1991-92: Talks begin between deans of the schools of Business and Natural Resources and Environment about the creation of a joint degree involving business and environmental studies

1994: The Corporate Environmental Management Program (CEMP) debuts; first class enters fall 1994. Advisory board formed to shape program’s direction

1993: Stu Hart hired as CEMP’s first director

1996: U-M establishes the Frederick A. and Barbara M. Erb Environmental Management Institute to “focus the capabilities and resources of the University to create and support high quality teaching and research in the field of environmental management.” The Erb Institute is made possible by a financial commitment of $5 million from the Erbs

1999: Fred and Barbara Erb pledge an additional $5 million to enhance the Erb Institute endowment

1999: Erb Institute sponsors world-class lecture series drawing 13 of the world’s leading sustainability pioneers

2000: Holcim (US ) Inc. pledges $2.5 million for joint professorship between the schools

2000: The Dow Chemical Co. pledges $2 million for joint professorship between the schools and $500,000 for what would become the Dana Building’s Dow Commons

2001: Michigan named a top-tier school in 3rd WRI/TAI Beyond Grey Pinstripes report

2002: Andrew J. Horning (M.B.A. ’00, M.S. ’00) appointed managing director

2003: F. Brian Talbot named CEMP faculty co-director

2003: Faculty Executive Committee established to provide internal guidance to institute leaders

2003:  Jo Ann and Stuart Nathan give $400,000 to enhance their scholarship endowment

2004: Andrew J. Hoffman appointed first Holcim professor

2004: Thomas P. Lyon appointed Dow Chemical Professor and Erb Institute Faculty Fellow

2005: Fred and Barbara Erb pledge an additional $10 million to enhance the Erb Institute endowment

2005: The Erb Institute is renamed the Frederick A. and Barbara M. Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise

2005: CEMP is renamed the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise MBA/MS Program

2005: The Erb Institute launches Faculty Affiliates and Fellows Program to enhance interdisciplinary research at the University related to global sustainable enterprise

2005: Erb Institute launches post-doctoral fellows program

2005: Tom Gladwin, Hoffman and Lyon become institute co-directors

2006: Lyon appointed as director of the Erb Institute

2006: First Erb post-docs, Haitao Yin and Stephanie Bercels, are hired

2006: Institute hosts major conference in conjunction with Pew Center on Climate Change that results in book, Getting Ahead of the Curve: Corporate Strategies Addressing Climate Change

2007: Incoming class increases 30 percent; 34 students begin their studies

2007: Upgraded Erb Web site attracts more than 2,000 visits per month

2007: Institute sponsors five active Faculty Fellowship research grants totaling more than $50,000

2008: Rick Bunch succeeds Horning as managing director

2008: Institute co-founds Alliance for Research on Corporate Sustainability (ARCS ) with Darden, Harvard, Tuck, Duke and Ivey schools. Institute

selected as host for first annual ARCS conference

2008: Institute launches Sustainable Enterprise in China program