John's Journey

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March/April 2010

John's Journey

John Sacco has grown far beyond his small-town roots to achieve international business success. In May, he will mark his similar success as an association leader when he becomes ReMA's next national chair.

By Kent Kiser

Some people go their whole lives never knowing their career calling. John Sacco never had that problem. From a young age, he says, he had his eye set on a career in international business, just like his father. Sure enough, Sacco now serves as vice president of the Bakersfield, Calif.-based Sierra Recycling & Demolition, which buys, processes, and sells scrap domestically and internationally, and president of Sierra International Machinery, which sells scrap processing and handling equipment around the world.

Sacco says his father, Ben, determined his future—intentionally or not—by exposing him to the international business world throughout his childhood. Ben Sacco was an Italian immigrant to the United States who built several successful businesses from the ground up, first in the agricultural burlap bag trade, later in the scrap processing and recycling machinery niches. Ben traveled to Italy frequently for business and pleasure, and he brought his family along to expose them to their Italian heritage. John's first trip there was in 1968, when he was just 6 years old. He and his family spent three months in Italy on that trip, and they returned when John was 8 and 14, staying as long as six months at a time. Another crucial experience came right after Sacco graduated from high school, when he accompanied his father on a month-long, around-the-world business trip.

For the past 23 years, Sacco has followed these global aspirations to great success. Now he is on the brink of fulfilling a more recent ambition—that of becoming national chair of ISRI.

Taking Care of Business
At first glance, John Sacco may seem like an unlikely candidate for a career in international business. He was born and still lives in Bakersfield, Calif., which had a population of about 60,000 when he was a kid. "It was definitely small-town America," he recalls. "It was a great place to grow up."

As a youth, Sacco had a passion for sports, showing a talent for baseball, track, and football. "I was a good student, but I was definitely a good little athlete growing up," he says. He still recalls an eighth-grade track meet where he won the 220-yard sprint and came in second in the 100-yard dash. At Highland High School, he played wide receiver and safety on the varsity football team his junior and senior years. On the academic side, he liked math and speech. He still reveals his pride in winning the top honor in a school speech contest in eighth grade for an extemporaneous speech. "I didn't write a word down," he says. Recognizing his public speaking talents, the school called on him that same year to provide the commencement address for his eighth-grade class.

When he wasn't playing sports, Sacco loved to visit his father's business, which had stocks of burlap bags and scrap. One attraction, he admits, were the donuts. "I'd get in early with my dad and have my pick of the donuts," he says. "As a kid, that was a great incentive to go to work." He soon started helping out with small jobs around the yard. "The first piece of equipment I operated was a broom," he recalls. Gradually, he progressed to bigger equipment, such as the plant's balers. Today, Sacco finds it ironic that he sells balers through Sierra International Machinery.

After Sacco graduated from high school, he and his father embarked on their around-the-world business trip. From California, they headed eastward, stopping in New York so Ben could visit and introduce John to some friends in the scrap industry, including Hugo Neu, scion of international scrap operator Hugo Neu Corp., and various members of the Capasso family of Pascap Co. (Bronx, N.Y.). Sacco still considers these encounters with some of the "biggest players in the industry" as his "first real introduction to the scrap metal business."

Upon returning from his global voyage, Sacco headed off to college in the big city—Los Angeles—at the University of Southern California. Though he describes his college experience as "pure, unadulterated fun," he also kept business on his mind, graduating in 1987 with a B.S. in business marketing. He came out ready to get down to, well, business. "After I graduated, I knew it was time to go to work," he says. "I took two weeks' vacation and have been working ever since."

As Sacco considered his post-college options, there was a critical moment when he almost didn't pursue an international career in scrap. He thought his future could be in fast food, so he submitted an application to buy a McDonald's franchise. "I thought it was a no-brainer," he says. His father had other plans for him, however. One day he approached John with some brochures on Italian scrap processing equipment, all written in Italian. He looked at his son and said, "So, you took marketing in college?" John replied, "Yeah." Ben dropped the brochures in front of him and said, "Then market these machines."

"That's when my career officially began," Sacco says. In the intervening 23 years, he has more than proved his mettle, helping both the family's scrap business and its equipment enterprise grow into industry leaders. He has enjoyed having a foot in both the scrap and the equipment sides of the industry, noting that the two complement each other. His scrap recycling knowledge helps him understand the needs of other processors, which helps him sell equipment. Conversely, his equipment-related visits to scrap plants around the world give him new ideas to use in his family's scrap business back home.

Reviewing his career success thus far, Sacco points with pride to the great personal and professional relationships he had with his father until his death last year and he has with his brother Philip (president of Sierra Recycling & Demolition) to this day. Sacco is quick to credit his father for his business accomplishments, recounting his dad's advice to always honor your word. "That's it, that's all you've got," Sacco says. "If you lose that, you lose everything." He also recalls growing up hearing a lot of "little Italian sayings," such as the advice that loosely translates as, "Do good, and forget about it; do bad, and you must always look over your shoulder." Such sentiments helped Sacco forge his personal and professional value systems. "My philosophy is simple: Just do what you say you're going to do," he says. "Just treat people right."

Sacco's Story Background: Born Feb. 3, 1962, in Bakersfield, Calif. Youngest of five children, with siblings Angela, Anthony, Laura, and Philip. Education: Earned a B.S. in business marketing from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles). Family: Married Monica Valpredo in 1995. Two children—Giovanna, 10, and Giancarlo, 7. Association Highlights: National secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. Member of the executive committee. President of the Southwestern Chapter. Chair of the member services committee. Chair of the chapter presidents council. Favorite Movies: Band of Brothers, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption. Favorite Drinks: Cabernet sauvignon, an occasional gin and tonic, and—for a non-alcoholic drink—water with lemon. Favorite Cuisine: Authentic Italian food. Also, I like to cook, and I make the best gooey ribs. My ribs are famous. Favorite Places in the World: Chicago and Italy. Favorite TV Shows: USC Trojans football games and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games. Favorite Music: Classic rock. My greatest personal achievement is staying married through building a new house. In my free time, I like to spend time with my family. Name something about you that would surprise people. I do yoga two or three times a week. Also, I'd consider running for a seat in the U.S. Congress, but I don't think I could last more than four years. I'd like to improve my Italian and Spanish. If I didn't work in the scrap industry, I'd probably work in professional sports management—baseball or football. When my term as ReMA chair is over I hope ReMA's membership and commodities will have grown during my term, making it a stronger trade association because it has more members in all the commodities.

A Leader Is Born
John Sacco also can thank his father for introducing him to scrap recycling's trade associations. While he was in college, his father brought him to an event in Los Angeles held by the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel, one of ReMA's predecessor associations. Ben Sacco's scrap company, Sierra Iron & Metal Co. (now Sierra Recycling & Demolition), had been an ISIS member virtually from its start in 1959.

That first association exposure piqued John's interest, but it wasn't until Sacco attended the 1989 ReMA convention at the Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles that he truly caught the association bug. There he saw Richard Abrams, ReMA's first elected chair, introduce former president Ronald Reagan as the keynote speaker. "I went, 'That is cool. That is something I want to do,'" Sacco says, not knowing how prescient his words were. This May, he will continue the ReMA leadership chain that Abrams began when he becomes the association's 12th chair.

Sacco's ascent up the ReMA leadership ladder did not begin in earnest until 1997. Sam Hummelstein, a Sierra International Machinery customer and head of ReMA's subcommittee on industry restructuring at the time, asked him to participate in the association's Decision 2000 strategic planning meeting in Dallas. At the event, Sacco enjoyed helping ReMA chart its future direction and meeting other industry leaders, including Joel Denbo (who would become ReMA chair for the 2004 to 2006 term).

Shortly thereafter, George Adams and David Williams—two fellow California recyclers and ReMA members—recruited Sacco to join the board of the association's Southwestern Chapter. When the chapter faced a void at the top of its leadership ranks, Sacco's scrap colleagues asked him to become the chapter's president for the 1999 to 2001 term. Unsure if he wanted to assume that responsibility, Sacco consulted his dad for advice. "He said, 'Yeah, absolutely, you want to be in on this. It will be a good experience,'" he recalls.

From then onward, Sacco continued to take on ReMA leadership roles, including chair of the chapter presidents council, chair of the member services committee, member of the national board of directors, and member of the executive committee during the administration of ReMA Chair Cricket Williams from 2002 to 2004. Then, in 2004, Sacco was nominated to run for ReMA secretary/treasurer, a national elected post. Once again, he asked his dad if he should take on the challenge. "My dad said, 'What, are you crazy? You get in with the big guys. They're the people who are in the know." Sacco accepted the nomination, ran unopposed, and assumed the post, marking the start of his climb as a national ReMA officer. "I was a bit nervous," he admits. "At that level, it gets more serious. I wondered if I really knew enough to be there."

