Board of Directors
beON is guided by its principles and primary mission, but also by the wisdom and insight of its Board of Directors.
Chairman: S. Loren Cole, Ph.D.Dr. Cole serves on the Board of Directors and Advisors for 12 companies, and is Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Inquiring Systems, Inc. (ISI) a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) corporation that provides ethical and sustainable ecosystem management services to nonprofit organizations, community-based projects, value-driven for-profit entities and select government agencies and supported projects throughout the world.
Dr. Cole’s educational background is both unique and extensive, he has four university degrees (including being the only person ever awarded a Ph.D. in Ecosystemology from the University of California at Berkeley). He is a specialist in the understanding, management and appreciation of whole ecosystems, is also a specialist in translating good intentions into practical actions and has a strong commitment to ensuring that ethical values and principles are the hallmark of his endeavors and those of his clients. Dr. Cole is an implementer and has successfully demonstrated his comprehensive systemic capabilities across a broad range of natural, social, economic and environmental issues as follows:
- In clarifying and resolving complex problems and situations in a systemic manner,
- In effectively managing ecosystems by making complex energy flows and relationships less confusing and more understandable,
- In enhancing the ownership interests in the problem-solving process to improve long-term sustainability of any decisions that are made,
- In translating and implementing meaningful insights, ideas and perceptions of others into well thought through ethical, comprehensive, compatible, worthwhile and sustainable solutions.
- In establishing resiliency in all of the systems in which he works so that when problems or disease does occur, which it always will, then recovery becomes possible and health will be restored to that system. This is the essence of sustainability in ecosystems.
Dr. Cole is one of the many people who helped to establish the environmental activist movement in America. He became interested in environmental issues while serving as a Leading Petty Officer and Sonarman in the U.S. Navy (1958-62) and was responsible for communication and tracking of the bathyscaphe Trieste, during its 35,800 ft. Marianas Trench deep dive (the world record) with Dr. Jacques Picard and Lt. Don Walsh. Since that introduction to the complexity of the ocean ecosystem, over 50 years ago, combined with many life-changing events that he experienced in Asia, he committed his life to the “Improvement of the Human Condition."
He a founder, leader and contributor to many of the most important social issues of our time including, but not limited to, the following areas of social change and improvement:
He a founder, leader and contributor to many of the most important social issues of our time including, but not limited to, the following areas of social change and improvement:
- respect for the rights of and our responsibilities to all living things
- land and energy conservation
- population and environmental issues
- civil rights and social justice including the rights of women, the disabled, seniors, immigrants, minorities (especially Blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans), and also
- in the areas of education, organic farming, relief of hunger, refugee issues, low-income employment and training, international development and resolving issues pertaining to all disadvantaged people and developing communities.
Dr. Cole’s skills and capabilities are extensive, comprehensive and he has worked directly and effectively at every level of resolution in ecosystems of many kinds, however defined. Amongst his many significant accomplishments include the following:
Founder & principal developer of the Interdisciplinary Environmental Program: The Conservation and Resource Studies major at U.C. Berkeley.
- Designed, developed and taught the first courses in Environmental Education, Environmental Planning & Management, History of the Environmental Movement, Ecosystemology, Ecosystem Design and Management, Water Management in California, Urban Garden Ecosystems and many problem-focused seminars and workshops on current environmental issues. This comprehensive and systemic interdisciplinary program involved over 500 faculty members from 63 separate departments on the UC Berkeley campus as well as over 350 community-based organizations, businesses, government agencies, international organizations and NGO’s, as well as with other citizens from throughout the world.
- Co-founded and participated in, with other faculty, the design and establishment of the California Environmental Education teaching credential requirement for K-12 schools.
- Coordinator of the Ad Hoc Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program at U.C. Berkeley.
- Co-founder of the first urban recycling program in America.
- One of the founding members and developers of the Berkeley, CA Ecology Center
- One of the founding members of the First Earth Day and Co-coordinator of the first Earth Day activities on the U.C. Berkeley campus in 1970.
- Founder & CEO of Inquiring Systems, Inc., a nonprofit corporation founded in 1978 to improve the human condition through ethical and sustainable ecosystem management services provided primarily to nonprofit organizations. ISI has provided services to over 3,600 clients, all of whom are “word of mouth” referrals.
- Co-founder and CEO of a for-profit deep ultraviolet energy company.
- Designed and built a universally designed, active and passive solar home in Sonoma, CA.
- Founded and managed a retail business providing assistive technology products to enhance the quality of life for people with physical and mental challenges.
- Past Member of the Board of Directors for 36 nonprofit and 8 for profit corporations.
- As a contract employee or consultant with 32 companies he held senior level positions that included CEO, CFO, COO and Business Manager.
- Provided technical and ethically directed business management assistance services to over 3600 clients in the USA and 23 foreign countries.
- Founded and/or assisted in the development of 268 ethically directed income producing entities or income producing services in support of nonprofit missions and goals
- Organized, created the material for and conducted workshop and seminar training in areas such as “Escaping the Grant Syndrome”, “Getting Down to Business” and other topics in the areas of ethical business management skills and capabilities required to improve the operation of and/or to enhance the economic viability and sustainability of nonprofit organizations. He provided these services to over 26,000 senior executives & board members of nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S. and in Canada.
- Acquired in excess of $145 million in grants, investments, contributions, loans and bond financing capital for ISI projects, fiscally sponsored project and client. In addition, Dr. Cole has helped to obtain in excess of $230 million in private and public contracts for ISI projects and clients.
Dr. Cole has won numerous awards and commendations, has been a keynote speaker, principle conference speaker, panelist and an invited guest on hundreds of national and international radio, television and internet sites and has published articles and papers related to his areas of expertise.
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