January 22-2016
Anoosheh Oskouian was sent to the United States when she was 14 years old. Now, at the age of 52, she leads a multi-million-dollar environmental firm that she founded in 2000.
Oskouian, the oldest of four siblings, was sent to study in the US in 1978. She stayed with cousins in Denver when things in Iran completely changed. “The Iranian revolution happened, and I could not go back,” she said.
So Oskouian committed herself even harder to being successful in America—even moving out on her own as a senior and setting strict curfews for herself.
She told CNN Money, “I was the only high schooler living in her own apartment. I did it because my goals were different from my cousins. I was chasing success.”
In 2000, Oskouian founded Ship & Shore Environmental. The Long Beach, California, company manufactures systems that help businesses curb air pollution. It also assists big manufacturers comply with emissions standards and reduce their carbon footprint.
“Our model is unique in the pollution control industry because we’re like a one-stop shop for our clients,” said Oskouian, who has an MBA and is trained as a chemical engineer.
The business has offices nationwide with thousands of clients in the plastics, chemicals, auto and printing industries. It has grown to 100 employees with annual revenue of $10 million. It also recently expanded to China.
She was inspired by something her father told her when she was young.
“He would say that it’s a lot better to work for yourself than for someone else.”
So, after spending several years working on nuclear and petrochemical projects at a Texas firm, she decided to branch out on her own. “I had an overwhelming need to do something more tangible that could positively impact the world we live in,” she said.
Oskouian’s passion for the environment, coupled with her technical knowledge, gave her a unique perspective when launching her pollution control business.
“It’s a very robust area because of ever-increasing regulations and enforcements on businesses,” she said.
Oskouian became a US citizen 25 years ago and was able to bring her parents and sisters to the US in the 1990s.
In October 2015, Oskouian was named a Stevie Awards finalist for women in business for revolutionizing the pollution control industry. She is also a founding member of the nonprofit C.H.I.L.D, which provides humanitarian aid to help children around the world stay in school.
“The organization also helps Iranian refugee families who make it to the US get established and find their way around,” said Oskouian. “I want to protect both my community and the environment.”