June,=20
2009 E-NEWSLETTER=20
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President=92s=20
Message:
A=20
big thank you to everyone who supported our =
38th=20
Annual Western Regional Symposium and Exposition. =
Although the=20
economy somewhat impacted our attendance, we had three =
informative and enjoyable days in Palm Springs. =20
Grace=20
Chan of Los County Sanitation Districts, the Program =
Chair,=20
did an outstanding job of putting together interesting =
and=20
timely presentations that will help us be more =
effective=20
throughout the coming year. Also special =
thanks to=20
Laith Ezett of HF&H for coordinating our =
successful golf=20
tournament. =20
Also=20
thanks to Susan Fountain from Long Beach for =
coordinating the=20
hotel and meals, Scott Ramey for putting together the =
Exhibit=20
and Vendor Show and Evelyn Russell for coordinating=20
registration. =
And=20
of course, a special thank you to all our exhibitors =
and=20
sponsors for their continued commitment to SWANA and =
the=20
Western Regional Symposium. =20
Be=20
sure to mark your calendars, as WASTECON will be in =
Long Beach=20
September 22-24, 2009. =20
SWANA has expanded its training =
opportunities=20
during WASTECON and we are looking forward to a great=20
show. =
Our local=20
Chapter is coordinating the technical tours, hosting =
the=20
Wednesday Networking Party on the Queen Mary and =
staging the=20
Golf Tournament on September 21 at Coyote Hills. More =
information on=20
WASTECON is available at www.SWANA.org.
Jim=20
Kuhl
City of =
Long=20
Beach
July 23, 2009
Southern California SWANA Founding =
Chapter=20
Workshop and Board=20
Nominations
The Reef =
Restaurant
880 Harbor Scenic=20
Drive
Long Beach, CA =
90802
Topics=20
and Speakers Include:
"Are=20
you ready to count carbon?
Solid =
Waste=20
Industry and AB =
32"
Pat=20
Sullivan =20
"Zero =
Waste Around=20
the World"
Gary=20
Liss
'City =
of LA's journey toward Zero =
Waste"
Reina=20
Peirera
Click =
here to=20
register
Slate=20
of Officers for the 2009 /2010
SWANA Board of Directors=20
Nominees:
President =96 Jim Kuhl. City of Long=20
Beach
Vice President =
=96 Mike=20
Giancola, OC Waste and Recycling
Secretary =96 Michele Leonard, =
HDR
Treasurer =96 Diko Melkonian, City of =
Long=20
Beach
Public Director =
=96 Robert=20
Ferrante, LACSD
Public =
Director=20
=96 Jeff Southern, OC Waste and =
Recycling
Public Director =96 Mary Valerio, City =
of San=20
Diego
Public Director =
=96 Khalil=20
Gharios, City of Los Angeles
Corporate Director =96 Susan Moulton, =
Waste=20
Management
Corporate =
Director=20
- Peter =
Woodfill,=20
CH2M Hill
Corporate =
Director =96=20
Laith Ezzet, HF&H Consultants
Corporate =
Director =96=20
Chris Burlew, AMREP
Corporate=20
Director =96 John Gulledge, LACSD
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Thanks again to everyone for =
helping to=20
make the
April 2009=20
Western Regional Symposium
a =
great=20
success!
Click=20
here to view all the =
pictures...
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WASTECON=20
Returns to=20
Long=20
Beach, September 22-24, 2009=20
The=20
Founding Chapter will be hosting WASTECON=92s =
Wednesday=20
Night Networking Party on September 23rd on =
the=20
Historic Queen Mary.=20
The=20
Chapter is looking for additional sponsors to help =
offset the=20
cost of the party. =20
If you=92re interested in getting great =
exposure for your=20
company (500 or more attendees) please visit =
www.socalswana.org for=20
information. =20
Click=20
here for sponsorship information.
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Attention =
WASTECON=20
Golfers!
Register=20
Early for the WASTECON Golf =
Tournament!
Coyote=20
Hills Golf Course
1440 E. Bastanchury Rd., =
Fullerton,=20
CA
MONDAY, =
SEPTEMBER=20
21 , 2009
7:30am =
Shotgun=20
Start
Click=20
Here To Register
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Have=20
a question or comment? Please visit the "Waste=20
Talk" online So Cal SWANA Community to post your =
blog.=20
Look for the "Waste Talk" link at the bottom of our=20
homepage...http://www.socalswana.org/=20
Thank=20
you to all of our Board Members
for volunteering =
their=20
time and effort!