Those fears proved unfounded, as Sacco showed his leadership abilities over the next six years as ReMA's national secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. His years of ReMA service have "just been phenomenal," he says. Despite the hard work involved, there always were equal measures of fun, not to mention the great learning experiences and invaluable networking opportunities with industry leaders. When asked if he has disliked anything about his ReMA tenure, Sacco only shakes his head and says, "Nothing."

Beyond acknowledging his father's advice and guidance—as well as the support of his brother Philip and wife, Monica—throughout his career, Sacco says he could never have reached his current association position without the assistance of many industry mentors. He recalls talking with Arnold Gachman, ReMA's chair from 1992 to 1994, at an ReMA convention and being impressed by his approachable manner. "I thought the leader of an association would be a stuffed shirt," Sacco says. "Arnie made the position personal and real."

Sacco also thanks Shelley Padnos, ReMA's chair from 1998 to 2000, for making him understand the serious responsibilities of being a chapter president; Cricket Williams for appointing him as an executive committee member; Joel Denbo, for showing him the ropes when he was national secretary/treasurer; Sam Hummelstein, for starting him on the ReMA leadership path; and all of his fellow national officers over the years, who remain good friends and role models.

Get the Game On
Sacco will take office as ReMA chair this May at a time of great economic uncertainty. The persistent "unknowns of the economy" represent serious potential challenges for ReMA and its members, he says. In such tough economic times, ReMA needs to work even harder at telling members about the benefits they receive for their dues dollars. "When you get down to the local level, a lot of people don't know what we're doing," Sacco says. "I'd like to get our average member to understand all the wonderful services that ReMA offers."

As chair, Sacco also wants to "grow each and every commodity area" within the association. "We're not just metals or paper—we encompass the entire recycling industry," he says. "I want more members in every category." By expanding its presence in all scrap niches, ReMA will more thoroughly represent the recycling part of its name and will have more potential candidates for leadership positions at all levels, he says. As part of his commodities push, Sacco would like to "further integrate all the commodities into all the chapters." He acknowledges the benefit of national commodity-focused ReMA chapters such as the Paper Stock Industries Chapter and the Scrap Tire Processors Chapter, but he would like to "see more of those folks integrated into their regional chapters as well," he says. "Their commodities may differ, but they use a lot of the same equipment and share many of the same issues in areas such as safety, personnel, and export."

In addition to continuing ReMA's fiscal responsibility and its focus on pressing issues such as materials theft, the industry's image, and transportation, Sacco has one other not-so-heavy goal during his two-year term as ReMA chair: "I want people to know that being involved in ReMA is fun," he says. He concedes that ReMA service is a time commitment away from work, but "what you learn at ReMA will only make your business better," he asserts. "You'll have a safer, more environmentally sound, and more profitable business by being involved in ISRI."

As Sacco prepares to carry ReMA into the second decade of the new millennium, he's excited. "It's like before a big game," he says, recalling his football days. "I'm not scared; I'm just getting fired up. The heart's starting to pump. Let's get the game on." In particular, it's going to be "interesting and fun," he says, to lead the dozens of Type A individuals who constitute ReMA's committees, divisions, and board. With the support of his fellow national officers and the ReMA staff, success is assured, he says. "It's going to be great." •

Kent Kiser is publisher and editor-in-chief of Scrap.

.

March/April 2010

John's Journey

John Sacco has grown far beyond his small-town roots to achieve international business success. In May, he will mark his similar success as an association leader when he becomes ReMA's next national chair.

By Kent Kiser

Some people go their whole lives never knowing their career calling. John Sacco never had that problem. From a young age, he says, he had his eye set on a career in international business, just like his father. Sure enough, Sacco now serves as vice president of the Bakersfield, Calif.-based Sierra Recycling & Demolition, which buys, processes, and sells scrap domestically and internationally, and president of Sierra International Machinery, which sells scrap processing and handling equipment around the world.

Sacco says his father, Ben, determined his future—intentionally or not—by exposing him to the international business world throughout his childhood. Ben Sacco was an Italian immigrant to the United States who built several successful businesses from the ground up, first in the agricultural burlap bag trade, later in the scrap processing and recycling machinery niches. Ben traveled to Italy frequently for business and pleasure, and he brought his family along to expose them to their Italian heritage. John's first trip there was in 1968, when he was just 6 years old. He and his family spent three months in Italy on that trip, and they returned when John was 8 and 14, staying as long as six months at a time. Another crucial experience came right after Sacco graduated from high school, when he accompanied his father on a month-long, around-the-world business trip.

For the past 23 years, Sacco has followed these global aspirations to great success. Now he is on the brink of fulfilling a more recent ambition—that of becoming national chair of ISRI.

Taking Care of Business
At first glance, John Sacco may seem like an unlikely candidate for a career in international business. He was born and still lives in Bakersfield, Calif., which had a population of about 60,000 when he was a kid. "It was definitely small-town America," he recalls. "It was a great place to grow up."

As a youth, Sacco had a passion for sports, showing a talent for baseball, track, and football. "I was a good student, but I was definitely a good little athlete growing up," he says. He still recalls an eighth-grade track meet where he won the 220-yard sprint and came in second in the 100-yard dash. At Highland High School, he played wide receiver and safety on the varsity football team his junior and senior years. On the academic side, he liked math and speech. He still reveals his pride in winning the top honor in a school speech contest in eighth grade for an extemporaneous speech. "I didn't write a word down," he says. Recognizing his public speaking talents, the school called on him that same year to provide the commencement address for his eighth-grade class.

When he wasn't playing sports, Sacco loved to visit his father's business, which had stocks of burlap bags and scrap. One attraction, he admits, were the donuts. "I'd get in early with my dad and have my pick of the donuts," he says. "As a kid, that was a great incentive to go to work." He soon started helping out with small jobs around the yard. "The first piece of equipment I operated was a broom," he recalls. Gradually, he progressed to bigger equipment, such as the plant's balers. Today, Sacco finds it ironic that he sells balers through Sierra International Machinery.

After Sacco graduated from high school, he and his father embarked on their around-the-world business trip. From California, they headed eastward, stopping in New York so Ben could visit and introduce John to some friends in the scrap industry, including Hugo Neu, scion of international scrap operator Hugo Neu Corp., and various members of the Capasso family of Pascap Co. (Bronx, N.Y.). Sacco still considers these encounters with some of the "biggest players in the industry" as his "first real introduction to the scrap metal business."

Upon returning from his global voyage, Sacco headed off to college in the big city—Los Angeles—at the University of Southern California. Though he describes his college experience as "pure, unadulterated fun," he also kept business on his mind, graduating in 1987 with a B.S. in business marketing. He came out ready to get down to, well, business. "After I graduated, I knew it was time to go to work," he says. "I took two weeks' vacation and have been working ever since."

As Sacco considered his post-college options, there was a critical moment when he almost didn't pursue an international career in scrap. He thought his future could be in fast food, so he submitted an application to buy a McDonald's franchise. "I thought it was a no-brainer," he says. His father had other plans for him, however. One day he approached John with some brochures on Italian scrap processing equipment, all written in Italian. He looked at his son and said, "So, you took marketing in college?" John replied, "Yeah." Ben dropped the brochures in front of him and said, "Then market these machines."

"That's when my career officially began," Sacco says. In the intervening 23 years, he has more than proved his mettle, helping both the family's scrap business and its equipment enterprise grow into industry leaders. He has enjoyed having a foot in both the scrap and the equipment sides of the industry, noting that the two complement each other. His scrap recycling knowledge helps him understand the needs of other processors, which helps him sell equipment. Conversely, his equipment-related visits to scrap plants around the world give him new ideas to use in his family's scrap business back home.

Reviewing his career success thus far, Sacco points with pride to the great personal and professional relationships he had with his father until his death last year and he has with his brother Philip (president of Sierra Recycling & Demolition) to this day. Sacco is quick to credit his father for his business accomplishments, recounting his dad's advice to always honor your word. "That's it, that's all you've got," Sacco says. "If you lose that, you lose everything." He also recalls growing up hearing a lot of "little Italian sayings," such as the advice that loosely translates as, "Do good, and forget about it; do bad, and you must always look over your shoulder." Such sentiments helped Sacco forge his personal and professional value systems. "My philosophy is simple: Just do what you say you're going to do," he says. "Just treat people right."

Sacco's Story

Background: Born Feb. 3, 1962, in Bakersfield, Calif. Youngest of five children, with siblings Angela, Anthony, Laura, and Philip.

Education: Earned a B.S. in business marketing from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles).

Family: Married Monica Valpredo in 1995. Two children—Giovanna, 10, and Giancarlo, 7.

Association Highlights: National secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. Member of the executive committee. President of the Southwestern Chapter. Chair of the member services committee. Chair of the chapter presidents council.

Favorite Movies: Band of Brothers, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption.

Favorite Drinks: Cabernet sauvignon, an occasional gin and tonic, and—for a non-alcoholic drink—water with lemon.

Favorite Cuisine: Authentic Italian food. Also, I like to cook, and I make the best gooey ribs. My ribs are famous.

Favorite Places in the World: Chicago and Italy.

