Neal Bolton, P.E. | President

Neal Bolton is a Civil Engineer (California C48062) and a Licensed Contractor (California 482821). He attended Sacramento State University and Montana State University, majoring in construction engineering. Mr. Bolton has more than 38 years of experience in heavy construction and landfill and recycling operations. In 1988, Mr. Bolton formed his own consulting company – Blue Ridge Services. As principal of Blue Ridge, he has continued to provide operational consulting services for a wide range of private and municipal solid waste/recycling facilities, landfills, transfer stations, surface mine reclamation and construction projects. He has also worked on numerous mine development/reclamation projects. Mr. Bolton has worked on landfill siting, expansion and closure projects and has broad experience on projects where protection of sensitive habitat/environment was a key issue. He has performed consulting, speaking and training projects in virtually every state in the U.S., in Canada, and abroad. Mr. Bolton has authored numerous books and articles/papers, produced 130 training/safety videos, and pioneered the use of various industrial productivity improvement tools, such as Six Sigma and Lean to the area of heavy (construction) equipment operation in the waste/recycling industry. Based on his broad level of experience, knowledge and reputation, Mr. Bolton is often retained as an expert witness on cases involving solid waste operations. He has consulted on more than 30 expert witness cases in the United States.

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Work Experience

1988 – Present – Principal – Blue Ridge Services (Atascadero, CA … formerly Bozeman, MT) 1987 – 1988 – Field Engineer – Waste Management, Inc. (San Jose, CA) 1983 – 1987 – Field Engineer – Oakland Scavenger Company (Oakland, CA) 1978-1983 – Laborer, Operator, Foreman – Bolton Construction and various other construction/development companies (Woodland, CA)

Publication History

Author: The Handbook of Landfill Operations – used as textbook for SWANA’s 1-day certification course entitled, “Operational Issues for Landfill Managers.” Also used for many years as the textbook for certification in the State of Virginia. Author: The Handbook of Landfill Safety Produced: 130 safety videos for the waste industry. Many translated to Spanish and Greek. Translations to Portuguese and Arabic in process. Author: 200+ landfill articles and technical papers, presented on three continents. Instructor: 200+ training classes (including ~50 for SWANA) across the U.S. Prepared training materials and training for the State of California, the State of Indiana, and State of Kansas. Produced: More than 1,300 PowerPoint® presentations Produced: Approximately 20,000 landfill photos Produced: 25+ webinars for landfills, transfer stations, green waste processing facilities, and recycling facilities

Jason C. Todaro | Solid Waste Operations Consultant

Mr. Todaro has over 20 years of varied experience in the heavy construction, utility, and solid waste industries. Since joining Blue Ridge Services, Inc. (BRS), as a solid waste operations consultant, he has performed on-site consulting and training services at solid waste facilities throughout North America and abroad. Additionally, he has been a key team member on numerous projects that did not require his expertise on-site. In every case, his clients have benefited from his extensive background.  A sample of his current duties include: operational training, facility management and oversight, time motion studies, transportation modeling, waste cell optimization, process analysis and improvement, heavy equipment utilization and operation, safety training, operational benchmarking, management consulting, landfill aerial thermal imaging and solid waste facility assessment work.

Mr. Todaro has worked on a wide variety projects in the solid waste industry, ranging from a landfill litter control assessment for several regional Canadian Landfills, heavy equipment training for a large urban transfer station, hands-on operational training for landfills (5-8000 tons per day), assessment of  15 facilities during a high level review of a waste transfer and disposal system, conducted operational/financial reviews and analysis for landfill operations and performed a waste characterization study for a C&D landfill.

Mr. Todaro has conducted numerous Comprehensive Operational Reviews (CORE’s) and High Level Reviews for clients located throughout the North America. His ability to capture relevant data, quickly grasp operational issues and identify practical solutions has enabled him to save clients millions of dollars by analyzing and improving operational techniques.

Using his broad experience, Mr. Todaro has played a key role in expanding the on-site training capabilities of BRS.  He has conducted numerous training programs in North America and abroad.  At landfills and transfer stations in the North America, he has conducted training events ranging from 1 day to several months in duration.  He has addressed topics that include: equipment maintenance, landfill operations, landfill/equipment fire prevention, grade-checking/survey, heavy equipment training, waste compaction optimization, cell construction optimization, ADC optimization and supervisor/manager mentoring.

