It seems that former SDC Chairman Dan Smolen has been quite busy. From today’s Free Lance-Star:

Dan Smolen suggests that many of today’s up-and-coming executives might want to forgo the usual gray or blue power suit for a green one.

Smolen, an executive recruiter and business consultant who lives in Stafford County, says a budding global “green” economy–with more companies focusing on sustainability and corporate social responsibility–demands it.

“There’s lots of discussion out there about green jobs, but absolutely nothing to speak to executives” who are running the companies or coming up the ranks, says Smolen, 49, a Connecticut native who moved to the Fredericksburg area in 1997.

Smolen has a self-published book coming out this spring, titled, “Tailoring the Green Suit: Empowering Yourself for an Executive Career in the New Green Economy,” (AuthorHouse, $20).

He calls it a career development book for green-business professionals.

A graduate of Ithaca College in New York, Smolen worked for 12 years in direct marketing and executive recruiting. Along the way, he he immersed himself in local politics, public policy and the environment.

Three years ago, he changed direction. He had just stepped down as chairman of the Stafford County Democratic Committee.

“I thought at the time I had to make some changes” in his career focus, “to pivot into the green business arena that can touch any facet of the business world, but most obviously energy conservation, sustainability, corporate social responsibility.”

And his ah-ha moment: While there’s been lots of discussion about green jobs, “I saw that there was absolutely nothing out there to speak to executives” about how to prepare for–and excel–in a new business model, he said.

“I wrote the book for those people the idea behind it, to tailor yourself to take advantage of green business opportunities as they come.”

President Obama’s $787 billion federal stimulus package, for example, provides billions for green energy, energy savings improvements and sustainability projects.

Smolen says that money, enabled by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009, is flowing to states and localities.

The George Washington Regional Commission, for example, recently announced it had received a $1 million grant from the state through the stimulus fund for energy-conservation projects here that will help nearly 200 homeowners and create jobs for local contractors.

Just as social media are changing the fundamentals of communication, “The next big shift will be in the area of green business–and it will go beyond all the feel-good stuff,” Smolen said.

He has posted some excerpts from the book on his blog. He delves into the history of the green business phenomenon, challenges, how-to’s, and philosophy.

“I believe that going green–I hate that term, but I don’t know what else to call it–when it’s done right is good for business.”

The irony, he says, is that companies now recognize that being environmentally friendly is no longer an afterthought, but a key part of any business plan.

He mentions the late Milton Friedman, the Nobel Prize-winning economist, whose idea of corporate responsibility was simply to make a profit for shareholders.

“The new paradigm is being a good steward” of the planet, “and using resources wisely and using them sustainably” to help people have better lives. And that translates into profits on the balance sheet. He calls it the triple bottom line: planet, people, profit.

Interest in the topic runs from Main Street to the corporate office suite, if the sheer number of books out is any indicator. There are hundreds of titles on Amazon.com alone. For example, “Go Green: Live Rich, 50 simple ways to Save the Earth and Get Rich,” and “Living Green: A Practical Guide to Simple Sustainability.”

Ted Hontz, a friend of Smolen’s who owns a defense contracting firm in King George County, says Smolen’s onto something.

“He told me he wanted to be a green entrepreneur. But Dan is a guy who does not have quarterly returns and stock prices as his primary goal in life.

“He’s a smart guy, and if he’s paying attention to something like this, I’m guessing he’s on the leading edge of something important.”

Dan is one of the smartest, hardest working guys I have ever met. I’m looking forward to the release of this book. I believe that Dan is on to something special here. As stimulus funds flow into green businesses and the government fast tracks innovation in green and clean technology, new opportunities await potential job seekers and employers.

Dan’s phones may have been malfunctioning yesterday, but thank goodness they are fixed today. I have a feeling that he is going to be one busy guy!

You can read more on this subject by visiting Dan’s blog Sturdy Roots.

[IMAGE via Mike Morones/FLS]