Coker Composting & Consulting

 

Cost-Effective Professional Support to the Composting Industry

 
Consulting OverviewServices OfferedPrior ProjectsResumeClient References


EXPERIENCE:

2005- present. Coker Composting and Consulting, Vinton, VA. Principal. Provides engineering and environmental support to composting facilities in planning, permitting, design, construction, and operations and in compost marketing and sales.
2003- 2006. McGill Environmental Systems of NC, Inc., Harrells, NC. Technical Advisor. Provided composting technical support to two 80,000 ton-per-year (tpy) multi-feedstock enclosed aerated static pile solid waste/biosolids composting facilities. Managed planning, permitting, and design of new 130,000 tpy aerated static pile solid waste composting facility in Waverly, VA.  Conducted business development for securing new waste stream feedstocks.  Provided technical support to compost sales on compost utilization techniques.

2001- 2003. Mountain Organic Materials, LLC, Asheville, NC. Vice President. Construction and operation of 8,000 tpy aerated bin dairy manure composting operation at 650-head dairy farm. Directed product sales for compost and compost-amended topsoil. Management of wood waste recycling center, including retail and wholesale sales. Development of proprietary aerated composting bin technology.

1998-2001. NC Dept. of Environment & Natural Resources, Div. Of Pollution Prevention & Env. Assistance, Raleigh, NC. Composting Specialist. Provided technical assistance to solid and animal waste composting industry (source-separated organics collection/transport, facility planning and siting, compost process control and product marketing).
1987-2001. Graceful Greenery, Inc., Fairfax, VA and Raleigh, NC. Vice-President. Provided business management support to six-person foliage plants/flowers/landscaping business owned by family.

1995-1997. Front Royal Environmental Services, Inc., Raleigh, NC. President. Directed projects in industrial environmental assessments and compliance; and implementation of industrial air and water pollution control systems and soil and groundwater remediation systems. Managed 35-person consulting design and construction office with annual revenues of $4.0 million. Licensed North Carolina General Contractor (1996-1997).
1988-1995. Parsons Engineering Science, Inc., Fairfax, VA. Senior Associate. Managed projects in facilities planning, engineering, construction and operation of wastewater treatment and biosolids management facilities (composting, incineration, drying). Managed industrial air quality permitting, air emissions testing, and water quality analysis activities. Participated in development of 40 CFR Part 503 sludge management regulations. Managed 160-person regional office with annual revenues of $17 million.
1983-1988. Custom Carpentry & Design, Arlington, VA. President. Founded and developed a 15-person residential and commercial construction company with annual revenues of $1.5 million. Licensed General Contractor in Maryland, DC, and Virginia.
1980-1983. Montgomery County, Maryland Department of Environmental Protection, Rockville, MD. Senior Environmental Planner. Directed projects in biosolids composting planning, design, construction and operation (Dickerson Interim Composting Facility and WSSC Composting Facility in Calverton, MD); wastewater treatment plant siting (Rock Run AWT); and solid waste management planning (Dickerson Quarry Balefill).
1976-1980. Planning Research Corporation, Rockville, MD. Project Manager. Managed projects in biosolids composting (WSSC Composting Facility in Calverton, MD), solid waste management planning (Baltimore County, MD and Federal Capital City, Nigeria) and environmental assessments/impact statements.
1975-1976. Dames and Moore, Bethesda, MD. Assistant Hydrologist. Conducted hydrologic and hydraulic modeling for National Flood Insurance Program.
1974-1975. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Charlottesville, VA. Water Quality Technician. Conducted laboratory analyses of water quality samples.

LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, & EDUCATION

2009. Virginia Nutrient Management Planner Certificate # 587
2007. Virginia Waste Management Facility Operator License # 4605 002846
2004. Solid Waste Association of North America. Certified Compost Systems Manager. Certificate No. 57591
2001. University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Certificate of Technical Competence in Composting.
2000. University of Georgia. Completion of Compost Operator Training Course
1975-1980. George Washington University, Washington, DC, Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Thesis: “Effect of Advanced Wastewater Treatment Effluent on Golf Course Irrigation Needs and Turfgrass Response”.
1971-1975. University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia. Bachelor of Arts Degree in Environmental Science. Senior Thesis: "Causes and Effects of Eutrophication in Rivanna River Reservoir, Albemarle County, Virginia" (12 cr.)
Post-graduate coursework: AutoCAD Drafting (2008), Principles of GIS/Introduction to ArcView (2000), Fundamentals of GIS/Introduction to ArcInfo (1999), ISO 14000 EMS Development (1997), Remediation Systems Engineering (1996), Incineration Systems Design (1992), Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations (1989), Construction Law (1984) Business Law (1982), Hydrogeology (1976)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

U.S. Composting Council, Ronkonkoma, NY –
    Board of Directors (2005-2008, 2009 - present)
    Treasurer
and Chairman, Finance Committee (2007 - 2008, 2009 - present)
    Chairman, Professional Credentials Committee (2007 – 2008, 2009-present)

