Valley Forward: Colin Tetreault

As a student at the Arizona State University School of Sustainability, Colin Tetreault is exploring ways for the business community to play a greater role in enhancing the global environment.

It’s a natural blend of interests for Tetreault, who is pursuing a master’s degree in sustainability and has a bachelor of science degree in marketing from the ASU W.P. Carey School of Business, as well as a minor in sociology. He has a diverse business background and skill set tempered in marketing, business development and philanthropy. His goal is to integrate his business acumen and cutting-edge knowledge of sustainability.

When ASU President Michael Crow said, “Sustainability is a way to grow and prosper while reducing the stress on the planet,” and asserted that sustainability would be a hallmark at ASU, Tetreault says, “I knew this was absolutely something that I not only wanted to pursue, but I felt compelled.”

Tetreault’s background led him to the field of sustainability.

“I grew up hiking and climbing and having an appreciation of the outdoors,” he says, “but my parents are both business individuals. My mother was a professor of marketing and my father was a business executive. I loved being outside, but I also loved what business can do. Business can accelerate change and can act as an advocate for it.”

Some individuals may view business as being unfriendly to the environment, and with some justification, Tetreault says.
“Admittedly, in certain instances they may be right, but now business has done more than ever for the environment and can act as an advocate for the world,” he says. “It marries two areas that I love — a synthesis of business and the entire global perspective of sustainability, which is not just hugging trees and savings animals.”

Sustainability will provide a “meaningful, productive and just way of life,” Tetreault says, adding that it is vital to save the trees and have clean air so humans can live on this planet.

“Sustainability is paramount to that, to help achieve economic viability and a robust society,” he says. “Everything is connected. Our actions have a direct impact on us now and in the future and on everything around us. I feel this is my calling.”

Tetreault, who joined Valley Forward this year, hails the organization for its role in preserving the environment and for being “not only an aggregator of information, but also an advocate for positive change.”

“Valley Forward embodies those type of ideals,” he says.