interface's message on his importance and legacy can be found here.