William Olson

About William Olson

Bill is a highly skilled executive with a strong track record of delivering outstanding business results through sustainable innovation on a global level. Bill currently serves as Director of Sustainability for Benchmark Electronics in Phoenix, Arizona. In this role, Bill is responsible for leading and furthering ESG and sustainability efforts at a global level to improve the sustainability of Benchmark’s manufacturing services and solutions offerings and to better serve Benchmark’s customers, employees, investors, operations and communities. Benchmark is a leading EMS and engineering solutions company headquartered in Tempe, Arizona whose mission is to be its customers’ trusted partner, providing comprehensive solutions across the entire product lifecycle, leading through innovative technology and engineering design services, leveraging its optimized global supply chain, and delivering world-class manufacturing services. Benchmark’s customers span a diverse set of industries/markets including Defense, Medical, Commercial Aerospace, Complex Industrials, Next-Gen Communications, Advanced Computing and Semiconductor Capital Equipment. For an overview of the Benchmark’s sustainability mission, programs and goals please see Benchmark’s 2023 Sustainability Report. to joining Benchmark Bill led numerous efforts in green product design and manufacturing. Through a series of roles at Motorola/Google/Lenovo he founded and led a key corporate initiative called ECOMOTO, which focuses on the realization of environmentally sound, seamless Motorola mobile products. ECOMOTO sought to deliver sustained business impact and brand advantage through green materials and innovative Eco-design practices and building brand value through waste reduction, environmentally preferred materials and manufacturing process innovation.His ECOMOTO team launched the world\'s first carbonfree electronic products. His team also launched W233 Renew, the first cell phone in the world to use recycle content \"water bottle\" plastic. Bill graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry and has 24 US patents and more than 40 technical publications.Specialties: International R&D leadership, Environmental regulatory affairs, chemistry, electronics manufacturing, design reliability, design for environment, statistical analysis, Six Sigma, chemical and manufacturing process reliable first use of new technology in high volume products.

Experience

1. Global Director of Sustainability

   Benchmark

   Jul 2023 — Present · Tempe, AZ, US

   Bill Olson is the Global Sustainability Director for Benchmark Electronics in Phoenix, Arizona. In this role, Bill is responsible for leading and furthering ESG and sustainability efforts at a global level to improve the sustainability of Benchmark’s manufacturing services and solutions offerings and to better serve Benchmark’s customers, employees, investors, operations and communities. Benchmark is a leading EMS and engineering solutions company headquartered in Tempe, Arizona whose mission is to be its customers’ trusted partner, providing comprehensive solutions across the entire product lifecycle, leading through innovative technology and engineering design services, leveraging its optimized global supply chain, and delivering world-class manufacturing services. Benchmark’s customers span a diverse set of industries/markets including Defense, Medical, Commercial Aerospace, Complex Industrials, Next-Gen Communications, Advanced Computing and Semiconductor Capital Equipment. For an overview of the Benchmark’s sustainability mission, programs and goals please read Benchmark’s latest 2022 Sustainability Report – Building a Sustainable Future.

Education

• University of Wisconsin-Madison

  Ph.D., Inorganic Chemistry

  1980 — 1984

Skills

• Product Management
• Mobile Devices
• Sustainability
• Conflict Minerals
• Sustainability Reporting
• Change Management
• Statistics
• Strategic Planning
• Continuous Improvement
• Go-to-Market Strategy
• Engineering
• R&D
• Environmental Awareness
• Wireless
• Competitive Analysis
• Design for Environment
• Start-Ups
• Electronics Manufacturing
• Strategic Partnerships
• Strategy
• Electronics
• Team Leadership
• Testing
• New Business Development
• Telecommunications
• Product Development
• Analysis
• Mobile Communications
• Engineering Management
• Six Sigma
• Chemistry
• Business Strategy
• Technical Writing
• Supply Chain
• Project Management
• Program Management
• Manufacturing
• Product Lifecycle Management
• Process Improvement
• Materials