Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

President and CEO

As President and CEO, Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks leads the strategy and production of safer sustainable cleaning products at ECOS. She oversees four geographically diverse facilities across the U.S. as well as a European manufacturing platform. She has been widely recognized for her highly effective leadership at ECOS and her influential voice in the sustainable cleaning movement, corporate social responsibility, and sustainable manufacturing.

Vlahakis-Hanks has led ECOS to become a Climate Positive company and the first company in the world to achieve the sustainability trifecta of carbon neutrality, water neutrality, and TRUE Platinum Zero Waste certification. Her sustainable business practices have made ECOS a model for eco-conscious business in the U.S. ECOS is a primary manufacturer that has received many awards for its innovations in safer, sustainable chemistry, including the U.S. EPA’s Safer Choice Partner of the Year five times.

As a woman of African American and Greek descent, Vlahakis-Hanks has made environmental and social justice a cornerstone of ECOS’s mission. She actively promotes a corporate culture of diversity and empowerment – 58% of her C-Suite and top executives are women and 41% are BIPOC. She is proud to lead a company that is a WBENC-certified women-owned business and an NMSDC-certified minority-owned business. In 2021, ECOS was honored with the Shelby Report’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award” for advancing DE&I in the U.S grocery industry.

She is an active member of several boards of directors, including the XPRIZE Foundation and the Chapman University Board of Governors, where she serves on the Diversity Task Force. She is active in industry councils and public policy advocacy, including the American Sustainable Business Network and the Companies for Safer Chemicals coalition, working to promote higher standards for consumer products to protect human health and the environment. She is also a member of YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization) and Abundance 360, a select community of executives and entrepreneurs using exponential technologies to transform their businesses.

Vlahakis-Hanks resides in southern California with her husband Eric Hanks, an acclaimed African American art gallerist, their teenage daughter, and rescue dog.

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Awards

2021

Microsoft Legacy Project “Women Who Empower Change” Honoree

Loukoumi Parents of the Year Award

2020

Entrepreneur Magazine 100 Powerful Women of 2020

Boy Scouts of America Woman of Character

Conscious Company World-Changing Women in Conscious Business

National Women’s History Museum Women Making History Award

2019

Environmental Media Association Corporate Responsibility Award

Progressive Grocer Top Women in Grocery Award

EurekaFEST Eureka Award

2018

Progressive Grocer Top Women in Grocery Award

Greek America Foundation Forty Under 40 Award

American Hellenic Council Aristeion Award

2017

USGBC OC Eco Award “Eco Leader”

SustainOC Chairman’s Award for Innovative Collaborative Sustainability

South Coast AQMD Clean Air Award – Business Leadership in Air Quality

Progressive Grocer Top Women in Grocery Award

Single Moms Planet Business Innovator Award

Chapman University Distinguished Alumni Award

American Cancer Society Making Strides V.I.Pink Award

2016

American Sustainable Business Council Sustainable Policymakers Award (SUSTY Award)

Global Green USA Corporate Environmental Leadership Award

Green Building & Design/USGBC Women in Sustainable Leadership Award

Girl Scouts of Orange County Celebrate Leadership Award

Orange County Business Journal Women in Business Award

Orange Coast Magazine Remarkable Women

CEH Athens/Livanos Award

All Posts Video Articles Podcasts Quotes

Meet the CEO: Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

Why You Should Be Using Healthy Cleaning Products, with Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

Travel With Meaning Ep 39: Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

Should You Be Washing Your Food? with Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

COVID-19: How To Effectively Clean & Sanitize Your Home, with Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

Why Green Cleaning is Good for Your Health

Environmental Powerhouse - Executive MBA Alumna Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks '16 Harnesses Sustainable Practices for People and the Planet - Argyros School of Business and Economics

From The Hart S3 E4: Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks | A Passion for Health, Hard Work, People, Family Business

"Green chemistry is at the heart of what we do at ECOS, and we’re continually innovating safer formulas for our cleaning products to help protect the health of people and the planet. It’s absolutely critical that we invest in more sustainable solutions at all levels of government to create a safer future and a stronger economy."

- Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

Her Healthy Ecosystem | Orange County Business Journal

Should you be washing your food? with Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

“Fighting to protect our health and the health of our planet has been our mission for over 50 years. We’ve all been affected by cancer in women in one way or another, whether it’s a mother, sister, or friend. I lost my own mother to breast cancer several years ago, and I want to do everything I can to help improve women’s health and well-being, including my health and the health of my daughter.”

- Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

National Day of Learning - Let's Think Career Panel with Female Leaders in STEM – Winward Academy

She's All Over the Place Podcast- Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks President & CEO of ECOS Celebrating Earth Day

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Advancing Justice and Climate through Public Policy with Sen. Ron Wyden

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Going Green & Getting Gritty with Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks – Grit Happens Podcast

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ASBC/SVC Summit “Remaking & Revitalizing the Economy” – Panel: “Safer Chemicals – Policy & Market Shifts”

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ECOS CEO on minimum wage increases and what it means for economic recovery – Yahoo Finance

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CEH’s Virtual Town Hall on How to Keep Your Home Healthy During a Pandemic

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Join the Businesses Helping the 2020 Election ☆ Operation Vote Safe

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COVID-19: How to Effectively Clean and Sanitize Your Home, with Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks - TBWWP

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Should you be washing your food? with Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

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2019 EMA Honors: Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks Proves That Businesses Can Be Green And Successful

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Kelly Vlahakis Hanks #50YearsOfGreen & AHC Aristeion Award in Business

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Orange County Boy Scouts: Woman of Character Honoree: Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

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National Women’s History Museum: Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, 2020 Women Making History Award Honoree

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MidPoint | Peter Morici and Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

