Executive Profiles
Stephen Romano
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Steve Romano is Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer. After assuming senior executive duties in late 2001, Romano reduced spending, sold underperforming assets and expanded the Company's core hazardous and radioactive waste treatment and disposal business. Romano was previously Vice President for Corporate Development. He led the due diligence team for the US Ecology Idaho acquisition which included the Grand View, Idaho disposal site and rail transfer station.
Romano brings 30 years of diverse radioactive, hazardous and solid waste management experience as a senior executive, project manager, regulator and consultant, including support to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Prior to joining the Company, Romano worked for the U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission Waste Management Division, the U.S Department of Energy National Low-Level Waste Program, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Romano earned an M.S from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a B.A from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
James Baumgardner
President and Chief Operating Officer
James Baumgardner is President and Chief Operating Officer, responsible for sales and marketing and disposal site operations. As a member of the senior management team, he is also actively involved in strategic initiatives including but not limited to acquisition opportunities. He served as American Ecology's Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 1999 to 2006. Prior to rejoining the Company in early, 2009, Baumgardner was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer with SECOR International Inc. ("SECOR"), a Redmond, Washington based provider of environmental consulting services. Prior to in 1999, he held positions in corporate banking and treasury. He holds a MBA and BS from Oregon State University, where he was also a two-time All American wrestler.
Jeff Feeler
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Jeff Feeler, CPA is Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary. With over 13 years experience in financial reporting, including nine years in public accounting and three years at Fortune 50 companies, Feeler joined American Ecology in 2006. Previously, Feeler was responsible for all financial reporting, SEC compliance, financial planning, treasury and investor relations with MWI Veterinary Supply. Mr. Feeler was also Director of Financial Reporting at Albertson’s and previously held finance positions with Hewlett-Packard. From 1993 to 2002 he was Business Assurance Senior Manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he provided audit and accounting services including preparation of equity and debt registration statements, merger and acquisition due diligence support and other financial reporting support to multi-national public companies.
Eric Gerratt
Vice President and Controller
Eric Gerratt is Vice President and Controller and is responsible for the Company’s finance, accounting and reporting functions. Eric joined American Ecology in August of 2007 and has over 10 years of experience in financial reporting and accounting. Previously he served as Vice President of Accounting for SUPERVALU, Inc. Prior to SUPERVALU, he held various director level accounting and finance positions at Albertsons, Inc., after 6 years with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP where he provided audit, accounting and business advisory services. Eric is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Idaho.
Steve Welling
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Steve Welling is Vice President of Sales & Marketing responsible for marketing the Company’s three RCRA hazardous waste treatment and disposal facilities in Texas, Nevada and Idaho and the company's transportation services. With over 20 years experience in the hazardous waste marketplace, Welling brings extensive experience in new market development and national sales operations. He previously served as National Accounts Manager for Envirosource Technologies and was Western Sales Manager for Envirosafe Services of Idaho. Prior to joining Envirosafe, Welling managed new market development and sales for Matlack, a national bulk chemical transportation company.
John M. Cooper
Vice President and Chief Information Officer
John Cooper is Vice President and Chief Information Officer. He is responsible for all information technology and telecommunications at American Ecology. Previously, he served as Vice President, Information Systems for BMC West and Director of Business Development for the High Tech Industry at Oracle. Cooper brings over 20 years of computer industry knowledge and experience to the company. Cooper is a Cum Laude graduate in Physics from Utah State University.
Simon Bell
Vice President of Operations
Simon Bell is Vice President of Operations, responsible for the operation of the company’s hazardous and radioactive waste treatment and disposal facilities in Nevada, Texas, Idaho, and Washington . Bell is also responsible for managing the company's Transportation group and all previously closed sites . Bell joined the Company in 2001 as Environmental Manager at its Grand View, Idaho facility and later served as the Idaho facility's General Manager prior to being appointed Vice President of Hazardous Waste Operations in December 2005 and Vice President of Operations in 2006 . Before joining the company, Bell served as Vice President and General Manager of a hazardous waste disposal facility in Colorado. Bell also served in a variety of technical and managerial roles in the mining industry in Alaska, Idaho, Nevada and South Dakota. He holds a B.S. in Geology from Colorado State University.
Betsy Sterk
Director of Human Resources
As Director of Human Resources, Betsy Sterk is responsible for employment, compensation and benefits programs, training and development, and payroll. With the support of the operating facility HR Representatives, she also develops policy and operating procedures for human resources management. She has been HR Director since 2003. Sterk joined the Company in 1996 after working as a human resources professional at Morrison Knudsen for 15 years. Born in Colombia, South America, she holds a degree in Business Administration and is a Certified Payroll Professional.
