George Greene III

George Greene III, PE, PhD, is the co-founder and Executive Chair of Water Mission. In this role, he leads the strategic direction of Water Mission along with the board of directors, while also continuing to actively direct strategic key projects. Additionally, Dr. Greene serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors and Interim Executive Director of the Global Water Center, an independent 501(c)3 founded by Water Mission. The Global Water Center’s mission is to end the global water crisis by developing collaboration among global organizations, incentivizing, and equipping them to work to internationally accepted standards.

Prior to co-founding Water Mission with his wife, Molly, in 2001, Dr. Greene founded General Engineering Laboratories (GEL), serving as CEO and chief engineer for 20 years. Dr. Greene led the company to become one of the largest privately-held environmental laboratories in the United States. In addition, Dr. Greene has worked as a chemical process design engineer at Lurgi in Frankfurt, Germany, and as the team leader of the Residuum Conversion Math Modelling Team at Exxon Research and Engineering.

Dr. Greene received his doctorate in chemical engineering from Tulane University, his master’s degree in chemical engineering from Columbia University, and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Florida. He is a licensed professional engineer and holds several patents related to water treatment.

In 2008, Dr. Greene was awarded an honorary Doctor of Public Service from Charleston Southern University. He and his wife have also received The Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian award, and Rotary International’s Service Above Self Award. Most recently, in 2022, Dr. Greene was inducted into the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as a business leader who continues to inspire others to take action joining the effort to end the global water crisis. Dr. Greene is an active member of St. Philip’s Church, an Anglican church in Charleston, SC.