Sameer Vyas
Nominated for: 30 Over 30 Award
Title: Managing Principal / Co-Founder
Company: Montrose Environmental Group / Huco Consulting
Years in Profession: 15
Nominator: Margaret Dunbar, VP, Marketing, Montrose Environmental Group, colleague of Sameer.
Tell us why this person deserves recognition for making a difference in the practice of EHS & Sustainability management. (500 words max.)*
I am pleased to nominate Mr. Sameer Vyas, Managing Principal at Montrose Environmental Group and Co-Founder of Huco Consulting (acquired by Montrose in 2022), for his exceptional leadership in the ESG and EHS fields, helping companies effectively navigate the complex landscape of environmental challenges using cutting-edge digital enterprise applications.
Throughout his 15-year career in the environmental consulting sector, Mr. Vyas has consistently exhibited strong thought leadership, demonstrating a deep understanding of the intricacies of managing sustainability, health, and safety in the corporate realm. Mr. Vyas has provided guidance on organizational change management and implementation of best practices, empowering numerous companies to successfully navigate the process of adopting ESG and EHS frameworks. With his understanding of enterprise applications, Mr. Vyas has enabled organizations to streamline their operations, enhance their sustainability efforts, and strengthen their overall sustainability management performance.
Mr. Vyas's impact extends beyond his direct consulting work. As the leader of Huco Consulting, he acquires and nurtures future talent within the EHS&S industry. Huco has forged strong relationships with universities, actively engaging with students who show passion for EHS/ESG and IT. Rather than solely focusing on hiring experienced individuals, Mr. Vyas and his team have prioritized training and mentoring promising newcomers, resulting in the successful integration of nearly 40 professionals into the EHS&S industry and inspiring a new generation of sustainability leaders. Many of these individuals have remained with Mr. Vyas and his organization for over a decade, attesting to the dedicated mentorship and support provided by Mr. Vyas and his team.
Mr. Sameer Vyas's strong dedication to sustainability management and profound expertise in working with companies throughout their ESG and EHS challenges make him an exceptional candidate for the NAEM 30 Over 30 Award. His commitment to corporate responsibility and fostering talent within the industry has left an indelible mark on the environmental, health, and safety management field, and I along with the rest of the team at Montrose believe his efforts make him a deserving candidate for this prestigious recognition.
Describe a situation or initiative where the nominee was directly responsible for a significant achievement and/or advancement in the practice of EHS & Sustainability management. Include metrics and KPIs if available. (500 words max.)*
Mr. Sameer Vyas's professional impact is evident through his support of over 100 customers across diverse industries with his strategic initiatives and technology solutions. His achievements and commitment have not only transformed the way organizations approach EHS and ESG challenges but have also resulted in significant advancements in their sustainability practices and metrics.
One prominent example that reflects his impact on clients in the sustainability field is his work with Arkema, a chemical manufacturing company. The client wanted to switch from one software vendor system to another, which would cost a lot of time and money for the company to achieve successfully. Mr. Vyas took the initiative to meet with the company and provide a health check so that he could better understand the challenges it was facing and help them to solve their issues. His proactive nature in initiating this conversation and quick turnaround in completing this exercise resulted in Arkema preventing unnecessary switching costs and using the existing system for over 10 years. This experience is just one of the many examples that represent Mr. Vyas's exceptional problem-solving skills that have enabled him to develop cost-effective solutions tailored to meet the specific needs of his clients, further augmenting their EHS and sustainability initiatives.
The cumulative effect of Mr. Vyas's achievements has been transformative for the organizations he has collaborated with. His strategic guidance, technological expertise, and commitment to sustainability have paved the way for improved environmental stewardship, workplace safety, and sustainability reporting. By aligning EHS and sustainability goals with business objectives, Mr. Vyas has fostered a culture of responsible and ethical practices, contributing to the long-term success and resilience of these organizations.
In your opinion, what are the predominant skills and attributes that directly contribute to the nominee’s effectiveness and success? (500 words max.)*
Skills and attributes that directly contribute to the nominee’s effectiveness and success include:
One of the key factors driving Mr. Vyas's effectiveness is his subject matter expertise, specifically in the field of streamlined data management processes, an often-overlooked aspect of EHS and sustainability management. Mr. Vyas's astute approach to data management has allowed organizations to consolidate and effectively analyze their vast amounts of data, empowering them with actionable insights and informed decision-making. For example, early in Mr. Vyas’s career, he was able to help get Shell Chemicals’s tracking measurements off of hundreds of spreadsheets and into a standard application, correcting years of legacy errors in these spreadsheets and providing a higher accuracy of emissions results that could be generated quickly through automation. By leveraging technology and implementing efficient data management systems, he has revolutionized the way organizations track, measure, and report on their sustainability metrics and goals.
Mr. Vyas's leadership in the field of business analysis plays a pivotal role in his effectiveness and success. At the helm of Huco Consulting, Mr. Vyas and his team have built innovative analytical tools to help companies benchmark their emissions and methane intensity with their peers and identify opportunities for reduction improvements. This passion for combining corporate initiatives with socially responsible goals is Mr. Vyas’s core guiding principle and is a through line in every client, customer, and team experience. Now as a Montrose Environmental Group company, Huco Consulting under Mr. Vyas continues to be an asset to clients in the air quality sector and to Montrose in expanding our commitment to holistically addressing complex environmental challenges.