Rob Rittenberg
US Ecology Washington General Manager
Rob Rittenberg is General Manager of the company's low-level radioactive waste disposal facility near Richland, Washington and the company's Field Services group. Rob brings 30 years of diverse experience in operations management, licensing and permitting, transportation logistics, and regulatory compliance in the radioactive and hazardous waste industry. He has managed complex remedial actions in more than thirty states and three countries. He previously served with the U.S. Department of Energy's Low-Level Radioactive Waste Federal Review Group, as operations manager for an environmental remediation and services company, and as a consultant to the International Atomic Energy Agency on radioactive waste disposal facility operations and closure. Rob has a B.S. in Environmental Engineering and an M.S. in Environmental Science. He is a veteran of the US Navy Nuclear Power program.
Mike Ault
US Ecology Washington Facility Manager
Mike Ault is the Facility Manager at the company's Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility near Richland, Washington. Ault has over 30 years of experience in the nuclear industry and joined US Ecology in 1989. Ault earned his B.S. in Applied Science and Technology at Thomas Edison State College and is a veteran of the US Navy Nuclear Program.
Robert Marchand
US Ecology Nevada General Manager
Bob Marchand is General Manager at the company’s waste treatment, storage and disposal facility near Beatty, Nevada. Marchand has 22 years of environmental and hazardous waste experience, having previously managed company facilities in both Nevada and Texas. Marchand rejoined the company in 2002 after 5 years with Hulcher Services, where he served as Assistant Vice President of Operations and emergency coordinator for environmental emergency response actions nationwide. He is a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager and a Registered Environmental Professional.
Kevin Trader
US Ecology Idaho General Manager
Kevin Trader is General Manager at the company's waste treatment, storage and disposal facility near Grand View, Idaho. Trader has been an employee of the Idaho facility since 1995 and became Operations Manager in 2000 and General Manager in 2007. Trader has over 22 years of leadership experience, with 12 years of environmental and hazardous waste management experience. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.
Cathy Skurow
US Ecology Texas General Manager
Catherine A. Skurow P.E. is General Manager at the company's waste treatment, storage and disposal facility near Corpus Christi, Texas. Skurow has over 24 years of experience in solid/hazardous waste management, civil and environmental engineering, and landfill design, permitting, and regulatory compliance. Prior to joining the company in 2008, Skurow was Vice President of Environment Services at an engineering consulting firm in Texas. She holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering and is Texas registered Professional Engineer.
Terry Andrew Geis
Director of Occupational Health and Safety and VPP
Terry Geis, CSP, is Director of Health and Safety Programs and coordinates the company’s participation in OSHA Voluntary Protection Programs. Geis has been with American Ecology since 2001 and previously worked for Envirosafe Services of Idaho. Geis has over fifteen years experience serving in various health and safety capacities in manufacturing, construction, insurance and consulting. He earned his B.S. in Industrial Safety at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and has been a Certified Safety Professional since 1999.
Chad Hyslop
Director of Sales and Marketing
Chad Hyslop is Director of Sales & Marketing. Hyslop joined American Ecology in 2001 as Director of Public Affairs responsible for government and public affairs and investor relations after previous service as press secretary and district director for Idaho Congressman Helen Chenoweth. Since joining the company Hyslop assumed additional duties including business and strategy development, pricing, regulatory affairs, and execution of marketing initiatives. Hyslop brings 14 years experience in environmental and regulatory affairs, media relations, and public policy. He holds a B.S. from the University of Idaho and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.
Richard O’Hara
Environmental Affairs Director
Richard O’Hara, Environmental Affairs Director, oversees regulatory compliance programs at the company's operating disposal facilities and manages its closed hazardous waste facilities. He has over 25 years experience in environmental compliance, hazardous waste management and remediation. O'Hara previously held senior environmental compliance and remedial project management positions with Waste Management and served as Director of the Wisconsin hazardous waste program. He holds an M.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a B.A. from the University of Illinois. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.
Chuck Overman
Transportation Director
Chuck Overman manages rail, truck, ship and barge transportation of customer waste. Overman orchestrates a fleet of more than 700 gondola and hopper rail cars and a 24-hour shipment tracking system. He has more than 27 years experience in the transportation business. Before joining American Ecology in 2001, he was Transportation Manager for Envirosource Services, Regional Manager for Herman Brothers Trucking and Vice President of National Accounts for Matlack, at that time the nation’s largest chemical transporter. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army.