Roosevelt announces May 4 Commencement speakers

Posted: 02/16/2012

Roosevelt University announced today that two of its distinguished alumni, Van Vlahakis (pictured above), owner and chief executive officer of Earth Friendly Products, and Robert “Bob” Mednick, (pictured below), a Roosevelt trustee and recipient of the prestigious Sempier Award presented by the International Federation of Accountants, will speak at the University’s May 4 commencement ceremonies and receive honorary degrees.

“Throughout their careers, Mr. Vlahakis and Mr. Mednick have been leaders in their professions and both have been widely recognized for their outstanding contributions to their fields,” said Roosevelt University President Chuck Middleton. “We are delighted to present Mr. Vlahakis with a Doctor of Social Justice, honoris causa and Mr. Mednick with a Doctor of Humane Letters degree, honoris causa.”

Vlahakis will speak at a 10 a.m. ceremony for graduates of Roosevelt’s College of Arts and Sciences and the Evelyn T. Stone College of Professional Studies, while Mednick delivers the 2 p.m. Commencement address to graduates of the Heller College of Business, Chicago College of Performing Arts and College of Education.

As owner and operator of Earth Friendly Products, which manufactures more than 150 products, including the world’s top-selling ‘green’ biodegradable laundry detergent, ECOS, Vlahakis is an example of one who is living the American dream. An immigrant from Greece, Vlahakis came to the United States with $20 in his pocket, determined to pursue a successful career in business. Receiving a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Roosevelt in 1958, he spent more than a decade in the janitorial services industry where he came to recognize the need for effective cleaning products. To achieve this goal, he started a business in his garage, Venus Laboratories, which quickly outgrew the space and became a major company where Vlahakis created innovative formulas and patents for such products as Pet Stain and Odor Remover and the famous Nature’s Miracle line.

In 1989, his concern for providing non-toxic cleaning products to the public led him to create an eco-friendly household and commercial cleaning product line, Earth Friendly Products, which today is sold worldwide at Walmart, Costco, Sam’s Club, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and other retailers.

The first to manufacture the pH neutral auto-dishwashing gel, Wave, Vlahakis is the 2011 recipient of the Illinois Governor’s Sustainability Award and the 2010 recipient of the California Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award for Excellence in Sustainable Building Measures and Products.

Mednick is a certified public accountant who received a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Roosevelt in 1962. After graduating, he spent 36 years with the international accounting firm of Arthur Andersen where he rose through the ranks, becoming a worldwide managing partner for professional and regulatory matters in 1993.

Mednick joined Roosevelt’s Board of Trustees in 1979 and is currently senior vice chair and a life trustee. A member of the International Federation of Accountants, he received its prestigious lifetime achievement award, the Sempier Award, before the World Congress of Accountants in Kuala Lumpur in 2010. Among other distinctions, he is a lifetime member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and a senior consultant to the World Bank. A member of the Executive Committee and boards of the National Bureau of Economic Research, one of the world’s leading economic think tanks, Mednick has published numerous articles and papers, some of which have been translated into multiple languages. He has also spoken across the U.S. and internationally on a wide range of financial reporting, auditing and business subjects. In addition, he has served as an arbitrator in major business disputes and has taught business courses and seminars around the world.

Mednick

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