
Zephyr serves the communities in which we live and work, most notably in the following ways:
Molly McKenna, Zephyr's Corporate Health & Safety Officer and a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) serves as the Chair of the Professional Development Committee of the Central Texas Chapter of the Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals (AHMP), formerly the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers, Inc. AHMP is a professional association with a membership of more than 4,000 of the nation's leading experts in environmental, health, safety and security management, and is the only national organization devoted to the professional advancement of the hazardous materials management field.
CLEAN AIR Force of Central Texas
Zephyr is an active member of the CLEAN AIR Force of Central Texas, a nonprofit made up of local businesses, governments, universities, and health/environmental groups that work together to improve air quality. Zephyr's primary representative is Brett Davis, PE who currently serves as both the organization's Secretary/Treasurer as well as the Chair of the CLEAN AIR Force's Technical Advisory Committee. Brett helped develop Central Texas' Early Action Compact (EAC) which created a menu of voluntary ground-level ozone precursor emission reduction activities (e.g., prohibiting long-term idling of delivery vehicles and passenger vehicles, mandatory emissions testing in Travis and Williamson Counties, etc.) that have been implemented by local governments and accepted by the TCEQ and US EPA as part of the State Implementation Plan (SIP). Zephyr also provides the CLEAN AIR Force with office space within its Austin, Texas office. For more information, please visit www.cleanairforce.org.
Clean Air Partners
Zephyr is a member of the Clean Air Partners Program (CAPP) which was formed in Central Texas in 2001 to obtain local company commitments to reduce unhealthy, ground-level ozone. Bonnie Blam, a Certified Safety Professional, participates in the program on Zephyr's behalf to contribute to the CAPP's data collection process and to educate other Zephyr employees on how we as individuals and as a company can lesson our impact on Austin air quality. See www.cleanairpartnerstx.org for more information.
TCEQ EnviroMentor Program
A number of Zephyr staff members serve as EnviroMentors; qualified professionals with technical or legal expertise on environmental issues who volunteer to help small businesses and local governments comply with state environmental rules, either through one-on-one contact or in a teaching situation. In the last five years, Zephyr staff members have donated over 350 hours of time to Texas small businesses struggling to meet environmental compliance requirements.
Keep Austin Beautiful
Carrie Bochenek, a Zephyr Staff Engineering Associate, has recently been elected to the board of Keep Austin Beautiful (KAB). KAB is a non-profit organization that inspires and educates individuals within the community towards greater environmental stewardship. KAB’s goals are to clean, beautify, and protect the Austin environment through physical improvements and hands-on education. Over 20,000 community members volunteer their time each year committing over 60,000 hours annually to clean and beautify Austin through KAB programs and events.
See www.KeepAustinBeautiful.com for more information on KAB and how you can become involved.
Air and Waste Management Association
The A&WMA’s purpose is to improve environmental knowledge and decisions by providing a neutral forum for exchanging information. Two Zephyr Principals, Dan Mueller, PE and Ed Fiesinger, PE, have been elected Fellows in recognition of their long standing professional accomplishments in the environmental field and their service to the Association. Louisa Preston Roux, PE serves as the Secretary of the Central Texas Chapter of the AWMA, an organization that addresses air and waste topics of local relevance. The Chapter's public outreach efforts include providing environmental awareness by conducting presentations, developing educational materials, and overseeing teacher-training workshops.
Gulf Coast Chapter of AWMA
Ed Fiesinger, PE has served at the program or conference chair for 13 of the 14 annual Hot Air Topics Conferences hosted by the Gulf Coast Chapter of AWMA that disburses over $15,000 in scholarships to students at local area colleges each year.
Maryland Industrial Technology Alliance
Zephyr is an involved member of the Maryland Industrial Technology Alliance (MITA). Zephyr’s primary representative, David Mahler, PE has served as the Chairman of the Legislative Committee since 1990. He has provided written and/or oral testimony on behalf of MITA on over 30 bills in the Maryland General Assembly.
Semiconductor Environmental Safety and Health Association
Brett Davis, PE currently serves as Activities Chair/Historian of the Texas Hill Country Chapter of SESHA. SESHA is the premier environmental, safety and health association serving the global semiconductor and associated technology industries who provides value to its members through education and professional development.
Jeanne Yturri, a Zephyr co-founder and Principal, is a SESHA Fellow, a status given to uniquely qualified individuals who have significantly distinguished themselves in the eyes of the SESHA Board of Directors by academic accomplishments, technical achievement, or meritorious service in the disciplines of environmental health and safety within the semiconductor industry.
Texas Association of Environmental Professionals
Ed Fiesinger, PE serves as the Treasurer of the TAEP whose net annual income of more than $12,000 from its monthly meetings and annual one-day conference goes to scholarships to students from local colleges.
Philanthropy
Zephyr's Philanthropy Committee is open to all staff members and meets regularly to select opportunities to support with individual/collective professional time as well as with monetary donations. The committee supports a variety of causes nominated directly by employees. Projects have included sending goods to U.S. soldiers, donating coats to the Coats for Kids program and blankets to the Salvation Army for the homeless. The most recent projects include collecting fans for the Eldercare Fan Drive, collecting and donating school supplies for under-privileged children, and organizing a fundraiser to assist a family who lost their home to the Bastrop, Texas wildfire.