Favorite TV Shows: USC Trojans football games and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games.

Favorite Music: Classic rock.

My greatest personal achievement is…staying married through building a new house.

In my free time, I like to…spend time with my family.

Name something about you that would surprise people. I do yoga two or three times a week. Also, I'd consider running for a seat in the U.S. Congress, but I don't think I could last more than four years.

I'd like to improve my…Italian and Spanish.

If I didn't work in the scrap industry, I'd probably work…in professional sports management—baseball or football.

When my term as ReMA chair is over…I hope ReMA's membership and commodities will have grown during my term, making it a stronger trade association because it has more members in all the commodities.

A Leader Is Born
John Sacco also can thank his father for introducing him to scrap recycling's trade associations. While he was in college, his father brought him to an event in Los Angeles held by the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel, one of ReMA's predecessor associations. Ben Sacco's scrap company, Sierra Iron & Metal Co. (now Sierra Recycling & Demolition), had been an ISIS member virtually from its start in 1959.

That first association exposure piqued John's interest, but it wasn't until Sacco attended the 1989 ReMA convention at the Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles that he truly caught the association bug. There he saw Richard Abrams, ReMA's first elected chair, introduce former president Ronald Reagan as the keynote speaker. "I went, 'That is cool. That is something I want to do,'" Sacco says, not knowing how prescient his words were. This May, he will continue the ReMA leadership chain that Abrams began when he becomes the association's 12th chair.

Sacco's ascent up the ReMA leadership ladder did not begin in earnest until 1997. Sam Hummelstein, a Sierra International Machinery customer and head of ReMA's subcommittee on industry restructuring at the time, asked him to participate in the association's Decision 2000 strategic planning meeting in Dallas. At the event, Sacco enjoyed helping ReMA chart its future direction and meeting other industry leaders, including Joel Denbo (who would become ReMA chair for the 2004 to 2006 term).

Shortly thereafter, George Adams and David Williams—two fellow California recyclers and ReMA members—recruited Sacco to join the board of the association's Southwestern Chapter. When the chapter faced a void at the top of its leadership ranks, Sacco's scrap colleagues asked him to become the chapter's president for the 1999 to 2001 term. Unsure if he wanted to assume that responsibility, Sacco consulted his dad for advice. "He said, 'Yeah, absolutely, you want to be in on this. It will be a good experience,'" he recalls.

From then onward, Sacco continued to take on ReMA leadership roles, including chair of the chapter presidents council, chair of the member services committee, member of the national board of directors, and member of the executive committee during the administration of ReMA Chair Cricket Williams from 2002 to 2004. Then, in 2004, Sacco was nominated to run for ReMA secretary/treasurer, a national elected post. Once again, he asked his dad if he should take on the challenge. "My dad said, 'What, are you crazy? You get in with the big guys. They're the people who are in the know." Sacco accepted the nomination, ran unopposed, and assumed the post, marking the start of his climb as a national ReMA officer. "I was a bit nervous," he admits. "At that level, it gets more serious. I wondered if I really knew enough to be there."

Those fears proved unfounded, as Sacco showed his leadership abilities over the next six years as ReMA's national secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. His years of ReMA service have "just been phenomenal," he says. Despite the hard work involved, there always were equal measures of fun, not to mention the great learning experiences and invaluable networking opportunities with industry leaders. When asked if he has disliked anything about his ReMA tenure, Sacco only shakes his head and says, "Nothing."

Beyond acknowledging his father's advice and guidance—as well as the support of his brother Philip and wife, Monica—throughout his career, Sacco says he could never have reached his current association position without the assistance of many industry mentors. He recalls talking with Arnold Gachman, ReMA's chair from 1992 to 1994, at an ReMA convention and being impressed by his approachable manner. "I thought the leader of an association would be a stuffed shirt," Sacco says. "Arnie made the position personal and real."

Sacco also thanks Shelley Padnos, ReMA's chair from 1998 to 2000, for making him understand the serious responsibilities of being a chapter president; Cricket Williams for appointing him as an executive committee member; Joel Denbo, for showing him the ropes when he was national secretary/treasurer; Sam Hummelstein, for starting him on the ReMA leadership path; and all of his fellow national officers over the years, who remain good friends and role models.

Get the Game On
Sacco will take office as ReMA chair this May at a time of great economic uncertainty. The persistent "unknowns of the economy" represent serious potential challenges for ReMA and its members, he says. In such tough economic times, ReMA needs to work even harder at telling members about the benefits they receive for their dues dollars. "When you get down to the local level, a lot of people don't know what we're doing," Sacco says. "I'd like to get our average member to understand all the wonderful services that ReMA offers."

As chair, Sacco also wants to "grow each and every commodity area" within the association. "We're not just metals or paper—we encompass the entire recycling industry," he says. "I want more members in every category." By expanding its presence in all scrap niches, ReMA will more thoroughly represent the recycling part of its name and will have more potential candidates for leadership positions at all levels, he says. As part of his commodities push, Sacco would like to "further integrate all the commodities into all the chapters." He acknowledges the benefit of national commodity-focused ReMA chapters such as the Paper Stock Industries Chapter and the Scrap Tire Processors Chapter, but he would like to "see more of those folks integrated into their regional chapters as well," he says. "Their commodities may differ, but they use a lot of the same equipment and share many of the same issues in areas such as safety, personnel, and export."

In addition to continuing ReMA's fiscal responsibility and its focus on pressing issues such as materials theft, the industry's image, and transportation, Sacco has one other not-so-heavy goal during his two-year term as ReMA chair: "I want people to know that being involved in ReMA is fun," he says. He concedes that ReMA service is a time commitment away from work, but "what you learn at ReMA will only make your business better," he asserts. "You'll have a safer, more environmentally sound, and more profitable business by being involved in ISRI."

As Sacco prepares to carry ReMA into the second decade of the new millennium, he's excited. "It's like before a big game," he says, recalling his football days. "I'm not scared; I'm just getting fired up. The heart's starting to pump. Let's get the game on." In particular, it's going to be "interesting and fun," he says, to lead the dozens of Type A individuals who constitute ReMA's committees, divisions, and board. With the support of his fellow national officers and the ReMA staff, success is assured, he says. "It's going to be great." •

Kent Kiser is publisher and editor-in-chief of Scrap.

Sacco's Story

Background: Born Feb. 3, 1962, in Bakersfield, Calif. Youngest of five children, with siblings Angela, Anthony, Laura, and Philip.

Education: Earned a B.S. in business marketing from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles).

Family: Married Monica Valpredo in 1995. Two children—Giovanna, 10, and Giancarlo, 7.

Association Highlights: National secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. Member of the executive committee. President of the Southwestern Chapter. Chair of the member services committee. Chair of the chapter presidents council.

Favorite Movies: Band of Brothers, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption.

Favorite Drinks: Cabernet sauvignon, an occasional gin and tonic, and—for a non-alcoholic drink—water with lemon.

Favorite Cuisine: Authentic Italian food. Also, I like to cook, and I make the best gooey ribs. My ribs are famous.

Favorite Places in the World: Chicago and Italy.

Favorite TV Shows: USC Trojans football games and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games.

Favorite Music: Classic rock.

My greatest personal achievement is…staying married through building a new house.

In my free time, I like to…spend time with my family.

Name something about you that would surprise people. I do yoga two or three times a week. Also, I'd consider running for a seat in the U.S. Congress, but I don't think I could last more than four years.

I'd like to improve my…Italian and Spanish.

If I didn't work in the scrap industry, I'd probably work…in professional sports management—baseball or football.

When my term as ReMA chair is over…I hope ReMA's membership and commodities will have grown during my term, making it a stronger trade association because it has more members in all the commodities.

Print This Article

Print This Article

 

March/April 2010

John's Journey

John Sacco has grown far beyond his small-town roots to achieve international business success. In May, he will mark his similar success as an association leader when he becomes ReMA's next national chair.

By Kent Kiser

Some people go their whole lives never knowing their career calling. John Sacco never had that problem. From a young age, he says, he had his eye set on a career in international business, just like his father. Sure enough, Sacco now serves as vice president of the Bakersfield, Calif.-based Sierra Recycling & Demolition, which buys, processes, and sells scrap domestically and internationally, and president of Sierra International Machinery, which sells scrap processing and handling equipment around the world.

Sacco says his father, Ben, determined his future—intentionally or not—by exposing him to the international business world throughout his childhood. Ben Sacco was an Italian immigrant to the United States who built several successful businesses from the ground up, first in the agricultural burlap bag trade, later in the scrap processing and recycling machinery niches. Ben traveled to Italy frequently for business and pleasure, and he brought his family along to expose them to their Italian heritage. John's first trip there was in 1968, when he was just 6 years old. He and his family spent three months in Italy on that trip, and they returned when John was 8 and 14, staying as long as six months at a time. Another crucial experience came right after Sacco graduated from high school, when he accompanied his father on a month-long, around-the-world business trip.

