March/April 2014
Scrap recyclers who are elected to public office say that by serving their Community, they also educate lawmakers and others about the scrap industry and its role in that community.
By Diana Mota
When Jeremy Miller was in the eighth grade, his dad, Jerry Miller, was elected mayor of Winona, Minn., their hometown and the site of Wm. Miller Scrap Iron & Metal Co., where Jerry is chairman of the board and Jeremy is now chief financial officer. Jeremy remembers campaigning for his father. He saw how, as mayor, his father made a difference in people’s lives—and that he did so while still running the family’s fourth-generation scrap business. “That, combined with my grandmother’s belief in working hard to put food on the table and giving back to the community, gave me the desire to seek office,” Jeremy says. “I always knew at some point I wanted to get involved with politics, I just didn’t know when or at what level.” Eighteen years later, Jeremy is following in his father’s footsteps: In 2010, he was elected to serve as a Minnesota state senator, a position he holds while he helps manage Miller Scrap.
The Millers say holding elected office is a way to both help their community and support and elevate the scrap industry—and they’re not alone. Other recyclers who are serving in public office while still maintaining their positions in the industry include Tom Grumley, operations manager of Interstate Shredding (Girard, Ohio); Jim Lawrence, vice president, sales, of Castriota Metals & Recycling (McKees Rocks, Pa.); and Stephen Slesnick of Slesnick Iron & Metal Co. (Canton, Ohio). These civic-minded recyclers balance their days between service to their communities and service to their companies—and they say doing so is a win-win.
Bringing Business Acumen to the Table
Each of the recyclers says he brings a perspective to government that’s often missing: that of the business world. People who “know how to run a business, who know how to treat employees, who know how to be successful, and who know how to make money. We don’t have enough of that,” says Lawrence, who has served several terms as a town councilmember in Franklin Park Borough, Pa., near Pittsburgh. He recalls hearing people say, “Thank God, we’ve got a businessman on [the] council.”
Jeremy Miller believes his small-business background has a special appeal to voters. One reason he ran, he adds, is that he was unhappy with the amount of regulation placed on small businesses, entrepreneurs, and other job creators. “Being involved in a small business … gave me a solid foundation and understanding of the many challenges businesses throughout the state deal with on a regular basis. I have an understanding of what it takes to run a successful company. It helped set me apart,” he says. “When legislation is proposed that affects the [scrap] industry, I can explain the impact to small businesses. It’s powerful to hear from a member and a colleague with real life experience.”
The skill sets developed when managing a business translate well to elected office, says Jerry Miller, who was Winona’s mayor from 1996 to 2012 and also served two terms on the city council, “and that’s true whether you’re a mayor or a senator.” One such skill is problem-solving. As a third-generation scrapper, Miller says he “learned how to work with people and find solutions to situations that arise.” Although the scrapyard has existed peacefully with the city, while he was mayor there was “conflict among other industries,” he says. “We came up with solutions that would allow industries to grow but that would also protect the interests of residential neighborhoods.”
Jeremy Miller adds, “One of the most important lessons I’ve learned from my father is how important it is to develop strong relationships, whether it’s in business or politics. … Relationships are so important to getting things accomplished.” Taking office at age 27, he was the second-youngest senator ever elected to the Minnesota legislature, he says. “It’s normal for people to look at how young I am and have doubts about my ability.” But he began developing relationships with colleagues on both sides of the political aisle, he says. “I developed a reputation as someone who’s willing to work together to get things done.”
Slesnick, an Ohio state representative since March 2008, also considers a business background essential—but rare—among politicians. “It brings experience and knowledge [of] how to get things done. … You learn to make good decisions on the spot.” That said, policymaking “sometimes [is] about compromise, and sometimes it’s about the art of consensus,” and business owners might find the latter challenging, he says. In business, “a handful of people make decisions for the betterment of the company,” he explains. “In policymaking, you have many people involved—each with different backgrounds and ideas, making it more difficult to build consensus. That’s why things take longer than they should. I’ve had to adjust to that.”
Also frustrating, Slesnick and Jeremy Miller say, is the extreme partisanship of politics today and how it impedes progress. “Politics has superseded policymaking,” Slesnick says. They say they try to do what’s best for their respective states, regardless of party. “Rarely will you hear me use the word Democrat or Republican,” Jeremy says. “It’s about improving the business climate and economy in Minnesota to make it a better place to live, work, and raise a family.” Similarly, Slesnick says, “I try to make decisions based on what makes the most sense for Ohio.”
Supporting and Promoting Recycling
These recyclers say being inside the halls of government gives them a prime opportunity to advocate for the recycling industry. “I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with ReMA members from the Northwest Chapter,” Jeremy Miller says, “on educating my colleagues in the legislature about the recycling industry and about the great things we do to protect our environment, create jobs, and support the communities where we live and work.” He recuses himself from voting on bills directed specifically at the industry to avoid any perceived conflict of interest, he says, but “that doesn’t mean I can’t talk to other members to inform them [about] what the legislation could mean to the industry, what the potential risks or benefits are.” In 2013, for example, proposed legislation in the Minnesota statehouse would have created “additional regulations [on] the recycling industry, some of which included hold periods, new recording requirements, challenging reporting times, criminal penalties for scrappers, and an automated property reporting system,” he says. He worked with Northwest Chapter members “to educate members of the legislature on why these unnecessary regulations could harm the recycling industry. ReMA has been working diligently with the proponents of this legislation toward a compromise solution,” he says.
Slesnick, who first got a taste of state politics during the ReMA Northern Ohio Chapter’s lobbying day in 2006, says he takes a similar approach. For example, when constituents approach their elected representatives to tell them about possible metal theft, such as stolen air-conditioning units or other material, “legislators try to fix the problem by creating new laws without knowing how those laws will affect the industry,” he says. On the surface, “some of these laws might sound like a good idea, but they put more hardship on the industry,” he says. He also recuses himself when a vote would create a perceived conflict of interest—such as recent bills that would have further regulated recordkeeping and cash payments for scrap—but he says he remains “hands-on with the bill. … I’m at the table. My voice is heard as much as anybody else’s. With my knowledge, we can put together a more effective way to fight metal theft.”
Eventually their colleagues begin to turn to them for the scrap perspective, these scrap politicians say. When it comes to recycling concerns, “all eyes are on me,” Lawrence says of his role as a councilmember. “I like the challenge of making things the way they’re supposed to be and having the voice to try and make that happen.” In Ohio, Slesnick says he’s the “only member in the general assembly that has the knowledge [of] the recycling industry. Whenever there’s an issue, people will come to me. I try to act as a watchdog for the industry.” And he makes sure the right questions are asked when such issues come up. For example, he says he’s “heard rumblings [about proposals] that would make it more difficult [for recyclers] to buy farm equipment. But, I say, ‘Define farm equipment. You’ve got to be more specific.’” He doesn’t hear from many recyclers in his state, however. “I wish they would use me as a tool more often,” he says. Being in political office also “highlights what we do,” says Grumley, a city councilmember and former school board member in Girard, where he lives and works. It “brings more credibility to the industry and wipes out some of the old stigmas about our business. You’re out in the forefront answering questions and addressing the public.” Grumley has given the city’s administration tours of the facility, which has an automobile shredder. “They know what we do and how we want to be a good neighbor.”
When Jerry Miller was mayor, his scrap office often doubled as his municipal office, he says. “I had an office at city hall, but I spent very few hours [there]. … Most of the people who wanted to see me as mayor would come to the scrapyard.” He accomplished a lot of the city’s work at the yard—and having his business in the public spotlight helped promote the scrap industry, he says. “People realize the business must play a role in what’s going on in this community,” Miller says.
“With Jeremy in the state capital and me [having been] the mayor, it gives people a different view of what we do in the business,” he adds. “We are recognized as a viable contributor to our economy. Our name is well-known in the community. … Most people respect what we do.”
Balancing Act
Balancing their political lives with their business and personal lives can be challenging, these recyclers say, but for each of them it’s a labor of love. So how do they manage to get it all done? Officially, the five recyclers’ elected positions are considered part-time, “but with everything you’re expected to do, it’s often more than a full-time job,” Slesnick says. He and Jeremy Miller each sit on about a half-dozen committees or subcommittees, and between sessions, the legislators fill their days with district events and activities as well as meetings with constituents, they say. Lawrence says he sometimes spends up to 30 hours a week or more on council business, whereas for Jerry Miller it was a bit less—two or three hours a day, he says. At one time father and son both were in office at the same time, “but we made it work,” Jerry says. “It was harder for him than for me. I’d leave for a meeting for an hour or two and then I’d be back.”
Because Winona is more than 50 miles from the state capital of St. Paul, Jeremy gets a housing allowance that allows him to stay in St. Paul on weekdays when the legislature is in session. His typical routine is to wake up early Monday morning and have breakfast with his family before making the two-hour drive to St. Paul for his first meeting at 9 a.m. Floor sessions and committee meetings usually fill his days, and when he can grab a free moment, he relies on technology to keep him connected to home and work. As soon as the last committee meeting ends on Thursday, he drives the two hours back to Winona. Fridays, Saturdays, and most Sundays he’s in the office at Miller Scrap catching up on business, he says. “It’s not uncommon for me to be on the go seven days a week, between work and politics.”
With those obligations, as well as 6-month-old twin sons and a 2-year-old son, “it’s a challenge and it’s a sacrifice,” he says. “The only way I can do everything is by having a great, amazing wife at home, a great team at the scrapyard, and a fantastic legislative assistant who helps keep everything straight during session and [in the] interim.”
Lawrence had an even more challenging commute when he took a job with Industrial Services of America in Louisville, Ky., while still serving as a councilmember. He says he “made it work” during the two years he was with ISA by driving six hours to and from Louisville twice a week. He’d work on council business the nights he stayed in Louisville, and on the two Wednesday evenings each month that he’d have council meetings, he would leave Louisville that day at noon and work remotely the following Thursday and Friday, he says. If he couldn’t get back to Pennsylvania for some reason, he’d attend the council meeting via conference call, Lawrence says. “In those two years, I never missed a council meeting, and I still managed to get my work done.”
Slesnick, who has about 15 years of experience in his family’s scrap business, credits the support of his father, Ed Slesnick, for making it possible for him to serve as a state representative by leading his campaign and giving him confidence to run. He has been able to minimize his role in the company while in office, he adds. “Basically, right now I’m dealing with the legislature.” He receives hundreds or thousands of phone calls or e-mails a day from constituents, he says, depending on the issue the legislature is facing. Like Miller, Slesnick stays in the state capital, Columbus—about two hours from his home in Canton, Ohio—during the week while the legislature is in session. Unlike Miller, he does not receive a housing allowance.
Making the Difference
The recyclers say they serve in elected office to help their constituents and improve their communities. “Getting involved in politics is part of our responsibility to take care of where we live,” Jerry Miller says. A good politician is receptive to the needs of the people he or she represents, he adds. “Some of the issues the council faces are absolutely crazy, but you have to deal with them because they’re serious to those residents. It’s all about helping. It’s all about making a difference.”
It’s important for people in the recycling industry to get involved in what’s happening in their communities—whether it’s through associations, their political party, or running for office—instead of sitting back and complaining, Miller says. “Make your views known in a public way, and make the public aware of what your business does for the community. By getting involved, you bring your industry to the mainstream. You’re telling people, ‘We are an important part of what goes on in this city.’ The best way to do that is to get involved.”
He has passed that sense of civic responsibility to his son. “Every vote I take, every piece of legislation I introduce has an impact on people,” Jeremy says. “I try to reach out and get feedback from constituents through surveys, columns in the newspaper, or e-mails. I try to make myself available and accessible so I understand the people I represent. If you have a good feel for your constituency, I think you’ll have a successful time in politics.”
That same sentiment rings true for Grumley. He had been active in Girard for years through participation in the economic development and parks and recreation committees as well as the school board before he was elected to the city council. He served from 2001 to 2002, then he ran and won again in January 2008, when he felt the city was in fiscal crisis, he says.
Slesnick says he’s still in awe of the opportunity to serve his constituents and be part of the political process. “I’m honored to be part of the crucial decisions we’ve implemented. Whether I’m successful or I’m not successful, I’ve been at the table. When I go into the chamber or committee room, I still look around, and it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Lawrence feels the same way. “Every time I recall being sworn in, it sends chills down my back. It is an honor for me,” he says. His only regret, he adds, is not entering politics sooner. “If I had the opportunity to do it over, I would have started earlier.”
Jeremy Miller says he hopes to stay in office “as long as I can continue to help make a difference and as long as I have that flexibility at home and at work.” At this time in his life, he’s not interested in venturing beyond the Minnesota Senate, however, he says. Being in Washington, D.C., would not afford him the flexibility to continue working at the yard, he says. “I just love buying and selling scrap. There’s nothing at this point in my life that I enjoy more than doing that and building those relationships.”
Diana Mota is associate editor of Scrap.
Scrap recyclers who are elected to public office say that by serving their Community, they also educate lawmakers and others about the scrap industry and its role in that community.