TREVOR A. Mance
Trevor A. Mance
Career Highlights:
I started a waste and recycling company (TAM Inc.) sixteen years ago while I was in High School, after working at my hometown transfer station’s recycling center. I grew the business while attending Hudson Valley Community College and then Sienna College and received my Bachelors in marketing and management. TAM has since grown into a company of 26 employees whom I consider my second family. We service residential, commercial and municipal accounts as well as roll-off containers. Nature and the environment have been two areas that have shaped my personality and lifestyle. TAM is currently seeking a permit for a commercial organics composting facility which will provide Southern Vermont a way to manage food waste and other organics within our community as well as closing the loop on our food system.
Community Involvement:
My favorite community involvement is promoting recycling, waste reduction and composting at local schools. While I enjoy giving informational presentations and meeting with all ages, my favorite age group is elementary school children. It’s always exciting and rewarding to get others interested in helping to reduce our environmental impact.
Favorite part of job? Probably my favorite part of my job is coming up with projects that create tangible, real, positive, environmental and economic impacts. I get great satisfaction seeing a project/idea that I have come up with, work its way through TAM with everyone helping to make it come to fruition. On a day to day scale, I enjoy meeting customers and creating solutions to logistical problems, therefore helping to make their businesses run more efficient.
Most inspiring mentor? This is a tough question because I feel as though I am the product of so many mentors. Of course I owe so much to my parents for raising me and teaching me right from wrong. Not to mention a strong work ethic and respect for others and my surroundings. But also I have been shaped by others in my life. My very good friend Mary Beth Maguire, who has worked side by side with me for over eleven years as my Office/General manager has helped me to truly appreciate, and have empathy for those around me. Another role model was former owner of County Waste, Scott Earl, who took me under his wing and helped teach me the solid waste industry.
Who is your living hero? I am not big on “hero’s”, but I think that the men and woman who get up and go to work at the wee hours of the night in all weather, loading tons of garbage and recycling by hand, day in and day out, so that the rest of society can all but forget about their waste once they put it in their trash can, are everyday heroes.
Favorite downtime activity? I love being outside and I enjoy the outdoors the most when spending time with my wife, Jamie and our two children, Tessa and Teagan. It’s gratifying being able to share nature with my children and to be a part of watching them learn about and explore the outdoors. I also enjoy hunting and fishing with my father, brothers and/or friends.
Favorite Vermont Escape? Our camp in Victory. I love the Northeast Kingdom! We can go kayaking, swimming, hiking, and driving to look for moose and wildlife or just sit out on the porch and listen to the quiet. It’s my time to escape work and totally concentrate on my family and relax.
Favorite social network? I may be the last person alive to not be on a social network! So I would have to say the Shaftsbury Country Store during coffee hour.
Favorite website? No one site jumps out at me, so probably any recycling or composting website I can learn something from.
Vermont Business Person you would most want to network with? Anyone who wants to! I believe I can learn something from everyone so I don’t have a specific person in mind but I really enjoy talking to other business owners to see how they conduct their businesses.