Young Green Entrepreneur

There was an excellent story in yesterday's Tennessean about a young, green, entrepreneur named Nathan Zack.

His story reminds me of stories from The Depression, with a modern twist.

Now 27, Nathan's dad died when he was 15. Because money was tight, he quit school to help support his mother and siblings. His first venture was a lawnmowing business in Farmington Hills, MI, where he and his family lived.

Nathan eventually went to work for his uncle, who had a scrap metal business. That experience, combined with his mother's environmental activism, gave him the idea to create Great Lakes Electronics.

Basically, Nathan's company recycles computers, a much-needed service.

His employees wipe the data clean, and test the products. If the item works they sell it on eBay. If not, they break down the parts and sell them to various recyclers.

Great Lakes Electronics has done so well that it has warehouses in Florida, the Chicago area, and the Atlanta area as well as Detroit. Although he started out asking neighbors for old computers, he now has K mart and other large companies in his customer list.

Since it's a privately owned company, Nathan is not required to disclose sales data, but his mother says she has to "pinch myself" to believe it.

Can you imagine the commitment and determination this young man had, to quit school to help his family and then build a successful business that supports not only himself and his family but his employees and the environment as well?

What an amazing young man!