Mark and Dawn Huber
Lighting the Torch for Sustainability
Mark (UT, ’97) and Dawn Huber turned personal hardship into a mission to change how businesses manage waste. Founded in 2014, their company iSustain helps companies divert waste from landfills and create more circular systems. “We live in a world where we take something, use it, and throw it away,” Mark says. “iSustain is about making that a circular process—reusing waste, reducing impact, and driving profit.”
The Hubers’ entrepreneurial venture is a culmination of the couple’s commitment to sustainability. Dawn, who studied soil science and forestry in college, began her career with Vancouver-based Canfor, a forest products company. “I was part of a sustainability movement that implemented forestry codes in Canada,” she says. She later met Mark while they were both working for Home Depot. “We fell in love hiking and cooking over a beach campfire in western Canada.”
A UT chemical engineering graduate, Mark worked in manufacturing as a young professional. He led a program for DuPont’s Memphis facility that diverted more than 400 tons of waste from landfills monthly, saving the company $750,000 annually. That project became the model for iSustain.
After marrying, the Hubers joined a Memphis recycling company, but when a majority partner forced the company into bankruptcy, they found themselves unemployed and nearly out of options. “We didn’t know how we’d pay our bills or care for our children,” Mark recalls. With their last savings, the couple launched iSustain in April 2014.
Mark drove hundreds of thousands of miles promoting their sustainability business, and the effort paid off. iSustain became profitable a year later and now works with well-known businesses like Georgia Pacific, Frito-Lay, and Dollywood, helping them build customized recycling systems. iSustain coordinated thousands of truckloads across North America last year, helping recycle more than 335 million pounds of waste.
After creating success with iSustain, Mark decided to reconnect with his alma mater. The Hubers partnered with Haslam and its Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, relating to the center’s mission and providing a personal perspective on the struggles and triumphs of entrepreneurship. Mark became an Entrepreneur in Residence in 2022 and now mentors students as a startup coach and teaches a special topics course on sustainability in business. “The students’ creativity and energy are incredible,” he says. “I probably have more fun than they do.”
Dawn Evans (MBA, ’25), one of Mark’s students, appreciated his approach to teaching. “Mr. Huber created a respectful classroom environment that welcomed discussion and different viewpoints,” Evans says. “It motivated me to dig deeper.”
In 2022, iSustain created a graduate sustainability fellowship at Haslam. Expanded in 2025, the $1 million endowment now funds tuition for two MBA students annually. “The goal is to prepare business leaders to champion sustainability,” says Mark. “It’s something very close to our hearts.”
Dawn sees the scholarship as a natural extension of their journey. “It means so much to now be in a position where we can give back,” she says. “We want to help students and future leaders realize that sustainability and success can go hand in hand.”
Emma Strieter (MBA, ’24), the first recipient of the iSustain scholarship, finds the Hubers passion and authenticity inspiring. “They’ve dedicated themselves to improving the environment and now share their expertise and success with students like me,” she says. “They’ve truly shown what it means to light the torch for others.”
