Clarence Beckwith Distinguished Alumni Award: Becky Kliss

Becky Kliss’s path to becoming an environmental steward started when she opened her own cleaning business, Great Lakes Cleaning, Inc., following graduation from Lake Michigan College in 1996 with an Associate in Business Administration degree.

During the long, late nights of cleaning area office spaces, she was astonished at the amount of trash businesses accumulated. As her business grew to more than 150 accounts and 180 employees, she saw how the volume of waste and cleaning methods were affecting the environment.

Seeking a solution, Becky began providing commercial green cleaning services, recycling programs, matting solutions, and paper/dispenser upgrades. In 2008, she sold her cleaning business to build awareness of green and sustainability efforts through her new company, Green Connection, Inc. Green Connection provides consulting services in recycling, waste audits, facility audits, custodial services, and LEED-EB certification. 

As an accredited professional in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Becky works with organizations, such as Stryker Medical and area K-12 school districts, to help them implement and maintain LEED standards. Becky has also worked with St. Joseph Public Schools and the County of Berrien to establish a recycling program. She finds connections for people as to where and what can be recycled and how they can reduce their waste.

The Clarence Beckwith Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Becky Kliss in 2013.