Meet=20
your Southern California SWANA
Board=20
Member
Serving =
as Public=20
Director
![](3D"June_2009_SWANA_Newsletter_files/image011.jpg")
Mary=20
Valerio
City of =
San Diego=20
Mary=20
Valerio is one of the newest SWANA Board members. Mary was =
appointed=20
Deputy Director of the City of San Diego=92s =
Collection Services=20
division in February 2008. This =
division is=20
responsible for residential trash, recycling and yard =
waste=20
collection in San Diego. =20
Prior=20
to her current appointment, Mary has worked for the =
City of=20
San Diego for more than 20 years in the City Clerk=92s =
office,=20
Planning Department, Zoning and Building Code =
Enforcement,=20
Wastewater and Energy Management groups. She also =
worked with=20
the Make a Wish Foundation for twelve years and spent =
time in=20
Mexico City developing women-owned=20
businesses.=20
With=20
a passion for trash and public service, Mary uses her =
Business=20
degrees to apply strategic planning and =
entrepreneurial=20
theories to the public sector emphasizing customer =
service and=20
delivering a cost effective program. =93Every day =
brings a=20
new challenge. =
I=20
really love the fast pace. I look =
forward=20
to being an active board member of SWANA and learning =
much=20
more about the waste industry.=94=20
Meet your=20
Southern California=20
=
SWANA Member
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=
Mike=20
Mohajer
Mike=20
Mohajer may have had a dream to study in the=20
United=20
States when he was growing up in=20
Tehran,=20
Iran, but =
he=20
couldn't have envisioned that dream would encompass =
being an=20
innovator and pioneer in so many aspects of waste=20
management. =
In=20
1966 he graduated from Fresno State University =
with a degree=20
in civil engineering and went on to work in both the =
private=20
and public sectors for over 40 years. Mike=92s =
experiences with=20
both sectors undoubtedly helped to shape what was to =
become=20
and continues to be a most successful and satisfying=20
career.
Before=20
his so called =93official=94 retirement in March 2003, =
Mike was a=20
senior waste management official for the County of Los =
Angeles=20
Department of Public Works, and the Division Chief in =
charge=20
of their environmental =20
programs and waste management activities =
including but=20
not limited to refuse collection and recycling =
services;=20
facility planning, permitting and enforcement; as well =
as the=20
development and implementation of programs in =
compliance with=20
AB 939 requirements. =20
Mike=20
is widely regarded as a leader in the solid waste =
management=20
field and is someone who has had significant influence =
in the=20
direction of solid waste management over the past =
three=20
decades. =
In 1997,=20
Mike was appointed by the California Speaker of the =
Assembly=20
to the California Integrated Waste Management =
Board=92s Local=20
Government Technical Advisory Committee, and ever =
since he has=20
been an important presence in Sacramento looking =
after the=20
interests of local governments.
In=20
April of 2003 the County of Los Angeles commended Mike =
Mohajer=20
for being instrumental in developing building code =
provisions=20
for the County of Los Angeles =
which was=20
adopted in 1975 in order to control landfill/methane =
gas=20
migration to protect the health and safety of the =
people=20
living and working near landfills. These policies only =
recently have been emulated by other cities and =
counties=20
throughout the nation. =20
The commendation continued by saying that under =
Mr.=20
Mohajer=92s guidance and leadership the County=92s =
Waste=20
Management Programs have been recognized by numerous =
awards=20
and accolades throughout the nation as among the most=20
innovative, most efficient, and cost-effective waste=20
management programs. =20
The success of these programs can be traced to =
a=20
significant degree to his leadership and=20
foresight.
Being=20
an =93out of the box=94 thinker and not =93politically =
correct=94 as=20
claimed by some, Mike has been one of the pioneers in=20
promoting the development of bio-based technologies=20
(Conversion Technologies, CT) using post-recycled =
residuals=20
solid waste which would otherwise be destined for land =
disposal facilities. =20
He played =20
the major role in the development of a =
mechanism to=20
fund studies leading to the development=20
of=20
a=20
demonstration CT facility in Southern=20
California. =20
These studies are currently underway and =
are=20
being conducted by the County of Los =
Angeles. He was also=20
instrumental in forming =20
the BioEngery Producers Association in =
2004. The =
Association=92s=20
mission is =93to advocate the development and =
commercialization=20
of sustainable, environmentally preferable industries =
that=20
produce =
power,=20
fuels, and chemicals from agricultural, forestry, and =
urban=20
sources of biomass and plastic waste.=94 Mike has =
also been one=20
of the major =20
players in the development and operation of the =
Los=20
Angeles County Household Hazardous Collection and =
Public=20
Education, now the largest of its kind in the =
nation. In addition =
he has=20
been instrumental in the development and operation of =
the Los=20
Angeles Countywide environmental programs including =
Public=20
Education & Outreach, Backyard Composting &=20
Vermiculture, Elementary & High School, and =
Business=20
Recycling Programs.
