He began working as an EHS project manager for Apex Companies, LLC, in 2018 and was swiftly promoted to a national program manager in 2020, a position he still holds today.
NEW YORK, NY, September 13, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Michael Kouvaras has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected based on current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all considered during the selection process.
Mr. Kouvaras earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Policy from the University of South Florida in 2014 and went on to attain a Master of Science in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences from Hunter College, City University of New York, in 2016. In recognition of his work during his undergraduate career, he received a scholarship for his M.Sc. from the Education and Research Center, supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
As a Certified Industrial Hygienist at the age of 26, he holds additional certifications and licenses in various capacities for inspections and work related with hazardous building materials in New York, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia amongst a few. He also holds several national certifications, such as being a certified EPA Lead Risk Assessor and a certified Mold Assessor.
Mr. Kouvaras developed and cultivated a passion for environmental health and safety at a young age, starting out as a EHS project manager at KAM Consultants Corp in 2013 where he successfully expanded both their limited EHS consulting services, as well as their in-house capabilities. Following his success during his tenure at a smaller firm, he became an industrial hygiene project manager for Bureau Veritas from 2016 to 2018, at which time his industrial hygiene knowledge began flourishing; his passion & knowledge to protect human health within the work environment expanded; as well as his business acumen expanded. After switching positions due to limited opportunities provided during his aforementioned role and joining Emilcott, Mr. Kouvaras successfully expanded and managed million-dollar clients that were primarily focused on healthcare and chemical manufacturing. During his tenure, his CIH designation was obtained while also doubling the annual revenue of Emilcotts EHS Commercial Facilities and Water Quality Management Division, while enlarging the company's footprint in other U.S.-based states. In 2020, Mr. Kouvaras was approached by one of his closest mentors for a potential fit alongside him at Apex. He began working as an EHS project manager for Apex Companies, LLC, in 2018 and was swiftly promoted to a national program manager in 2020, a position he still holds today.
From a young age, Mr. Kouvaras faced adversity when trying to address several environmental, health or safety issues in Greece. Therefore, during his undergraduate career, he identified a possibility to expand the EHS knowledge from the United States to countries that lack such progress, like his home country – Greece. Mr. Kouvaras is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Public Health (DrPH), which would ultimately allow for greater understanding on the reasoning behind such country-specific EHS approaches, as well as deficiencies identified between different country approaches.
In his present role, Mr. Kouvaras ensures his company serves their global clientele in all areas of concern, ranging from regulatory compliance and internal air quality complaints to OSHA citations and addressing hazardous building material damages. He directly oversees a team of five (5) Industrial Hygienists and their daily operations focus on one food & beverage manufacturing conglomerate, which extends to 1,500 locations in the United States, Canada, and Brazil. As impassioned and a go-getter, Mr. Kouvaras is driven by turning negative experiences into successes. He is determined to utilize his team of Industrial Hygienists and Certified Industrial Hygienists to successfully provide EHS resolutions to his clientele while also being determined in creating his own diversified, global division within Apex Companies. He is driven to do so to expand and inspire countries who lack EHS knowledge. Mr. Kouvaras strong passion for worker's health and safety is supported by enacting his EHS knowledge into real market solutions, all of which focus primarily on health, while also successfully managing the financial burdens to his clientele.
Mr. Kouvaras attributes all his success to two individuals, both of whom he considers close friends primarily, but also his mentors. Mr. Spencer Pizzani, CIH and Mr. Sanford Garrett have provided guidance, knowledge, and support in his career that allowed Mr. Kouvaras to swiftly reach his elevated position. He emphasizes that without either, his current success would not be comparable.
Lastly, Mr. Kouvaras had a message for the younger generations that consider a potential career in Environmental, Health & Safety and/or industrial Hygiene – "The industry is saturated with senior workforce which eventually will need to be replenished by a younger generation of scientists. At this time, there is a significant need for such junior folks and this need will only become larger."
Mr. Kouvaras is currently affiliated with the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, the American Industrial Hygiene Association and Board for Global EHS Credentialing; previously known as American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH).
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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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