For the past 23 years, Sacco has followed these global aspirations to great success. Now he is on the brink of fulfilling a more recent ambition—that of becoming national chair of ISRI.

Taking Care of Business
At first glance, John Sacco may seem like an unlikely candidate for a career in international business. He was born and still lives in Bakersfield, Calif., which had a population of about 60,000 when he was a kid. "It was definitely small-town America," he recalls. "It was a great place to grow up."

As a youth, Sacco had a passion for sports, showing a talent for baseball, track, and football. "I was a good student, but I was definitely a good little athlete growing up," he says. He still recalls an eighth-grade track meet where he won the 220-yard sprint and came in second in the 100-yard dash. At Highland High School, he played wide receiver and safety on the varsity football team his junior and senior years. On the academic side, he liked math and speech. He still reveals his pride in winning the top honor in a school speech contest in eighth grade for an extemporaneous speech. "I didn't write a word down," he says. Recognizing his public speaking talents, the school called on him that same year to provide the commencement address for his eighth-grade class.

When he wasn't playing sports, Sacco loved to visit his father's business, which had stocks of burlap bags and scrap. One attraction, he admits, were the donuts. "I'd get in early with my dad and have my pick of the donuts," he says. "As a kid, that was a great incentive to go to work." He soon started helping out with small jobs around the yard. "The first piece of equipment I operated was a broom," he recalls. Gradually, he progressed to bigger equipment, such as the plant's balers. Today, Sacco finds it ironic that he sells balers through Sierra International Machinery.

After Sacco graduated from high school, he and his father embarked on their around-the-world business trip. From California, they headed eastward, stopping in New York so Ben could visit and introduce John to some friends in the scrap industry, including Hugo Neu, scion of international scrap operator Hugo Neu Corp., and various members of the Capasso family of Pascap Co. (Bronx, N.Y.). Sacco still considers these encounters with some of the "biggest players in the industry" as his "first real introduction to the scrap metal business."

Upon returning from his global voyage, Sacco headed off to college in the big city—Los Angeles—at the University of Southern California. Though he describes his college experience as "pure, unadulterated fun," he also kept business on his mind, graduating in 1987 with a B.S. in business marketing. He came out ready to get down to, well, business. "After I graduated, I knew it was time to go to work," he says. "I took two weeks' vacation and have been working ever since."

As Sacco considered his post-college options, there was a critical moment when he almost didn't pursue an international career in scrap. He thought his future could be in fast food, so he submitted an application to buy a McDonald's franchise. "I thought it was a no-brainer," he says. His father had other plans for him, however. One day he approached John with some brochures on Italian scrap processing equipment, all written in Italian. He looked at his son and said, "So, you took marketing in college?" John replied, "Yeah." Ben dropped the brochures in front of him and said, "Then market these machines."

"That's when my career officially began," Sacco says. In the intervening 23 years, he has more than proved his mettle, helping both the family's scrap business and its equipment enterprise grow into industry leaders. He has enjoyed having a foot in both the scrap and the equipment sides of the industry, noting that the two complement each other. His scrap recycling knowledge helps him understand the needs of other processors, which helps him sell equipment. Conversely, his equipment-related visits to scrap plants around the world give him new ideas to use in his family's scrap business back home.

Reviewing his career success thus far, Sacco points with pride to the great personal and professional relationships he had with his father until his death last year and he has with his brother Philip (president of Sierra Recycling & Demolition) to this day. Sacco is quick to credit his father for his business accomplishments, recounting his dad's advice to always honor your word. "That's it, that's all you've got," Sacco says. "If you lose that, you lose everything." He also recalls growing up hearing a lot of "little Italian sayings," such as the advice that loosely translates as, "Do good, and forget about it; do bad, and you must always look over your shoulder." Such sentiments helped Sacco forge his personal and professional value systems. "My philosophy is simple: Just do what you say you're going to do," he says. "Just treat people right."

Sacco's Story Background: Born Feb. 3, 1962, in Bakersfield, Calif. Youngest of five children, with siblings Angela, Anthony, Laura, and Philip. Education: Earned a B.S. in business marketing from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles). Family: Married Monica Valpredo in 1995. Two children—Giovanna, 10, and Giancarlo, 7. Association Highlights: National secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. Member of the executive committee. President of the Southwestern Chapter. Chair of the member services committee. Chair of the chapter presidents council. Favorite Movies: Band of Brothers, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption. Favorite Drinks: Cabernet sauvignon, an occasional gin and tonic, and—for a non-alcoholic drink—water with lemon. Favorite Cuisine: Authentic Italian food. Also, I like to cook, and I make the best gooey ribs. My ribs are famous. Favorite Places in the World: Chicago and Italy. Favorite TV Shows: USC Trojans football games and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games. Favorite Music: Classic rock. My greatest personal achievement is staying married through building a new house. In my free time, I like to spend time with my family. Name something about you that would surprise people. I do yoga two or three times a week. Also, I'd consider running for a seat in the U.S. Congress, but I don't think I could last more than four years. I'd like to improve my Italian and Spanish. If I didn't work in the scrap industry, I'd probably work in professional sports management—baseball or football. When my term as ReMA chair is over I hope ReMA's membership and commodities will have grown during my term, making it a stronger trade association because it has more members in all the commodities.

A Leader Is Born
John Sacco also can thank his father for introducing him to scrap recycling's trade associations. While he was in college, his father brought him to an event in Los Angeles held by the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel, one of ReMA's predecessor associations. Ben Sacco's scrap company, Sierra Iron & Metal Co. (now Sierra Recycling & Demolition), had been an ISIS member virtually from its start in 1959.

That first association exposure piqued John's interest, but it wasn't until Sacco attended the 1989 ReMA convention at the Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles that he truly caught the association bug. There he saw Richard Abrams, ReMA's first elected chair, introduce former president Ronald Reagan as the keynote speaker. "I went, 'That is cool. That is something I want to do,'" Sacco says, not knowing how prescient his words were. This May, he will continue the ReMA leadership chain that Abrams began when he becomes the association's 12th chair.

Sacco's ascent up the ReMA leadership ladder did not begin in earnest until 1997. Sam Hummelstein, a Sierra International Machinery customer and head of ReMA's subcommittee on industry restructuring at the time, asked him to participate in the association's Decision 2000 strategic planning meeting in Dallas. At the event, Sacco enjoyed helping ReMA chart its future direction and meeting other industry leaders, including Joel Denbo (who would become ReMA chair for the 2004 to 2006 term).

Shortly thereafter, George Adams and David Williams—two fellow California recyclers and ReMA members—recruited Sacco to join the board of the association's Southwestern Chapter. When the chapter faced a void at the top of its leadership ranks, Sacco's scrap colleagues asked him to become the chapter's president for the 1999 to 2001 term. Unsure if he wanted to assume that responsibility, Sacco consulted his dad for advice. "He said, 'Yeah, absolutely, you want to be in on this. It will be a good experience,'" he recalls.

From then onward, Sacco continued to take on ReMA leadership roles, including chair of the chapter presidents council, chair of the member services committee, member of the national board of directors, and member of the executive committee during the administration of ReMA Chair Cricket Williams from 2002 to 2004. Then, in 2004, Sacco was nominated to run for ReMA secretary/treasurer, a national elected post. Once again, he asked his dad if he should take on the challenge. "My dad said, 'What, are you crazy? You get in with the big guys. They're the people who are in the know." Sacco accepted the nomination, ran unopposed, and assumed the post, marking the start of his climb as a national ReMA officer. "I was a bit nervous," he admits. "At that level, it gets more serious. I wondered if I really knew enough to be there."

Those fears proved unfounded, as Sacco showed his leadership abilities over the next six years as ReMA's national secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. His years of ReMA service have "just been phenomenal," he says. Despite the hard work involved, there always were equal measures of fun, not to mention the great learning experiences and invaluable networking opportunities with industry leaders. When asked if he has disliked anything about his ReMA tenure, Sacco only shakes his head and says, "Nothing."

Beyond acknowledging his father's advice and guidance—as well as the support of his brother Philip and wife, Monica—throughout his career, Sacco says he could never have reached his current association position without the assistance of many industry mentors. He recalls talking with Arnold Gachman, ReMA's chair from 1992 to 1994, at an ReMA convention and being impressed by his approachable manner. "I thought the leader of an association would be a stuffed shirt," Sacco says. "Arnie made the position personal and real."

Sacco also thanks Shelley Padnos, ReMA's chair from 1998 to 2000, for making him understand the serious responsibilities of being a chapter president; Cricket Williams for appointing him as an executive committee member; Joel Denbo, for showing him the ropes when he was national secretary/treasurer; Sam Hummelstein, for starting him on the ReMA leadership path; and all of his fellow national officers over the years, who remain good friends and role models.

Get the Game On
Sacco will take office as ReMA chair this May at a time of great economic uncertainty. The persistent "unknowns of the economy" represent serious potential challenges for ReMA and its members, he says. In such tough economic times, ReMA needs to work even harder at telling members about the benefits they receive for their dues dollars. "When you get down to the local level, a lot of people don't know what we're doing," Sacco says. "I'd like to get our average member to understand all the wonderful services that ReMA offers."

