The crew at Berkeley Recycling numbers 28 individuals. In addition to four managers and four senior-level positions profiled below, CCC’s crew includes five associates and fifteen apprentice-level positions. Together, these crew members work to make sure the recycling center operates smoothly and that all recyclables are sorted, de-contaminated and sold for the highest possible price. These valuable employees help make recycling in Berkeley a great success!
Jeff
Jeff Belchamber is CCC’s General Manager and has been with Community Conservation Centers (CCC) almost 20 years. Jeff forged the path for creation of Berkeley’s Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in the early 1990s and has spearheaded numerous other capital and program improvements since then. Jeff has transformed CCC’s operations from buyback/drop-off recycling by adding a successful Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) operation that handles all the recyclables collected in Berkeley including buyback, drop-off, residential curbside and commercial pick-up.
“Work smart!” is Jeff’s favorite saying (which he adopted from his B.A. studies in Business Administration.) Since 1991, when Jeff was first hired, he has offered these words of advice to all who work here. At no time were these words better put into action than during the two years when he led our crew, in cooperation with the City of Berkeley, to rebuild the center after a 1998 fire destroyed our paper processing building and baler. Today, the Center boasts a state-of-the-art baler and paper sorting equipment!
Kathy
Kathy Evans has been with CCC more than 25 years, having been manager of both the Ecology Center and CCC operations between 1982 and 1990, and taking over as CCC’s Manager of Administration in 1994. A biochemist by training, Kathy was a committed member of the recycling community before 1982, when she was Chief of Staff at the Ecology Center and a central player in the development of recycling activities in the City of Berkeley. Today Kathy continues to make major contributions to shaping the growth of recycling and Zero Waste in Berkeley.
Jeana
If you’ve ever been to our Buyback center you’ve have had the pleasure of knowing Jeana’s smiling face at the “pay window.” Jeana is the only crew member who has been with CCC since the Buyback first opened in 1982. Jeana has done many jobs at the Buyback, starting as weighmaster at the scales; her proven computer skills and ability to keep track of chaos in the yard (with a smile) has earned her the permanent title of Paymaster. You can visit Jeana at the Buyback between Monday and Friday to get a
check for the recyclables you sell at the Buyback
John Byes
John Byes, Assistant Manager at Berkeley Recycling, has been with CCC for about 15 years. John is responsible for all aspects of CCC’s programs in the absence of CCC’s General Manager and helps with all aspects of the operation. John’s responsibilities include managing the crew and making sure operations run smoothly; John monitors buyback and drop-off activities; oversees crew discipline and safety. John takes on special assignments such as monitoring collection and sale of household hazardous wastes; ensuring that glass, metals and plastics are effectively processed and shipped to market; and so on and on and on.
José
José Padilla is CCC’s Foreman who worked his way up from Baler Operator. José is now responsible for overseeing all baling activities, including loading trucks and keeping track of sales. José oversees crews working in the yard to make sure they’re “working smart” and getting the job done. José is CCC’s Sunday Assistant Manager.
Agustin
Agustin DeAnda is CCC’s Baler Operator on most days. Agustin and the Baler Assistant are responsible for baling 12,000 tons (!) of recyclables every year, including paper, aluminum cans and foil, tin cans, and plastic containers. These materials account for almost 70 percent of CCC’s scrap revenues. Talk about valuable employees!
Maria and Berta
CCC is proud to have two women, in addition to Jeana, who have risen to senior-level job classifications at Berkeley Recycling: Maria Valencia has been operating CCC’s front loader for many years, and also operates CCC’s large baler. Berta Mejia sometimes helps Maria at the baler, and also loads baled paper onto trucks with a bale clamp forklift. Both women have perfect safety records; you know how impressive that is if you’ve ever seen Berta drive a forklift loaded with paper bales or Maria taking care of business on that huge loader.
