Jay Friedlander

Member-at-Large

Jay Friedlander is the founder of the Sustainable Business Program and the inaugural Sharpe-McNally Chair of Green and Socially Responsible Business at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine. College of the Atlantic, the first climate neutral college in the U.S., has been cited by the Princeton Review, the Sustainable Endowment Institute and others as a leader in sustainability.

As Chair of the program, Jay is developing a sustainable business curriculum that demonstrates how social and environmental responsibility can create competitive advantage. In addition, Jay is managing adjunct faculty, making interdisciplinary connections and fundraising. This unique academic venture has attracted the attention of Newsweek, as well as Ashoka, who selected College of the Atlantic as one of five U.S. Changemaker Campuses in 2009. Prior to joining College of the Atlantic, Jay was the chief operating officer for O’Naturals, Inc., a natural and organic fast-food restaurant group. O’Naturals was founded by Gary Hirshberg, the CEO of Stonyfield Farm, and board members included Peter Roy, a former President of Whole Foods Market. In addition to his start-up experience, Jay has worked with senior executives of Fortune 500 companies. As a strategy consultant he developed and implemented global brand experiences and customer-centered growth strategies for clients including Citigroup, Merck and other industry leaders. Jay received his MBA from the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College, where he specialized in new venture creation and graduated Summa Cum Laude, Valedictorian of his class. Jay earned his undergraduate degree in Sociology and Anthropology from Colgate University where he graduated with Honors.

In addition to speaking English, Jay is conversant in Spanish, French and Hassiniya Arabic. Jay is an outdoor enthusiast and has spent time living and traveling throughout North America as well as Africa, South and Central America, and Europe. His son Max has recently joined Jay and his wife Ursula in their adventures.