As chair, Sacco also wants to "grow each and every commodity area" within the association. "We're not just metals or paper—we encompass the entire recycling industry," he says. "I want more members in every category." By expanding its presence in all scrap niches, ReMA will more thoroughly represent the recycling part of its name and will have more potential candidates for leadership positions at all levels, he says. As part of his commodities push, Sacco would like to "further integrate all the commodities into all the chapters." He acknowledges the benefit of national commodity-focused ReMA chapters such as the Paper Stock Industries Chapter and the Scrap Tire Processors Chapter, but he would like to "see more of those folks integrated into their regional chapters as well," he says. "Their commodities may differ, but they use a lot of the same equipment and share many of the same issues in areas such as safety, personnel, and export."

In addition to continuing ReMA's fiscal responsibility and its focus on pressing issues such as materials theft, the industry's image, and transportation, Sacco has one other not-so-heavy goal during his two-year term as ReMA chair: "I want people to know that being involved in ReMA is fun," he says. He concedes that ReMA service is a time commitment away from work, but "what you learn at ReMA will only make your business better," he asserts. "You'll have a safer, more environmentally sound, and more profitable business by being involved in ISRI."

As Sacco prepares to carry ReMA into the second decade of the new millennium, he's excited. "It's like before a big game," he says, recalling his football days. "I'm not scared; I'm just getting fired up. The heart's starting to pump. Let's get the game on." In particular, it's going to be "interesting and fun," he says, to lead the dozens of Type A individuals who constitute ReMA's committees, divisions, and board. With the support of his fellow national officers and the ReMA staff, success is assured, he says. "It's going to be great." •

Kent Kiser is publisher and editor-in-chief of Scrap.

.

March/April 2010

John's Journey

John Sacco has grown far beyond his small-town roots to achieve international business success. In May, he will mark his similar success as an association leader when he becomes ReMA's next national chair.

By Kent Kiser

Some people go their whole lives never knowing their career calling. John Sacco never had that problem. From a young age, he says, he had his eye set on a career in international business, just like his father. Sure enough, Sacco now serves as vice president of the Bakersfield, Calif.-based Sierra Recycling & Demolition, which buys, processes, and sells scrap domestically and internationally, and president of Sierra International Machinery, which sells scrap processing and handling equipment around the world.

Sacco says his father, Ben, determined his future—intentionally or not—by exposing him to the international business world throughout his childhood. Ben Sacco was an Italian immigrant to the United States who built several successful businesses from the ground up, first in the agricultural burlap bag trade, later in the scrap processing and recycling machinery niches. Ben traveled to Italy frequently for business and pleasure, and he brought his family along to expose them to their Italian heritage. John's first trip there was in 1968, when he was just 6 years old. He and his family spent three months in Italy on that trip, and they returned when John was 8 and 14, staying as long as six months at a time. Another crucial experience came right after Sacco graduated from high school, when he accompanied his father on a month-long, around-the-world business trip.

For the past 23 years, Sacco has followed these global aspirations to great success. Now he is on the brink of fulfilling a more recent ambition—that of becoming national chair of ISRI.

Taking Care of Business
At first glance, John Sacco may seem like an unlikely candidate for a career in international business. He was born and still lives in Bakersfield, Calif., which had a population of about 60,000 when he was a kid. "It was definitely small-town America," he recalls. "It was a great place to grow up."

As a youth, Sacco had a passion for sports, showing a talent for baseball, track, and football. "I was a good student, but I was definitely a good little athlete growing up," he says. He still recalls an eighth-grade track meet where he won the 220-yard sprint and came in second in the 100-yard dash. At Highland High School, he played wide receiver and safety on the varsity football team his junior and senior years. On the academic side, he liked math and speech. He still reveals his pride in winning the top honor in a school speech contest in eighth grade for an extemporaneous speech. "I didn't write a word down," he says. Recognizing his public speaking talents, the school called on him that same year to provide the commencement address for his eighth-grade class.

When he wasn't playing sports, Sacco loved to visit his father's business, which had stocks of burlap bags and scrap. One attraction, he admits, were the donuts. "I'd get in early with my dad and have my pick of the donuts," he says. "As a kid, that was a great incentive to go to work." He soon started helping out with small jobs around the yard. "The first piece of equipment I operated was a broom," he recalls. Gradually, he progressed to bigger equipment, such as the plant's balers. Today, Sacco finds it ironic that he sells balers through Sierra International Machinery.

After Sacco graduated from high school, he and his father embarked on their around-the-world business trip. From California, they headed eastward, stopping in New York so Ben could visit and introduce John to some friends in the scrap industry, including Hugo Neu, scion of international scrap operator Hugo Neu Corp., and various members of the Capasso family of Pascap Co. (Bronx, N.Y.). Sacco still considers these encounters with some of the "biggest players in the industry" as his "first real introduction to the scrap metal business."

Upon returning from his global voyage, Sacco headed off to college in the big city—Los Angeles—at the University of Southern California. Though he describes his college experience as "pure, unadulterated fun," he also kept business on his mind, graduating in 1987 with a B.S. in business marketing. He came out ready to get down to, well, business. "After I graduated, I knew it was time to go to work," he says. "I took two weeks' vacation and have been working ever since."

As Sacco considered his post-college options, there was a critical moment when he almost didn't pursue an international career in scrap. He thought his future could be in fast food, so he submitted an application to buy a McDonald's franchise. "I thought it was a no-brainer," he says. His father had other plans for him, however. One day he approached John with some brochures on Italian scrap processing equipment, all written in Italian. He looked at his son and said, "So, you took marketing in college?" John replied, "Yeah." Ben dropped the brochures in front of him and said, "Then market these machines."

"That's when my career officially began," Sacco says. In the intervening 23 years, he has more than proved his mettle, helping both the family's scrap business and its equipment enterprise grow into industry leaders. He has enjoyed having a foot in both the scrap and the equipment sides of the industry, noting that the two complement each other. His scrap recycling knowledge helps him understand the needs of other processors, which helps him sell equipment. Conversely, his equipment-related visits to scrap plants around the world give him new ideas to use in his family's scrap business back home.

Reviewing his career success thus far, Sacco points with pride to the great personal and professional relationships he had with his father until his death last year and he has with his brother Philip (president of Sierra Recycling & Demolition) to this day. Sacco is quick to credit his father for his business accomplishments, recounting his dad's advice to always honor your word. "That's it, that's all you've got," Sacco says. "If you lose that, you lose everything." He also recalls growing up hearing a lot of "little Italian sayings," such as the advice that loosely translates as, "Do good, and forget about it; do bad, and you must always look over your shoulder." Such sentiments helped Sacco forge his personal and professional value systems. "My philosophy is simple: Just do what you say you're going to do," he says. "Just treat people right."

Sacco's Story

Background: Born Feb. 3, 1962, in Bakersfield, Calif. Youngest of five children, with siblings Angela, Anthony, Laura, and Philip.

Education: Earned a B.S. in business marketing from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles).

Family: Married Monica Valpredo in 1995. Two children—Giovanna, 10, and Giancarlo, 7.

Association Highlights: National secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. Member of the executive committee. President of the Southwestern Chapter. Chair of the member services committee. Chair of the chapter presidents council.

Favorite Movies: Band of Brothers, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption.

Favorite Drinks: Cabernet sauvignon, an occasional gin and tonic, and—for a non-alcoholic drink—water with lemon.

Favorite Cuisine: Authentic Italian food. Also, I like to cook, and I make the best gooey ribs. My ribs are famous.

Favorite Places in the World: Chicago and Italy.

Favorite TV Shows: USC Trojans football games and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games.

Favorite Music: Classic rock.

My greatest personal achievement is…staying married through building a new house.

In my free time, I like to…spend time with my family.

Name something about you that would surprise people. I do yoga two or three times a week. Also, I'd consider running for a seat in the U.S. Congress, but I don't think I could last more than four years.

I'd like to improve my…Italian and Spanish.

If I didn't work in the scrap industry, I'd probably work…in professional sports management—baseball or football.

When my term as ReMA chair is over…I hope ReMA's membership and commodities will have grown during my term, making it a stronger trade association because it has more members in all the commodities.

A Leader Is Born
John Sacco also can thank his father for introducing him to scrap recycling's trade associations. While he was in college, his father brought him to an event in Los Angeles held by the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel, one of ReMA's predecessor associations. Ben Sacco's scrap company, Sierra Iron & Metal Co. (now Sierra Recycling & Demolition), had been an ISIS member virtually from its start in 1959.

That first association exposure piqued John's interest, but it wasn't until Sacco attended the 1989 ReMA convention at the Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles that he truly caught the association bug. There he saw Richard Abrams, ReMA's first elected chair, introduce former president Ronald Reagan as the keynote speaker. "I went, 'That is cool. That is something I want to do,'" Sacco says, not knowing how prescient his words were. This May, he will continue the ReMA leadership chain that Abrams began when he becomes the association's 12th chair.

