Even as a young student, committed environmentalist Michael Dwork understood the gravity of America’s disposable waste and the great impact a plate like the one he saw while interning in India could have on our environment. Throughout his business school years, he worked tirelessly to improve the design and composition of the plates. Ultimately, VerTerra was born.

VerTerra was not Michael’s first business. With an economics degree from Columbia College and 4-years working in investment banking and other financial positions in New York City, the native New Yorker set off to study Chinese as a full time student at Nanjing University in China. While there, he started a company offering translation and negotiation services for foreign companies. He sold it before starting his M.B.A. at Columbia Business School.

Michael’s entrepreneurial talents gained recognition at business school. He won Columbia’s Lang Fund competition for budding entrepreneurs and the school’s outrageous business plan competition. In addition, he won the Draper Fisher Jurvetson East Coast Venture Challenge

Since graduating, Michael has been featured in major publications including Time, Economist.com, CNN.com, Businessweek TV, Treehugger and The New York Sun. He is also on the young patrons’ board of The Asia Society and The Museum of Art and Design.