Mr. Todaro’s noteworthy professional achievements include working in Papua New Guinea (twice) to provide critical oversight and operational training for a new engineered landfill.  Developed by Exxon-Mobil, this landfill – outside the capital city of Port Moresby – was the first environmentally compliant landfill in all of PNG. He has served as a keynote speaker for a solid waste conference in Melbourne Australia.  During this conference he gave numerous presentations on optimizing landfill operations. While in Australia he also provided comprehensive training to 30 landfill managers and addressed the State of Victoria Environmental Protection Agency regarding the proper use and benefits of landfill alternative daily cover (ADC). Mr. Todaro has also presented a variety of topics at solid waste conferences in Montana, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin.

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Education

Attended California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly)
Attended Cuesta Community College
Attended Allan Hancock Community College

Registrations and Certificates

• Certified technical associate, Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), Manager of Landfill Operations (MOLO).
• Completed U.S. Composting Council (40) hour Compost Operations training course
• Completed Haz-mat FRO (16 hour) and Haz-mat FRO/decon (8 hour) training.
• Completed OSHA Confined space training.
• Class A commercial driver’s license with double/triples, air brakes and tanker endorsements.
• C.P.R., AED and first responder training.
• Equipment manufacturer/dealer training: Caterpillar, Bobcat, John Deere and Ditch Witch.
• HDPE pipe welding/fusion training.
• Attended and completed, Leadership Management Institute (LMI) courses titled “The Achieving Manager Experience” and “Effective Personal Productivity.”
• Completed Vital Smarts training program titled “Crucial Conversations – Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High”
• California State Fire Marshall (480) hour Firefighter 1 Certificate.
• Member, Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)
• Member, US Composting Council (USCC)
• Member, California Dozer Operators Group (CALDOG)

Samuel Bolton | Tree Mortality  Project  Assistant  Director

Mr. Bolton started working for Blue Ridge Services as the project manager/foreman for Terra-Track. He has several years of experience in the field, dealing with tree and brush mitigation, managing crews, and working closely with the Mariposa Fire Safe Council on various fire mitigation projects. He has provided job site inspection, drone mapping, public outreach, and communication management with county staff.

Samuel was the Assistant Project Director for tree mortality projects in Mariposa and Madera County. He provided overall project oversite, including overseeing project planning, budget planning, selecting projects in order of priority, interfacing with contractors, communicating with members of the public, and coordinating with county officials. He is currently overseeing a project for Yosemite National Park and the Mariposa County Resource Conservation District to remove felled (hazard) trees within Yosemite National Park and take them to a local biomass plant to generate electricity.

Education: Attended Merced College for landscape architecture

Certifications:

• FAA Certified Drone Operator
• The European Centre of Technology: Renewable Energy Management & Finance
• International Society of Arboriculture Professional Member
• American Forests Member
• Business Ethics – Advanced: Handling Employee Concerns.
• Business Ethics – Advanced: Ethical Leadership
• FEMA National Fire Academy: Q2100 Wildland Urban Interface Preparedness/ Mitigation
• FEMA National Fire Academy: Q0328 ICS Simulation Series
• FEMA National Fire Academy: Q0426 Introduction to Fire and EMS Supervision and Management
• National Wildfire Coordinating Group: NWCG S-190, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior
• International Society of Arboriculture: Tree Worker Safety – Climbing
• International Society of Arboriculture: Tree Worker Safety – Rigging
• International Society of Arboriculture: Tree Worker Safety – Safety
• International Society of Arboriculture: Abiotic Disorders
• International Society of Arboriculture: Tree Identification Principles
• 360 Training: Skid Steer (Rubber-Tired & Track Loader) – Operator Safety Course
• 360 Training: Front End Loader – Operator Safety Course
• Excavation Safety (C)
• FAA: Part 107 Drone Pilot Certification.
• CPR First Aid Certified
• 2 years Coordination and Management of Tree Mortality Operations
• 4 years Managing Terra-Track (Working Field Manager, Lead Heavy Equipment Operator)
• 6 years Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue
• Swift Water Rescue Technician
• Technical Rescue Instructor
• Search Drone Pilot

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Sara Reeves| Financial Manager & HR Administrator

Sara Reeves started her work-life as a specialist at the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. After acquiring the ability to work through challenging problems with the public in that role, she went to work at Intel as a department admin and financial liaison. In this role, she administratively supported a department of 60, became a department safety lead, and learned Corporate financial reporting requirements up to and including cross-site cost comparison analysis. After relocating to Montana, she continued her financial career as a remote full charge bookkeeper for a cell phone company. These roles prepared her for the current role she has with Blue Ridge Services as the Financial Manager and HR Administrator.

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Education

University of New Mexico – B.A. in Economics