Sacco's ascent up the ReMA leadership ladder did not begin in earnest until 1997. Sam Hummelstein, a Sierra International Machinery customer and head of ReMA's subcommittee on industry restructuring at the time, asked him to participate in the association's Decision 2000 strategic planning meeting in Dallas. At the event, Sacco enjoyed helping ReMA chart its future direction and meeting other industry leaders, including Joel Denbo (who would become ReMA chair for the 2004 to 2006 term).

Shortly thereafter, George Adams and David Williams—two fellow California recyclers and ReMA members—recruited Sacco to join the board of the association's Southwestern Chapter. When the chapter faced a void at the top of its leadership ranks, Sacco's scrap colleagues asked him to become the chapter's president for the 1999 to 2001 term. Unsure if he wanted to assume that responsibility, Sacco consulted his dad for advice. "He said, 'Yeah, absolutely, you want to be in on this. It will be a good experience,'" he recalls.

From then onward, Sacco continued to take on ReMA leadership roles, including chair of the chapter presidents council, chair of the member services committee, member of the national board of directors, and member of the executive committee during the administration of ReMA Chair Cricket Williams from 2002 to 2004. Then, in 2004, Sacco was nominated to run for ReMA secretary/treasurer, a national elected post. Once again, he asked his dad if he should take on the challenge. "My dad said, 'What, are you crazy? You get in with the big guys. They're the people who are in the know." Sacco accepted the nomination, ran unopposed, and assumed the post, marking the start of his climb as a national ReMA officer. "I was a bit nervous," he admits. "At that level, it gets more serious. I wondered if I really knew enough to be there."

Those fears proved unfounded, as Sacco showed his leadership abilities over the next six years as ReMA's national secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. His years of ReMA service have "just been phenomenal," he says. Despite the hard work involved, there always were equal measures of fun, not to mention the great learning experiences and invaluable networking opportunities with industry leaders. When asked if he has disliked anything about his ReMA tenure, Sacco only shakes his head and says, "Nothing."

Beyond acknowledging his father's advice and guidance—as well as the support of his brother Philip and wife, Monica—throughout his career, Sacco says he could never have reached his current association position without the assistance of many industry mentors. He recalls talking with Arnold Gachman, ReMA's chair from 1992 to 1994, at an ReMA convention and being impressed by his approachable manner. "I thought the leader of an association would be a stuffed shirt," Sacco says. "Arnie made the position personal and real."

Sacco also thanks Shelley Padnos, ReMA's chair from 1998 to 2000, for making him understand the serious responsibilities of being a chapter president; Cricket Williams for appointing him as an executive committee member; Joel Denbo, for showing him the ropes when he was national secretary/treasurer; Sam Hummelstein, for starting him on the ReMA leadership path; and all of his fellow national officers over the years, who remain good friends and role models.

Get the Game On
Sacco will take office as ReMA chair this May at a time of great economic uncertainty. The persistent "unknowns of the economy" represent serious potential challenges for ReMA and its members, he says. In such tough economic times, ReMA needs to work even harder at telling members about the benefits they receive for their dues dollars. "When you get down to the local level, a lot of people don't know what we're doing," Sacco says. "I'd like to get our average member to understand all the wonderful services that ReMA offers."

As chair, Sacco also wants to "grow each and every commodity area" within the association. "We're not just metals or paper—we encompass the entire recycling industry," he says. "I want more members in every category." By expanding its presence in all scrap niches, ReMA will more thoroughly represent the recycling part of its name and will have more potential candidates for leadership positions at all levels, he says. As part of his commodities push, Sacco would like to "further integrate all the commodities into all the chapters." He acknowledges the benefit of national commodity-focused ReMA chapters such as the Paper Stock Industries Chapter and the Scrap Tire Processors Chapter, but he would like to "see more of those folks integrated into their regional chapters as well," he says. "Their commodities may differ, but they use a lot of the same equipment and share many of the same issues in areas such as safety, personnel, and export."

In addition to continuing ReMA's fiscal responsibility and its focus on pressing issues such as materials theft, the industry's image, and transportation, Sacco has one other not-so-heavy goal during his two-year term as ReMA chair: "I want people to know that being involved in ReMA is fun," he says. He concedes that ReMA service is a time commitment away from work, but "what you learn at ReMA will only make your business better," he asserts. "You'll have a safer, more environmentally sound, and more profitable business by being involved in ISRI."

As Sacco prepares to carry ReMA into the second decade of the new millennium, he's excited. "It's like before a big game," he says, recalling his football days. "I'm not scared; I'm just getting fired up. The heart's starting to pump. Let's get the game on." In particular, it's going to be "interesting and fun," he says, to lead the dozens of Type A individuals who constitute ReMA's committees, divisions, and board. With the support of his fellow national officers and the ReMA staff, success is assured, he says. "It's going to be great." •

Kent Kiser is publisher and editor-in-chief of Scrap.

Sacco's Story

Background: Born Feb. 3, 1962, in Bakersfield, Calif. Youngest of five children, with siblings Angela, Anthony, Laura, and Philip.

Education: Earned a B.S. in business marketing from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles).

Family: Married Monica Valpredo in 1995. Two children—Giovanna, 10, and Giancarlo, 7.

Association Highlights: National secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. Member of the executive committee. President of the Southwestern Chapter. Chair of the member services committee. Chair of the chapter presidents council.

Favorite Movies: Band of Brothers, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption.

Favorite Drinks: Cabernet sauvignon, an occasional gin and tonic, and—for a non-alcoholic drink—water with lemon.

Favorite Cuisine: Authentic Italian food. Also, I like to cook, and I make the best gooey ribs. My ribs are famous.

Favorite Places in the World: Chicago and Italy.

Favorite TV Shows: USC Trojans football games and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games.

Favorite Music: Classic rock.

My greatest personal achievement is…staying married through building a new house.

In my free time, I like to…spend time with my family.

Name something about you that would surprise people. I do yoga two or three times a week. Also, I'd consider running for a seat in the U.S. Congress, but I don't think I could last more than four years.

I'd like to improve my…Italian and Spanish.

If I didn't work in the scrap industry, I'd probably work…in professional sports management—baseball or football.

When my term as ReMA chair is over…I hope ReMA's membership and commodities will have grown during my term, making it a stronger trade association because it has more members in all the commodities.

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March/April 2010

John's Journey

John Sacco has grown far beyond his small-town roots to achieve international business success. In May, he will mark his similar success as an association leader when he becomes ReMA's next national chair.

By Kent Kiser

Some people go their whole lives never knowing their career calling. John Sacco never had that problem. From a young age, he says, he had his eye set on a career in international business, just like his father. Sure enough, Sacco now serves as vice president of the Bakersfield, Calif.-based Sierra Recycling & Demolition, which buys, processes, and sells scrap domestically and internationally, and president of Sierra International Machinery, which sells scrap processing and handling equipment around the world.

Sacco says his father, Ben, determined his future—intentionally or not—by exposing him to the international business world throughout his childhood. Ben Sacco was an Italian immigrant to the United States who built several successful businesses from the ground up, first in the agricultural burlap bag trade, later in the scrap processing and recycling machinery niches. Ben traveled to Italy frequently for business and pleasure, and he brought his family along to expose them to their Italian heritage. John's first trip there was in 1968, when he was just 6 years old. He and his family spent three months in Italy on that trip, and they returned when John was 8 and 14, staying as long as six months at a time. Another crucial experience came right after Sacco graduated from high school, when he accompanied his father on a month-long, around-the-world business trip.

For the past 23 years, Sacco has followed these global aspirations to great success. Now he is on the brink of fulfilling a more recent ambition—that of becoming national chair of ISRI.

Taking Care of Business
At first glance, John Sacco may seem like an unlikely candidate for a career in international business. He was born and still lives in Bakersfield, Calif., which had a population of about 60,000 when he was a kid. "It was definitely small-town America," he recalls. "It was a great place to grow up."

As a youth, Sacco had a passion for sports, showing a talent for baseball, track, and football. "I was a good student, but I was definitely a good little athlete growing up," he says. He still recalls an eighth-grade track meet where he won the 220-yard sprint and came in second in the 100-yard dash. At Highland High School, he played wide receiver and safety on the varsity football team his junior and senior years. On the academic side, he liked math and speech. He still reveals his pride in winning the top honor in a school speech contest in eighth grade for an extemporaneous speech. "I didn't write a word down," he says. Recognizing his public speaking talents, the school called on him that same year to provide the commencement address for his eighth-grade class.

When he wasn't playing sports, Sacco loved to visit his father's business, which had stocks of burlap bags and scrap. One attraction, he admits, were the donuts. "I'd get in early with my dad and have my pick of the donuts," he says. "As a kid, that was a great incentive to go to work." He soon started helping out with small jobs around the yard. "The first piece of equipment I operated was a broom," he recalls. Gradually, he progressed to bigger equipment, such as the plant's balers. Today, Sacco finds it ironic that he sells balers through Sierra International Machinery.

