"I felt that if we could have a chair at Michigan, we could feature the best of ecology, the best of economics, and the best of environmental problem solving."
-Peter M. Wege

The Wege Foundation's $1.5 million gift to the University of Michigan endows the Peter M. Wege Chair of Sustainable Systems at the School of Natural Resources and Environment. With this chair, the School hopes to take a leadership role in the application of life-cycle-design methodology needed to achieve a sustainable global society.

Mr. Wege's other gifts to the School include: more than $100,000 for administrative and operational support of the National Pollution Prevention Center and $500,000 to aid the transition of the NPPC into the Center for Sustainable Systems (CSS).

Early Influences

In the early 1940s, he came to the University, a bright young athlete from Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was recruited for the Wolverine track team because of a record breaking javelin throw. It was his father's ambition to make sure he came to Michigan. But, his studies in industrial design at the architecture school and competition in collegiate sports was cut short with the start of World War II.

While flying a training plane over Pittsburgh on his way to West Point, the course of Lieutenant Peter Melvin Wege's life was altered. Despite clear sunny skies around him, the smog hovering over the city prevented him from seeing the airfield. The runway landing lights had to be switched on at three o'clock in the afternoon in order to guide his plane safely to the ground. "This was a pivotal experience in my life," remembers Mr. Wege. "That's when I started to become very conscious about environmental issues, especially fresh water and fresh air." For the son of Steelcase Inc. founder, Peter Martin Wege, returning home from the War in 1946 meant helping his father's company grow and fighting a new very personal battle of global proportion: pollution.

His motto: Be Green! Go Blue!

Volunteer and Donor

Described by his peers as an "ecological visionary" and an "advocate for human betterment," Mr. Wege has been devoted to "cleaning up" the environment and saving the Great Lakes for decades. He has directed his time, energy, and financial resources towards research and educating others about ecology. As part of his effort, he has had a long-standing relationship with the University of Michigan's School of Natural Resources and Environment as a volunteer and donor, particularly working with Professor Jonathan Bulkley and serving as the first chair of the External Advisory Committee for the National Pollution Prevention Center (NPPC) now the Center for Sustainable Systems (CSS).

Wege Foundation

When Mr. Wege created the Wege Foundation in 1967, it was born from a personal dream to provide for the future needs of the community. A family foundation, it includes five of Mr. Wege's children: Peter, Jonathon, Diana, Chris, and Mary. Over the years, the Foundation has primarily served the West Michigan and Grand Rapids community in three crucial areas: the environment, secular and religious education, health care and community development. The Foundation's $1.5 million gift to the University of Michigan endows the Peter M. Wege Chair of Sustainable Systems at the School of Natural Resources and Environment. With this chair, the School hopes to take a leadership role in the application of life-cycle-design methodology needed to achieve a sustainable global society. Mr. Wege's other gifts to the School include : more than $100,000 for administrative and operational support of the National Pollution Prevention Center and $500,000 to aid the transition of the NPPC into the Center for Sustainable Systems (CSS).

"I felt that if we could have a chair at Michigan, we could feature the best of ecology, the best of economics, and the best of environmental problem solving," states Mr. Wege on the purpose of the gift. "The chair could formalize the study of 'economicology' a concept I developed in my book - 'Economicology: The Eleventh Commandment' which is a process of bringing economics and ecology together." This is also an opportunity for the School to foster collaborative initiatives nationally as well as internationally.

Steelcase, Inc.

"In my opinion, we business owners need to start treating our people and our customers as though their health and welfare were very important," says Peter Wege. Steelcase Inc., headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is one of the world's preeminent designers and manufacturers of high performance work environments, including office furniture systems and interior architectural products. Mr. Wege , who is still involved as a board member, is very proud that the company is close to recycling eighty-percent of its materials. "There is no excuse why products can't be environmentally friendly. I could just go on for hours on this topic!"