Press Releases

Todd Woloson, Co-Founder of IZZE Beverage Company,

Joins Naropa University Board of Trustees

                                                                                                                    
BOULDER, Colo. (March 18, 2008)— When Todd Woloson and Greg Stroh tackled the soft drink industry, they took a ubiquitous product and infused it with progressive values. IZZE drinks used real fruit while excluding high fructose corn syrup and gluten; the company partnered with the Global Education Fund to form Project Reach, a non-profit program that supports educational development for farm workers where IZZE buys its fruit; and it sought out recyclable materials for its product packaging and signage. Now, Woloson’s creativity and forward thinking will be applied to higher education as a welcome addition to the Naropa University Board of Trustees.

"Todd has all of the hard business skills of a seasoned venture capitalist and CEO, but he also understands the soft elements of cultivating community around an inspiring idea,” says Victoria Keziah, Naropa trustee and founder of Kindred Keziah Brand Strategy Inc., now Egg Strategy. “He did this for IZZE.  He has done it for other non-profits, and now he can help do it for Naropa."

As the 23rd member of Naropa’s board, Woloson will serve as a fiduciary of University affairs, collaborating with other trustees to establish and maintain the University’s strategic and academic focus, to represent the University to the public, and to advance its international reputation and financial standing.
                           
Woloson, who holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University (Canton, NY) and earned a law degree from the University of Denver, now describes himself as a venture capitalist and partner at Greenmont Capital Partners, a principal investment firm specializing in early and growth-stage investments. A familiar face at Naropa, he addressed the university in 2006, speaking on “How Business Can Be a Force for Positive Social Change.”

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of theNorth Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Naropa University is a private, nonprofit, nonsectarian liberal arts institution dedicated to advancing contemplative education.  This approach to learning integrates the best of Eastern and Western educational traditions, helping students know themselves more deeply and engage constructively with others. The university comprises a four-year undergraduate college and graduate programs in the arts, education, environmental leadership, psychology and religious studies.

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Reporters seeking information about Naropa University can contact:
Jane Rubinstein
Director of Marketing and Communications
303-245-4643
jrubinstein@naropa.edu