After Sacco graduated from high school, he and his father embarked on their around-the-world business trip. From California, they headed eastward, stopping in New York so Ben could visit and introduce John to some friends in the scrap industry, including Hugo Neu, scion of international scrap operator Hugo Neu Corp., and various members of the Capasso family of Pascap Co. (Bronx, N.Y.). Sacco still considers these encounters with some of the "biggest players in the industry" as his "first real introduction to the scrap metal business."

Upon returning from his global voyage, Sacco headed off to college in the big city—Los Angeles—at the University of Southern California. Though he describes his college experience as "pure, unadulterated fun," he also kept business on his mind, graduating in 1987 with a B.S. in business marketing. He came out ready to get down to, well, business. "After I graduated, I knew it was time to go to work," he says. "I took two weeks' vacation and have been working ever since."

As Sacco considered his post-college options, there was a critical moment when he almost didn't pursue an international career in scrap. He thought his future could be in fast food, so he submitted an application to buy a McDonald's franchise. "I thought it was a no-brainer," he says. His father had other plans for him, however. One day he approached John with some brochures on Italian scrap processing equipment, all written in Italian. He looked at his son and said, "So, you took marketing in college?" John replied, "Yeah." Ben dropped the brochures in front of him and said, "Then market these machines."

"That's when my career officially began," Sacco says. In the intervening 23 years, he has more than proved his mettle, helping both the family's scrap business and its equipment enterprise grow into industry leaders. He has enjoyed having a foot in both the scrap and the equipment sides of the industry, noting that the two complement each other. His scrap recycling knowledge helps him understand the needs of other processors, which helps him sell equipment. Conversely, his equipment-related visits to scrap plants around the world give him new ideas to use in his family's scrap business back home.

Reviewing his career success thus far, Sacco points with pride to the great personal and professional relationships he had with his father until his death last year and he has with his brother Philip (president of Sierra Recycling & Demolition) to this day. Sacco is quick to credit his father for his business accomplishments, recounting his dad's advice to always honor your word. "That's it, that's all you've got," Sacco says. "If you lose that, you lose everything." He also recalls growing up hearing a lot of "little Italian sayings," such as the advice that loosely translates as, "Do good, and forget about it; do bad, and you must always look over your shoulder." Such sentiments helped Sacco forge his personal and professional value systems. "My philosophy is simple: Just do what you say you're going to do," he says. "Just treat people right."

Sacco's Story Background: Born Feb. 3, 1962, in Bakersfield, Calif. Youngest of five children, with siblings Angela, Anthony, Laura, and Philip. Education: Earned a B.S. in business marketing from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles). Family: Married Monica Valpredo in 1995. Two children—Giovanna, 10, and Giancarlo, 7. Association Highlights: National secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. Member of the executive committee. President of the Southwestern Chapter. Chair of the member services committee. Chair of the chapter presidents council. Favorite Movies: Band of Brothers, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption. Favorite Drinks: Cabernet sauvignon, an occasional gin and tonic, and—for a non-alcoholic drink—water with lemon. Favorite Cuisine: Authentic Italian food. Also, I like to cook, and I make the best gooey ribs. My ribs are famous. Favorite Places in the World: Chicago and Italy. Favorite TV Shows: USC Trojans football games and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games. Favorite Music: Classic rock. My greatest personal achievement is staying married through building a new house. In my free time, I like to spend time with my family. Name something about you that would surprise people. I do yoga two or three times a week. Also, I'd consider running for a seat in the U.S. Congress, but I don't think I could last more than four years. I'd like to improve my Italian and Spanish. If I didn't work in the scrap industry, I'd probably work in professional sports management—baseball or football. When my term as ReMA chair is over I hope ReMA's membership and commodities will have grown during my term, making it a stronger trade association because it has more members in all the commodities.

A Leader Is Born
John Sacco also can thank his father for introducing him to scrap recycling's trade associations. While he was in college, his father brought him to an event in Los Angeles held by the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel, one of ReMA's predecessor associations. Ben Sacco's scrap company, Sierra Iron & Metal Co. (now Sierra Recycling & Demolition), had been an ISIS member virtually from its start in 1959.

That first association exposure piqued John's interest, but it wasn't until Sacco attended the 1989 ReMA convention at the Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles that he truly caught the association bug. There he saw Richard Abrams, ReMA's first elected chair, introduce former president Ronald Reagan as the keynote speaker. "I went, 'That is cool. That is something I want to do,'" Sacco says, not knowing how prescient his words were. This May, he will continue the ReMA leadership chain that Abrams began when he becomes the association's 12th chair.

Sacco's ascent up the ReMA leadership ladder did not begin in earnest until 1997. Sam Hummelstein, a Sierra International Machinery customer and head of ReMA's subcommittee on industry restructuring at the time, asked him to participate in the association's Decision 2000 strategic planning meeting in Dallas. At the event, Sacco enjoyed helping ReMA chart its future direction and meeting other industry leaders, including Joel Denbo (who would become ReMA chair for the 2004 to 2006 term).

Shortly thereafter, George Adams and David Williams—two fellow California recyclers and ReMA members—recruited Sacco to join the board of the association's Southwestern Chapter. When the chapter faced a void at the top of its leadership ranks, Sacco's scrap colleagues asked him to become the chapter's president for the 1999 to 2001 term. Unsure if he wanted to assume that responsibility, Sacco consulted his dad for advice. "He said, 'Yeah, absolutely, you want to be in on this. It will be a good experience,'" he recalls.

From then onward, Sacco continued to take on ReMA leadership roles, including chair of the chapter presidents council, chair of the member services committee, member of the national board of directors, and member of the executive committee during the administration of ReMA Chair Cricket Williams from 2002 to 2004. Then, in 2004, Sacco was nominated to run for ReMA secretary/treasurer, a national elected post. Once again, he asked his dad if he should take on the challenge. "My dad said, 'What, are you crazy? You get in with the big guys. They're the people who are in the know." Sacco accepted the nomination, ran unopposed, and assumed the post, marking the start of his climb as a national ReMA officer. "I was a bit nervous," he admits. "At that level, it gets more serious. I wondered if I really knew enough to be there."

Those fears proved unfounded, as Sacco showed his leadership abilities over the next six years as ReMA's national secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. His years of ReMA service have "just been phenomenal," he says. Despite the hard work involved, there always were equal measures of fun, not to mention the great learning experiences and invaluable networking opportunities with industry leaders. When asked if he has disliked anything about his ReMA tenure, Sacco only shakes his head and says, "Nothing."

Beyond acknowledging his father's advice and guidance—as well as the support of his brother Philip and wife, Monica—throughout his career, Sacco says he could never have reached his current association position without the assistance of many industry mentors. He recalls talking with Arnold Gachman, ReMA's chair from 1992 to 1994, at an ReMA convention and being impressed by his approachable manner. "I thought the leader of an association would be a stuffed shirt," Sacco says. "Arnie made the position personal and real."

Sacco also thanks Shelley Padnos, ReMA's chair from 1998 to 2000, for making him understand the serious responsibilities of being a chapter president; Cricket Williams for appointing him as an executive committee member; Joel Denbo, for showing him the ropes when he was national secretary/treasurer; Sam Hummelstein, for starting him on the ReMA leadership path; and all of his fellow national officers over the years, who remain good friends and role models.

Get the Game On
Sacco will take office as ReMA chair this May at a time of great economic uncertainty. The persistent "unknowns of the economy" represent serious potential challenges for ReMA and its members, he says. In such tough economic times, ReMA needs to work even harder at telling members about the benefits they receive for their dues dollars. "When you get down to the local level, a lot of people don't know what we're doing," Sacco says. "I'd like to get our average member to understand all the wonderful services that ReMA offers."

As chair, Sacco also wants to "grow each and every commodity area" within the association. "We're not just metals or paper—we encompass the entire recycling industry," he says. "I want more members in every category." By expanding its presence in all scrap niches, ReMA will more thoroughly represent the recycling part of its name and will have more potential candidates for leadership positions at all levels, he says. As part of his commodities push, Sacco would like to "further integrate all the commodities into all the chapters." He acknowledges the benefit of national commodity-focused ReMA chapters such as the Paper Stock Industries Chapter and the Scrap Tire Processors Chapter, but he would like to "see more of those folks integrated into their regional chapters as well," he says. "Their commodities may differ, but they use a lot of the same equipment and share many of the same issues in areas such as safety, personnel, and export."

In addition to continuing ReMA's fiscal responsibility and its focus on pressing issues such as materials theft, the industry's image, and transportation, Sacco has one other not-so-heavy goal during his two-year term as ReMA chair: "I want people to know that being involved in ReMA is fun," he says. He concedes that ReMA service is a time commitment away from work, but "what you learn at ReMA will only make your business better," he asserts. "You'll have a safer, more environmentally sound, and more profitable business by being involved in ISRI."

