zachary l. green
Keynote Speaker | Leadership Consultant | Award-Winning Entrepreneur | Int’l Best-Selling Author| Veteran Advocate | Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
A visit to the Teufelhunden Tavern & Museum in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina is an immersion in one of the largest private collections of World War I Marine memorabilia in the country. Zachary L. Green curates the collection and offers professional military education sessions for Marines and civilians alike. He moved to South Carolina after becoming a Marine, building a career in the fire service, inventing a firefighter safety product, launching a business enterprise, and writing the best seller “Warrior Entrepreneur – Lessons from the Battlefield to the Boardroom.”
Green served in the United States Marine Corps from 1991 to 1999, achieving the rank of corporal and completing extensive training across multiple disciplines. He is a graduate of Recruit Training at Parris Island and Infantry School at Camp Lejeune. He has an advanced specialization in field artillery obtained at Fort Sill. Green was selected for Officer Candidate School through the Platoon Leaders’ Course in Quantico, Virginia, where he graduated first in his platoon based on performance evaluations.
After his military service, Green spent more than 13 years as a lieutenant with Wyoming, Ohio Fire and Emergency Medical Services, where he was trained in hazardous materials response, incident command, and community outreach. He served two terms as president of the Wyoming Firefighters Association, advocating for improved training, safety, and professional standards for firefighters across the state. His firefighting work and military service gave him first-hand insights into life-and-death decision-making and the importance of mission-driven teamwork.
It also inspired him to create a revolutionary firefighter safety product. Green founded MN8 LumAware Safety, now a multi-million-dollar company specializing in photoluminescent safety technology that he began selling from the trunk of his car and is used by over 80,000 firefighters across more than 25 countries. The success of the company earned him recognition as the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year and an invitation to the White House.
His book came next followed by launching Warrior Enterprises, a program that helps active-duty service members transition to the civilian work force and is recognized by the Department of Defense as a Skillbridge company. Green’s entrepreneurial successes and devotion to veterans earned him recognition by the South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs; the prestigious Presidential “E” award for exporting success; features in Entrepreneur Magazine, USA Today, msn.com and other local and national outlets, and being named as one of 10 entrepreneurs to represent the U.S. at a Global Entrepreneur Summit.
Green remains deeply connected to the Marine Corps community. As a Share the Legacy speaker at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, he returns regularly to inspire graduating recruits by sharing lessons of honor, courage, and commitment. He also serves as a World War I era United States Marine Corps reenactor and hosts Crucible hikes and Eagle, Globe, and Anchor ceremonies alongside active-duty Marines.
“My military service forever shaped the way I’ve approached business and all of my personal dealings. Since giving up the dress blues, grit, determination, sacrifice, teamwork and loyalty have become embedded in every fiber of my being,” said Green.