About Ice in a Box

Leadership

Steve Bender

Founder, 7 Seas Initiative

Steve Bender is a global sustainability leader and CEO of The 7 Seas Foundation, an ocean-protection nonprofit, through which he leads the 7 Seas Initiative. He is also CEO of Sea 2 Sky Solutions, an international sustainability consulting firm, and head of Newport Homes.

Steve is well known for designing deployable humanitarian infrastructure — including Doc in a Box, a mobile aid clinic created for rural South Africa, and related projects such as Dental in a Box and Vision in a Box. He also founded the Rotary Reef Project for ocean restoration, serves as President of the Rotary Club of Newport Beach, and directs the Environmental and Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) for Western North America.

Ice in a Box continues that body of work — and is a priority initiative for Steve’s 2026–2027 Rotary Year.

The Initiative

7 Seas Initiative

The 7 Seas Initiative brings clean-energy and clean-water infrastructure to coastal communities around the world — connecting local partners, technical fabricators, and Rotary’s global network around practical, replicable solutions.

Ice in a Box is developed in direct partnership with Comepesca, GivePower, and Rotary, and represents the Initiative’s continued commitment to solutions that pair clean energy with essential human needs — food security, safe water, and economic opportunity for coastal communities.