It’s easy to get jaded working for a corporation. But Gregory Stromberg, whose day job is at INX International Ink Co., saw an opportunity to do good with an unusual object: cans.
I really liked what Paul Newman had done with his line of food, and I thought, why can’t we do that with steel and aluminum containers? I wanted to reinvent the can.
What began as a grassroots initiative has since blossomed into the cannedwater4kids project that’s sent four truckloads of water to Haiti and built a well alongside UNICEF to help provide clean water to kids around the world. It’s also partnered with Engineers Without Borders—similar to Doctors Without Borders—to find new ways to get clean water to the underprivileged.
As a packaging professional, Stromberg has taken good work into the business world. We caught up with him to talk about water, wells, and why Jimmy Carter is the best.
What the best part of the work that you do?
My reward is getting the pictures of the kids who’ve benefited. That’s my peak moment—seeing these children drinking clear water. But there are so many other good charities that we support that are all doing great work like watercharity.org and UNICEF. Everyone does his part, trying to make a small difference.
Do you consider yourself to be a good man? Why or why not?
I try to be the best person I can be with the talent that was given to me by my maker. I tell people I’m a work in progress but I’ll let other people be the judge of whether I’m a good man.
What makes a good man, in your eyes?
Someone who is not self-centered and does not have a strong ego. Someone who understands service, understands caring and sharing. Loves his neighbor and goes out of his way to help the less fortunate.
Who has been the ultimate good man in your life?
Well, I’m a Christian so the ultimate man would have to be Jesus Christ. But here on Earth? There are so many good people out there. I’ll probably think of a bunch once we’re done here, but I think that one of the most underrated presidents of the United States was Jimmy Carter. We weren’t at war under him. And I think of him as someone who’s a good role model for future presidents, especially with what he continues to do to help those who have less than we do. When you look at the values he defines for humankind, he’s someone I can relate to.
Great article about an exceptional man and the charity he founded. Instead of focusing on retirement, like most people his age, he’s focusing on making a difference in the world.