Born: I was born Oct. 9, 1958, in Portland, Ore.
Education: I graduated from Southern Oregon University in 1980 with two BS degrees—one in geology, which I earned as a junior, and one in business administration.
Family: I’ve been married for 36 years to my wonderful wife Ann. We have one son, Aaron, who is now 25 years old
When and how did you enter the recycling industry? I got into the industry by accident. I was working in the food and hospitality industry and contacted Far West about establishing a recycling program for my employer. In March 1993, Far West offered me a job as general manager of its Beaverton, Ore., plant, and I took it. At the time, recycling was exciting and up and running. It was a great option after the hospitality industry got stale, with too many working hours.
What were the most significant changes you saw in the business over your career? Contamination rates. This is a commodities market that is fairly easy to deal with, but we used to produce material that was clean and easily sellable. As single-stream recycling—and the commingling of materials—came more into play, the contamination rates went out of whack. That caused our everyday costs to rise. The material we were receiving was not a good situation for our employees.
What were your most rewarding professional achievements? I was astounded to be able to rise to president and CEO of Far West. In my tenure, the company grew from 14 employees to 160. It was deeply gratifying to know we were helping feed 600 people or more in our employees’ families.
What are you passionate about? First, I’m passionate about helping people, such as individuals who are homeless, poverty stricken, and mentally ill. After that, I’m passionate about the environment, climate change issues, and being a good human.
Tell us something about you that would surprise people. Most people will know I’m passionate about golf and travel. My wife and I just went on a trip to Iceland that was unbelievable. I’d highly recommend it to anyone.
When and why did your company decide to join ISRI and the PSI Chapter? Our company felt that ISRI and PSI were great organizations. We joined when Herschel Cutler was executive director, and Robin Wiener [who became ISRI’s president in 1997] has taken it to a new level.
What leadership positions, if any, did you hold within PSI? What motivated you to become a leader? I served on the PSI board from 2000 to 2014. I think we did a lot to advance and unify our industry.
What benefits did you receive from your PSI involvement? I enjoyed the camaraderie with my industry colleagues and the business relationships I formed during my service.
When did you retire, and what do you plan to do in your retirement? I retired from Far West in July 2021. Now I spend my time doing volunteer work, and I’m a part-time marshal at a local golf course.
Before you retired, what were the major current challenges facing your company and the overall recycling industry? Contamination rates and the cost of adding newer separation equipment from Van Dyk, Lubo, and BHS, though the company has moved toward metal and electronics recycling since then.
What advice would you offer to the new generation entering the recycling industry and ISRI/PSI? It’s a great industry, and you’ll meet some incredible people.