Virginia Recycling Association, Midlothian, VA
    Chairman, Organics Recycling Committee (2007 – present)
NC State Chapter of the U.S. Composting Council- Board of Directors (2007 – present)

Water Environment Federation, Alexandria, VA –
    Member, Biosolids Management Committee (2003-2007, 1989-1994)

PUBLICATIONS/PRESENTATIONS

“Causes of Eutrophication in the Rivanna River Watershed, Albemarle County, Virginia”, University of Virginia Senior Research Thesis, May 1975
“Bulking Agent Selection in Compost Plant Design”, Compost Science, November 1979 (co-authors: T.G. Shea, J.W. Braswell)
“Effect of Advanced Wastewater Treatment Effluent on Golf Course Irrigation Needs and Turfgrass Response”, George Washington University Master’s Thesis, Dec., 1980
“Multiple Hearth ReHeat-OXidation Process”, 19th National Conference on Municipal Sewage Treatment Plant Sludge Management, June 1989 (co-authors: T.G. Shea, A. Baturay, and M.J. Brinker). Also published in conference proceedings.
“Dewatering Municipal Sewage Sludge for Incineration”, 62nd Annual Water Pollution Control Federation Conference, October, 1989; also published in Water Environment and Technology, Vol. 3, No. 3, March 1991 (co-authors: R.L. Walden, T.G. Shea, and M.J. Brinker)
“Impact of the Ocean Dumping Ban Act”, WPCF Specialty Conference on Residuals Management, August 1991. Also published in conference proceedings.
“Alkaline Stabilization Processes”, WPCF Specialty Conference on Residuals Management,  August 1991 (co-authors: L.A. Stone, D.W. Oerke, S.M. Rogowski). Also published in conference proceedings.
“Evaluation of In-Vessel Composting Technologies”, 64th Annual WPCF Conference, October 1991 (co-authors: F. Quinn, L.A. Stone, T.G. Shea). Also published in conference proceedings.
“Co-composting municipal sewage sludge with leaves, yard wastes and other recyclables a case study”, Air & Waste Management Association. 85th Annual Meeting and Exhibition,  Kansas City, Missouri, 21-26 June 1992 (co-author: C.A. Howe). Also published in conference proceedings.
“Pathogen Inactivation Using Thermal and Digestion Processes”, 65th Annual Water Environment Federation Conference, October 1992. Also published in conference proceedings
Water Environment Federation, Beneficial Use Programs for Biosolids Management, 1994 (contributing author)
“Special Events: The Role of Recycling and Composting”, Resource Recycling, September, 1999, p. 26 (co-author: S. Childs)
“North Carolina Builds Organics Recycling Infrastructure”, Biocycle, Vol. 41, No. 1, January 2000, p. 48
“Food Wastes Composting at the 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games”, proceedings of the Y2K Composting in the Southeast Conference, October 2000, (co-author: C. Salter)
“Turning Food Scraps Into Feedstock”, Resource Recycling, November 2000
“Characterizing the Composting Industry”, Biocycle, Vol. 45, No. 12, December 2004, p. 20 (co-author: N. Goldstein)
“Emissions and Air Quality Compliance”, Biocycle, Vol. 47, No. 1, January 2006, p. 37
“Composting Grease Trap Wastes”, Biocycle, Vol. 47, No. 8, August 2006, p. 27
“Environmental Remediation By Composting”, Biocycle, Vol. 47, No. 12, December 2006, p. 18
“What’s New in Grinders”, Biocycle, Vol. 48, No. 1, January 2007, p. 24
“Smart Financing”, Biocycle, Vol. 48, No. 2, February 2007, p. 23
“Smart Equipment Purchasing and Leasing”, Biocycle, Vol. 48, No. 3, March 2007, p. 18
“What’s New in Live Bottom Trailers”, Biocycle, Vol. 48, No. 4, April 2007, p. 20
“Turning Waste Into Black Gold”, 2007 Public Works Manual, May 2007
“Composting Site Remediation Success”, Biocycle, Vol. 48, No. 5, May 2007, p. 35
“Smart Operator Training”, Biocycle, Vol. 48, No. 6, June 2007, p. 22
“Compost Data Tracking and Analysis”, Biocycle, Vol. 48, No. 7, July 2007, p. 26
“What’s New in Baggers & Blenders”, Biocycle, Vol. 48, No. 8, August 2007, p. 45
“Smart Equipment Maintenance”, Biocycle, Vol. 48, No. 10, November 2007, p. 29
“What’s New in Windrow Turners”, Biocycle, Vol. 48, No. 10, November 2007, p. 19
“Compost Storm Water: Is It A Problem?” (Parts 1 – 3), Biocycle, Vol. 49, No. 2-4, March - May 2008
“Collecting Source-Separated Organic Material”, Biocycle, Vol. 50, No. 1, January 2009
“Compost Economics”, On-Farm Composting Handbook, 2nd Edition, NRAES, in press (contributing author)
“Uncle Sam Buys Green”, Biocycle, Vol. 50, No. 3, March 2009, p. 25

“Composting Integrated Into Family Business”, Biocycle, Vol. 50, No. 10, October 2009