In the early 1990’s, Peter Mennen, the Postmaster in St. Helena, CA, was about to receive a life changing letter…

“Peter Mennen read the letter again. In a rush of elation and rage, he realized that stock in the family company had been left to him by his dear grandfather and hidden for years. Mennen, Inc had recently been acquired by Colgate-Palmolive, rendering all stock public. In the dispersion process Peter’s stock had surfaced.” (Paraphrased from, ‘The Far Side of Edan’ by Jim Conoway)

Peter was entranced by all this money could buy. Yet, he realized that a life focused on wealth, status, and possessions, like the one he had left, would not make him happy. Rather, partnered with Carlene’s innate ability to make big things happen, they chose to do good with the founding of the Mennen Environmental Foundation.

From 1995 to their 2022 handing of both the foundation and its assets to its Board of Directors, the Mennens donated millions of dollars to environmental causes in the areas of conservation, habitat rehabilitation, species protection, climate action, research, education and more. To this day, the MEF’s Board of Directors continues its founders’ emphasis on “doing good” through its continued support of environmental non-profits who share MEF’s mission. Thus, the Mennen Environmental Foundation continues to have an extremely meaningful impact!