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Jerry Greenfield

Jerry Greenfield and his long-time friend and business partner Ben Cohen are the men behind one of the most talked-about conventional success stories in American business. Co-founder of Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc., Greenfield has helped to build a store front venture into a $300 million ice cream empire by making social responsibility and creative management strengths, rather than weaknesses. Greenfield was born four days before his future business partner in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up and went to school in Merrick, Long Island. It was there that he first met Cohen in junior high school. After graduating from high school with a national merit scholarship under his belt, Greenfield enrolled at Oberlin College. In 1976, he moved in with Cohen and the two decided to pursue their dream of starting a food business together. They eventually settled on ice cream and, in May 1978, opened Ben & Jerry's homemade ice cream parlor in Burlington, Vermont. Today a model for American business success, Greenfield and Cohen have been recognized for fostering their company's commitment to social responsibility by the council on economic priorities and by the U.S. Small Business Administration. They have also received the James Beard Humanitarians of the Year and the Peace Museum's Community Peacemakers of the Year awards. Today, Greenfield's official title at the company is co-founder. He is involved in promoting the social and environmental initiatives that Ben & Jerry's undertakes. He is also President of the Ben & Jerry's Foundation.