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Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks on Fox Business with Lauren Simonetti

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Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks Honored at the 2016 Global Green Awards

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Kelly Vlahakis Hanks Interview at Global Green Awards

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Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, 2020 Women Making History Awards

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EMA: Women Entrepreneurs Kicking Ass

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EMA: Constance Zimmer Speaks with Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, President & CEO at Earth Friendly Products

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Business for Good - Creating A More Sustainable World | Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks | TEDxSageHillSchool

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Kelly Vlahakis Hanks on 50 Year Anniversary of Earth Friendly Products

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Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks Receives the Aristeion Award in Business

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The Benefits of a Brain-Healthy Workplace with Dr. Daniel Amen and ECOS CEO Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

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SHE Influences Virtual Series 2020: Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

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Planet Experts with Earth Friendly Products' CEO Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

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Sustainability is Good for the Bottom-Line – Gooder Podcast

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Meet the CEO: Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

Diverse Leadership Empowering Women with Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

Celebrate Black History Month With 9 Black-Owned, Female-Led Brands

Women in Impact: 100 Women Impact Leaders You Should Know - Real Leaders Magazine

Microsoft The Legacy Project: Celebrating Women Who Empower Change

Her Healthy Ecosystem | Orange County Business Journal

Low-wage workers in 20 states will see a pay raise on New Year's Day

Environmental Powerhouse - Executive MBA Alumna Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks '16 Harnesses Sustainable Practices for People and the Planet - Argyros School of Business and Economics

A soldier, an entrepreneur, a midwife, a story maker, a CEO: 5 inspiring local moms – Orange County Register

ECOS CEO on minimum wage increases and what it means for the economic recovery [Video]

Meet Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks of Earth Friendly Products in Addison - Voyage Chicago | Chicago City Guide

Three Chapman University women win 2016 Women in Business Award | Chapman Newsroom

Chatting with Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks - Sophie Uliano

Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks: A Modern Eco-Goddess – The Eden Magazine

HOW EARTH FRIENDLY PRODUCTS IS MAKING THE WORLD GREENER ONE EXPORT MARKET AT A TIME - Global Trade Magazine

ECOS CEO & President Kelly Vlahakis Hanks on How and Why to Go Toxin-LESS — Kim Lewand Martin

Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks: Managing a Green Giant During the Pandemic

100 Powerful Women: 8 Founders Share the Biggest Lesson Helping Them Survive 2020

The Family Soap Company That’s Cleaning Up In The COVID-19 Fight

43 World-Changing Women in Conscious Business — 2020 | Conscious Company

Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks is CEO of Earth Friendly Products in Cypress – Orange Coast Magazine June 2020

5 Products to Buy Now to Support Black-Women-Led, Purpose-Driven Businesses — Meghan French Dunbar

10 Remarkable O.C. Women - Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks: Earth Steward & Business Leader – Orange Coast Magazine

Bizwomen Interview: Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, CEO of Earth Friendly Products - Bizwomen

The Badass CEO Podcast - Her Family Business Achieved the Sustainability Trifecta

She's All Over the Place Podcast- Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks President & CEO of ECOS Celebrating Earth Day

Listen

Sustainability is Good for the Bottom-Line – Gooder Podcast

Listen

Going Green & Getting Gritty with Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks – Grit Happens Podcast

Listen

Why Green Cleaning is Good for Your Health

Listen

Travel With Meaning Ep 39: Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

Listen

From The Hart S3 E4: Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks | A Passion for Health, Hard Work, People, Family Business

Listen

COVID-19 Outbreak: Quick Tips For A Cleaner Household Today, with Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

Listen

COVID-19: How To Effectively Clean & Sanitize Your Home, with Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

Listen

Should You Be Washing Your Food? with Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

Listen

Why You Should Be Using Healthy Cleaning Products, with Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

Listen

Children are our most precious gift, and at ECOS we want to champion change in the cleaning products industry to protect them. The science is irrefutable—toxic chemicals are responsible for an increase in childhood cancers. All cleaning product manufacturers must join us to innovate safer green chemistry and create safer cleaning products for homes, daycare facilities and classrooms.

- Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

"It’s important to us to help protect the health of election workers in Georgia because what they have been doing for months is so essential to the integrity of our democratic process,” said Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, president and CEO of ECOS. “Our mission for over 50 years has been to protect the health of people and our planet. We want the people of Georgia and all citizens of our country to be able participate in the democratic process safely and securely."

- Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

“Paying a living wage has long been a key to our success. Now, during the pandemic, when we have scaled up production to meet global demand for our safer cleaning products, it’s more important than ever. When you take care of your team, they take care of your company and customers. We're very glad to see minimum wage increases in all the states where we manufacture and many others across the country.”

- Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

“Part of our commitment to sustainability is our commitment to paying our employees a living wage and providing them family-friendly benefits such as health insurance and paid leave. We do it not just because it helps support our employees’ families and the local economies that we’re in but because it helps us grow our business. Paying a higher minimum wage helps create the consumers who drive our economy. That’s why we support raising the minimum wage.”

- Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

“Fighting to protect our health and the health of our planet has been our mission for over 50 years. We’ve all been affected by cancer in women in one way or another, whether it’s a mother, sister, or friend. I lost my own mother to breast cancer several years ago, and I want to do everything I can to help improve women’s health and well-being, including my health and the health of my daughter.”

- Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

"The health and wellness of people and our beautiful planet is my passion and the driving force behind our work to bring safer products to families around the world."

- Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

"Our ECOS cleaners have shown the world that you can use safer ingredients and create products in a truly sustainable way without compromising the health of the planet or the health of consumers."

- Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

"We’re using green science to transform the cleaning products industry and help our consumers do the things that are most important to them—caring for their family and protecting our planet for future generations."

- Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks