Glenn Rink
Chair, Board of Directors and Executive Committee
Glenn Rink serves as the President of Verano Water Group, a transformative
water infrastructure platform focused on extending the life of water through
innovative and disruptive technologies. Verano Water Group’s entities—
AbTech Industries, Brisa Resilience, and Community Infrastructure Partners—
work together to address global water challenges with forward-thinking
solutions.
As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AbTech Industries, Glenn has
dedicated over a decade to advancing Green Tech innovation and delivering
cutting-edge clean water solutions to meet both community and industry
needs. His leadership has positioned AbTech at the forefront of sustainable
water management, earning recognition for its patented Smart Sponge®
technology, a revolutionary polymer that targets hydrocarbons to combat
water contamination.
Under Glenn’s direction, AbTech grew from a startup research and
development venture to a publicly traded environmental technologies firm
with over $30 million in investments. The company’s Smart Sponge®
technology has been deployed in over 20,000 locations across the United
States and in 15 countries, addressing critical issues such as stormwater
runoff, industrial wastewater, and produced water treatment.
Glenn and AbTech Industries have received numerous accolades, including
multiple first-place rankings in the Artemis Project Top-50 Water Companies
competition and selection as an AlwaysOn Going Green Top 100 Company,
winning their Water Technologies Water Management Award. Glenn was
profiled in Time Magazine's prestigious "Time 100" issue, and he has been
featured in Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business. His media
appearances span Discovery Channel’s Planet Green, Good Morning America,
Science Channel, Bloomberg Radio, Fox Business Network, and CBS
MoneyWatch.
Before founding AbTech, Glenn was the President of HydroGrowth
International, where he advanced aqueous absorption polymer technology
for agricultural applications. This work laid the foundation for his exploration
of polymer technologies for hydrocarbon filtration, leading to the
development of Smart Sponge®.
Glenn also serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Waterkeeper
Alliance, Inc., the largest and fastest-growing nonprofit organization
dedicated to protecting water resources globally. As a passionate advocate
for environmental sustainability, Glenn remains committed to creating
innovative solutions for a cleaner, more resilient future.