Mike's journey began in rural Indiana, where he developed a passion for the environment through his participation in the Youth Conservation Corps at the Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge. When he was accepted at Purdue, he had a plan.

"My freshman year at Purdue, I knew I wanted to work in environmental science and loved chemistry. I initially pursued Chemical Engineering until financial constraints forced me to take a year off and work at a chemical plant."

Mike describes the plant as "an example of what not to do, but a significant learning experience." Upon returning to school, he joined the co-op program and began working with a corporate environmental department.

After graduation, several positions, marriage, and two children, Mike was offered a position at Lilly back in Indiana, which he eagerly accepted. He has now been with the company for 28 years.

In his current role, Mike focuses on three main areas: establishing and maintaining the company's Environmental Standard, stewardship of the company’s waste goals, and managing "retained environmental matters," which includes handling environmental legacies such as Superfund sites.

Mike is actively involved with Indiana's Partners for Sustainability (formerly Partners for Pollution Prevention), where he connected with Ms. Margaret Whelton, EEE's Manager of Industrial Experience. Last month, he accepted an appointment to the EEE EAC.

When asked why he joined the EAC, Mike responded: "I'm excited to work with young people; I've always enjoyed their enthusiasm. When my son was in Scouting, I was very involved. It'll be fun to get more engaged and hopefully guide some students on their path."

Welcome, Mike!

Written by: Lacy Gehmlich

Photos Courtesy: Mike Foster