Valerie and Frank Montecalvo, who founded and oversee the ever expanding operations of Bayshore Recycling, don’t call a headhunter when adding to their management team. They look inside the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

NJDEP headquarters building in Trenton, NJ

It started with Sondermeyer

Gary Sondermeyer, a respected DEP veteran who had served as chief of staff for 10 years under five different commissioners and six New Jersey Governors, decided to retire from public service two years ago.  Learning of Sondermeyer’s encyclopedic knowledge of environmental issues and regulations and his reputation for honesty and hard work, the Montecalvos convinced him to put his experience to work in the private sector.

Sondermeyer started out reviewing evolving recycling and energy
generating technologies for potential inclusion within the company’s sprawling, 52-acre Eco-Complex in the Keasbey Section of Woodbridge Township in Middlesex County. He must have done well because, earlier this month, he was named Vice President of Operations for the entire Montecalvo Group of Companies.

And continues with Micai

Today, the company announced it had plucked another gem from the department with the hiring of 33-year DEP veteran Thomas Micai.

Micai served in many capacities as he climbed the
ladder at the DEP including: Director of Land Use Planning, overseeing
the States Water Quality Management Plans and as the States Coastal
Manager; Director of Land Use Regulation, a permit program for the many
Land Use permits such as Highlands permits, Wetlands permits, CAFRA
permits, Waterfront Development permits, Flood Hazard permits, and the
States Tidelands program. 

Earlier, Micai
helped manage New Jerseys Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program in
serving as a liaison between the NJDEP, Motor Vehicle Commission, the
Department of Treasury and the States Central Inspection Lanes
contractor, Parsons. 

Tom started out his public service career in the DEPs Air Pollution Control Program, spending 23
years in staff and management positions including serving as Chief of
the Title V Major Facility Air Permitting Program. 

In
his new capacity as Director of Compliance, Micai will assist the company
with regulatory matters in the build-out of its Eco-Complex and Energy
Campus, as well as help manage its expanding recycling services.

Bayshore Recycling’s Eco-Complex

Bayshore’s total operations include: recycling concrete, asphalt, brick, block and glass cullet into
aggregate materials (Class B operation); remediation of petroleum
contaminated soils (BSM); materials recovery of mixed construction and
demolition debris into secondary products such as landscaping mulch and
bio-fuel (Montecalvo disposal Services or MDS); full-service metals
recycling (Coastal Metals); recycling of consumer electronics, and
acceptance of dredge material at an existing barge terminal.

Beyond its sustainable recycling operations, the facility currently
receives 40 percent of its energy for its soil operation from 9,365
solar panels. The
Montecalvos say their blueprint is to add more solar, wind, tidal and biomass to
energy technologies to complete the progressive business plan.

When the Eco-Complex build-out is
completed, Bayshore is expected to operate 100% green businesses powered by 100%
renewable energy. 

Sounds like a nice afterlife for good DEP folks, doesn’t it?