No single event has shaped Justin Ehrenwerth’s career more than the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
“I was privileged to be involved in the immediate spill response, the extensive litigation, and ultimately administering the penalty dollars to restore the Gulf’s ecosystem and economy,” the 39-year-old Pittsburgh native tells Business Report in its new Executive Spotlight feature.
Prior to becoming president and CEO of the Water Institute of the Gulf about a year ago, Ehrenwerth served as executive director of the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, and was a special counsel member representing the White House in the investigations and lawsuits that came after the spill.
“Throughout this work, I developed a deep appreciation for world class science that can be readily applied to pressing challenges and directly improve decision making,” he says.
As head of the Water Institute, Ehrenwerth has been working to establish Baton Rouge as a global center for the study of coastal restoration and sustainability.
“In this community,” he says, “we are developing some of the most advanced and important restoration and protection techniques in the world.”
Read the full Executive Spotlight Q&A with Ehrenwerth. Here’s a sample of what you’ll find:
What are your hobbies, or your favorite things to do in your free time?
“When I’m not with my wife and son, I love to box. I’m almost always in the boxing gym on Sundays and hit the heavy bag in the backyard whenever I can sneak away. I play the blues harmonica (currently without a regular gig) and love being out on the water.”
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