In=20
June 2003 the California Integrated Waste Management =
Board=20
presented Mr. Mohajer with a Resolution commending him =
for his=20
commitment to integrated waste management and his =
dedication=20
to advance the goals of the California Integrated =
Waste=20
Management Act of 1989 as well as recognizing his many =
years=20
of service and dedication to the region. At that time =
of=20
presentation, the Chair of the Waste Board, Ms.=20
Moulton-Patterson said, =93Mike=92s been the one =
person to come up=20
[to =
Sacramento] =
reliably and=20
passionately in the interest of this region [Southern=20
California]=97and for that we thank him.=94 The Waste =
Board in its=20
resolution heralded Mike Mohajer as a respected leader =
on=20
solid waste issues both in the Los Angeles region =
and=20
nationwide. =20
Since=20
his so called retirement he has continued to work =
tirelessly=20
as an advocate for the citizens of Los =
Angeles=20
County,=20
all at his own expense. =20
Mike has been involved with the SWANA since the =
mid=20
80=92s and is currently serving on the SWANA=92s =
Legislative Task=20
Force (LTF) having served as its chair for a number of =
years.=20
He also continues to serve on the Southern California=20
Association of Governments=92 Solid Waste Task Force =
as well as=20
serving on the Southern California Waste Management =
Forum=92s=20
Board of Directors. =20
Because of his dedication to the citizens of =
Los=20
Angeles County and his love for solid waste and =
environmental=20
issues, he also serves as an appointee of the County =
of Los=20
Angeles Board of Supervisors representing the public =
sector on=20
the Los Angeles County Integrated Waste Management =
Task=20
Force =
as well as=20
its Conversion Technologies, Facility & Plan =
Review and=20
Public Education & Outreach Committees. In addition, =
he=20
represents the Los Angeles County IWM Task Force =
before the=20
legislative and regulator bodies in Sacramento. And =
finally=20
during his spare time, he serves as the Chair of the =
Los=20
Angeles County Solid Waste Facilities Hearing Board =
for the=20
County of Los Angeles =
and the 85=20
cities within.
Mike=20
is also a member of the American Public Works =
Association and=20
the American Society of Civil Engineers which =
recognized Mike=20
as the 2008 =93Outstanding Engineer in Legislative =
Activities=94=20
in February 2009.
Needless=20
to say, Mike=92s determination to remain vigilant to =
his cause=20
is born out of a love for what he passionately =
believes in and=20
genuine care and concern for those residents he =
continues to=20
serve. =
He can=20
aptly be dubbed, =93The Waste King of L.A.=94
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Advertise your company logo on the So =
Cal SWANA=20
website.
Linked to your company website.
Click=20
here to download sign up form
Association=20
News
Board=20
Meeting August 13, 2009
10:30am - 1:30pm
2929 E. Willow St., Long Beach, CA=20
Southern =
California=20
SWANA Founding Chapter WEBSITE NEWS...=20
We have made it possible to =
advertise=20
your company logo and link to your website on our=20
homepage. We also have a message board, Waste Talk=20
for those questions or needs you might have. We =
still=20
have available our job listing link and our Member =
Vendor=20
Directory. If you have a job posting or would =
like to be=20
included in our directory, send an e-mail with your=20
information to info@socalswana.org
Have a =
change of address=20
or e-mail? Please send =
an e-mail=20
to info@socalswana.orgwith=20
your updated information so we can keep you updated. =
Thank=20
you. Please take a moment and check us out at =
http://www.socalswana.org/=20
Attention =
Corporate=20
Members:
Are you =
interested in=20
sponsoring one of our quarterly workshops? For more=20
information please contact us at info@socalswana.org=20
Vendor=20
Directory
Get=20
to know your fellow SWANA members and the services =
they=20
provide in our on-line vendor=20
directory . Our =
members=20
represent the most knowledgeable and skilled =
professionals in=20
the solid waste business in Southern=20
California . If you have any questions, =
please=20
contact Evelyn Russell at the SWANA Association Office =
(714)=20
866-9988.
Post=20
Your Employment Opportunities =
Are=20
you seeking skilled, experienced professionals to fill =
positions at your organization? You can post job =
openings=20
online at our website to =
take=20
advantage of SWANA=92s extensive network. Please send a brief =
job=20
description with a website or e-mail link for further=20
information. Your post will be available online for 30 =
days.=20
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