Mr. Vyas’s collaborative approach to problem-solving and bringing diverse stakeholders together is another key attribute that makes him a strong ESG professional. He understands the value of collaboration and actively seeks opportunities to forge partnerships within the industry. Mr. Vyas has been selected for five years straight to help name stakeholders for NAEM and develop digital road maps for ESG&S solutions through developing software. He has delivered many presentations throughout his career and written workbooks that have empowered countless organizations to better understand the EHS and ESG digital journeys and avoid alignment and management failures. For example, when working with Vulcan Materials, Mr. Vyas led alignment workshops across seven business units for environment and safety, inspiring dozens of stakeholders to align on a path forward and select technology to meet their goals. Mr. Vyas and his team still continue to support these many clients, showcasing his drive for visibility in supporting organizational change management. By facilitating knowledge sharing and collaboration, Mr. Vyas contributes to the development of best practices in EHS management, benefiting both clients and the sustainability industry at large.
Share the ways this nominee has positively influenced you, both personally and professionally. You may also include reflections and quotes from others including executives, direct reports, colleagues, suppliers, and clients. (500 words max.)*
Mr. Sameer Vyas has demonstrated a profound commitment to training and education, making a positive impact on individuals and organizations within the field. As an esteemed NAEM affiliate council member, he has actively contributed to empowering professionals and equipping them with the necessary tools and knowledge to excel in their roles. His desire to foster knowledge-sharing and collaboration is evident in his work with clients but is also equally relevant in his mentorship within the industry. Our colleague Abby Townsend had the following to say about Mr. Vyas: “Sameer has had a transformative impact on our organization through his exceptional leadership, strategic thinking, and innovative approach. His ability to inspire and empower team members has elevated the quality of our projects, while his pioneering ideas have pushed boundaries and driven us toward health and safety technological excellence.”
Mr. Vyas has made it a point throughout his leadership at Huco Consulting and now with Montrose to guide new talent in the EHS&S industry. He works directly with different universities to find new talent and hire recent graduates who are now key contributors in the field. Over half of Mr. Vyas’s staff have been with him for over six years, and he did not have a single team member go to a competitor for 14 years. This is a testament to Mr. Vyas’s contributions to organizational culture and loyalty, showcasing him as a dedicated and strong leader.
Many of Mr. Vyas’s clients have expressed appreciation for his ability to understand their complex struggles and support them throughout the entire EHS&S journey and implementation process. The following is a reflection from one client Mr. Vyas has worked with: "Huco [Consulting] was a gem of a find at the very end of our Implementation Partner process. They are simply amazing folks who know their stuff and are very much an implementation partner vs. implementation consultants. They listen to us, they react to what we ask for, and they explain the pros and cons in a logical manner. What I really appreciate about them is that they are collaborative: they are training [Client’s] resources to truly understand the system and to ultimately be self-sufficient.”
Both clients and colleagues alike highlight Mr. Vyas’s dedicated leadership in tackling complex projects and his ability to listen to clients’ struggles and develop custom sustainability solutions. Through his active involvement in mentorship opportunities and the Affiliate Council at NAEM, he has empowered professionals to excel in their roles by sharing his expertise in data management strategies and software solutions. Mr. Vyas's efforts have not only elevated the skills and capabilities of professionals on our team but have also strengthened the industry as a whole, fostering a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and growth.
Provide one or more examples of nominee’s commitment to environmental stewardship within their organization and/or the community. (500 words max.)*
Mr. Vyas's commitment to environmental stewardship is crucial in all his professional endeavors, reflecting his dedication to promoting sustainable practices both within his organization and externally with clients. Recognizing the importance of leading by example, he has actively supported the development and implementation of initiatives aimed at reducing energy consumption, minimizing waste, and prioritizing employee well-being.
One of the very first things to mention when talking about Mr. Vyas’s environmental stewardship is the way that he makes business decisions. When Mr. Vyas and his team were ready to sell Huco Consulting to a larger company, they had many options. However, Mr. Vyas chose our team at Montrose because our mission statement is environmentally focused, in line with Mr. Vyas’s goals for his company and for the staff at Huco. Although Huco and Mr. Vyas himself are focused on providing digital solutions, they are much more focused on meeting ESG objectives and helping organizations effectively manage environmental compliance. Mr. Vyas’s dedication to environmentalism and sustainability has helped propel his business forward and become a leader in the environmental consultancy sector.
Mr. Vyas continues to push the envelope in developing efficient tracking systems using technology to help companies not just reach, but maximize their ESG goals and meet EHS&S compliance. His work with Shell Chemicals became the foundation of his career, a jumping-off point for his company to become a leading greenhouse gas expert. Since that moment, he has supported dozens of companies in using standardized applications to report Scope 1 emissions, which is highly critical in today’s ESG climate. Mr. Vyas’s passion for combining digital applications with corporate responsibility has been evident throughout his career, and it is clear that sustainability is always at the forefront of Mr. Vyas’s work here at Montrose.
If you meet Mr. Vyas, you would quickly realize that it's not trite to say he exudes passion and dedication - in his work, in his conversations, and in his every day actions. Mr. Vyas’s dedication to the environment and guiding companies toward innovative, sustainable solutions shines through in every aspect of his work, and it is clear that he is a true steward in this field. As mentioned in the previous testimonial, Mr. Vyas and Huco Consulting are not just implementation consultants, but implementation partners, and his passion for helping clients and developing strong relationships externally as well as internally through his mentorship efforts make him deserving of this prestigious recognition.