As Sacco prepares to carry ReMA into the second decade of the new millennium, he's excited. "It's like before a big game," he says, recalling his football days. "I'm not scared; I'm just getting fired up. The heart's starting to pump. Let's get the game on." In particular, it's going to be "interesting and fun," he says, to lead the dozens of Type A individuals who constitute ReMA's committees, divisions, and board. With the support of his fellow national officers and the ReMA staff, success is assured, he says. "It's going to be great." •

Kent Kiser is publisher and editor-in-chief of Scrap.

.

March/April 2010

John's Journey

John Sacco has grown far beyond his small-town roots to achieve international business success. In May, he will mark his similar success as an association leader when he becomes ReMA's next national chair.

By Kent Kiser

Some people go their whole lives never knowing their career calling. John Sacco never had that problem. From a young age, he says, he had his eye set on a career in international business, just like his father. Sure enough, Sacco now serves as vice president of the Bakersfield, Calif.-based Sierra Recycling & Demolition, which buys, processes, and sells scrap domestically and internationally, and president of Sierra International Machinery, which sells scrap processing and handling equipment around the world.

Sacco says his father, Ben, determined his future—intentionally or not—by exposing him to the international business world throughout his childhood. Ben Sacco was an Italian immigrant to the United States who built several successful businesses from the ground up, first in the agricultural burlap bag trade, later in the scrap processing and recycling machinery niches. Ben traveled to Italy frequently for business and pleasure, and he brought his family along to expose them to their Italian heritage. John's first trip there was in 1968, when he was just 6 years old. He and his family spent three months in Italy on that trip, and they returned when John was 8 and 14, staying as long as six months at a time. Another crucial experience came right after Sacco graduated from high school, when he accompanied his father on a month-long, around-the-world business trip.

For the past 23 years, Sacco has followed these global aspirations to great success. Now he is on the brink of fulfilling a more recent ambition—that of becoming national chair of ISRI.

Taking Care of Business
At first glance, John Sacco may seem like an unlikely candidate for a career in international business. He was born and still lives in Bakersfield, Calif., which had a population of about 60,000 when he was a kid. "It was definitely small-town America," he recalls. "It was a great place to grow up."

As a youth, Sacco had a passion for sports, showing a talent for baseball, track, and football. "I was a good student, but I was definitely a good little athlete growing up," he says. He still recalls an eighth-grade track meet where he won the 220-yard sprint and came in second in the 100-yard dash. At Highland High School, he played wide receiver and safety on the varsity football team his junior and senior years. On the academic side, he liked math and speech. He still reveals his pride in winning the top honor in a school speech contest in eighth grade for an extemporaneous speech. "I didn't write a word down," he says. Recognizing his public speaking talents, the school called on him that same year to provide the commencement address for his eighth-grade class.

When he wasn't playing sports, Sacco loved to visit his father's business, which had stocks of burlap bags and scrap. One attraction, he admits, were the donuts. "I'd get in early with my dad and have my pick of the donuts," he says. "As a kid, that was a great incentive to go to work." He soon started helping out with small jobs around the yard. "The first piece of equipment I operated was a broom," he recalls. Gradually, he progressed to bigger equipment, such as the plant's balers. Today, Sacco finds it ironic that he sells balers through Sierra International Machinery.

After Sacco graduated from high school, he and his father embarked on their around-the-world business trip. From California, they headed eastward, stopping in New York so Ben could visit and introduce John to some friends in the scrap industry, including Hugo Neu, scion of international scrap operator Hugo Neu Corp., and various members of the Capasso family of Pascap Co. (Bronx, N.Y.). Sacco still considers these encounters with some of the "biggest players in the industry" as his "first real introduction to the scrap metal business."

Upon returning from his global voyage, Sacco headed off to college in the big city—Los Angeles—at the University of Southern California. Though he describes his college experience as "pure, unadulterated fun," he also kept business on his mind, graduating in 1987 with a B.S. in business marketing. He came out ready to get down to, well, business. "After I graduated, I knew it was time to go to work," he says. "I took two weeks' vacation and have been working ever since."

As Sacco considered his post-college options, there was a critical moment when he almost didn't pursue an international career in scrap. He thought his future could be in fast food, so he submitted an application to buy a McDonald's franchise. "I thought it was a no-brainer," he says. His father had other plans for him, however. One day he approached John with some brochures on Italian scrap processing equipment, all written in Italian. He looked at his son and said, "So, you took marketing in college?" John replied, "Yeah." Ben dropped the brochures in front of him and said, "Then market these machines."

"That's when my career officially began," Sacco says. In the intervening 23 years, he has more than proved his mettle, helping both the family's scrap business and its equipment enterprise grow into industry leaders. He has enjoyed having a foot in both the scrap and the equipment sides of the industry, noting that the two complement each other. His scrap recycling knowledge helps him understand the needs of other processors, which helps him sell equipment. Conversely, his equipment-related visits to scrap plants around the world give him new ideas to use in his family's scrap business back home.

Reviewing his career success thus far, Sacco points with pride to the great personal and professional relationships he had with his father until his death last year and he has with his brother Philip (president of Sierra Recycling & Demolition) to this day. Sacco is quick to credit his father for his business accomplishments, recounting his dad's advice to always honor your word. "That's it, that's all you've got," Sacco says. "If you lose that, you lose everything." He also recalls growing up hearing a lot of "little Italian sayings," such as the advice that loosely translates as, "Do good, and forget about it; do bad, and you must always look over your shoulder." Such sentiments helped Sacco forge his personal and professional value systems. "My philosophy is simple: Just do what you say you're going to do," he says. "Just treat people right."

Sacco's Story

Background: Born Feb. 3, 1962, in Bakersfield, Calif. Youngest of five children, with siblings Angela, Anthony, Laura, and Philip.

Education: Earned a B.S. in business marketing from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles).

Family: Married Monica Valpredo in 1995. Two children—Giovanna, 10, and Giancarlo, 7.

Association Highlights: National secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. Member of the executive committee. President of the Southwestern Chapter. Chair of the member services committee. Chair of the chapter presidents council.

Favorite Movies: Band of Brothers, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption.

Favorite Drinks: Cabernet sauvignon, an occasional gin and tonic, and—for a non-alcoholic drink—water with lemon.

Favorite Cuisine: Authentic Italian food. Also, I like to cook, and I make the best gooey ribs. My ribs are famous.

Favorite Places in the World: Chicago and Italy.

Favorite TV Shows: USC Trojans football games and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games.

Favorite Music: Classic rock.

My greatest personal achievement is…staying married through building a new house.

In my free time, I like to…spend time with my family.

Name something about you that would surprise people. I do yoga two or three times a week. Also, I'd consider running for a seat in the U.S. Congress, but I don't think I could last more than four years.

I'd like to improve my…Italian and Spanish.

If I didn't work in the scrap industry, I'd probably work…in professional sports management—baseball or football.

When my term as ReMA chair is over…I hope ReMA's membership and commodities will have grown during my term, making it a stronger trade association because it has more members in all the commodities.

A Leader Is Born
John Sacco also can thank his father for introducing him to scrap recycling's trade associations. While he was in college, his father brought him to an event in Los Angeles held by the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel, one of ReMA's predecessor associations. Ben Sacco's scrap company, Sierra Iron & Metal Co. (now Sierra Recycling & Demolition), had been an ISIS member virtually from its start in 1959.

That first association exposure piqued John's interest, but it wasn't until Sacco attended the 1989 ReMA convention at the Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles that he truly caught the association bug. There he saw Richard Abrams, ReMA's first elected chair, introduce former president Ronald Reagan as the keynote speaker. "I went, 'That is cool. That is something I want to do,'" Sacco says, not knowing how prescient his words were. This May, he will continue the ReMA leadership chain that Abrams began when he becomes the association's 12th chair.

Sacco's ascent up the ReMA leadership ladder did not begin in earnest until 1997. Sam Hummelstein, a Sierra International Machinery customer and head of ReMA's subcommittee on industry restructuring at the time, asked him to participate in the association's Decision 2000 strategic planning meeting in Dallas. At the event, Sacco enjoyed helping ReMA chart its future direction and meeting other industry leaders, including Joel Denbo (who would become ReMA chair for the 2004 to 2006 term).

Shortly thereafter, George Adams and David Williams—two fellow California recyclers and ReMA members—recruited Sacco to join the board of the association's Southwestern Chapter. When the chapter faced a void at the top of its leadership ranks, Sacco's scrap colleagues asked him to become the chapter's president for the 1999 to 2001 term. Unsure if he wanted to assume that responsibility, Sacco consulted his dad for advice. "He said, 'Yeah, absolutely, you want to be in on this. It will be a good experience,'" he recalls.

From then onward, Sacco continued to take on ReMA leadership roles, including chair of the chapter presidents council, chair of the member services committee, member of the national board of directors, and member of the executive committee during the administration of ReMA Chair Cricket Williams from 2002 to 2004. Then, in 2004, Sacco was nominated to run for ReMA secretary/treasurer, a national elected post. Once again, he asked his dad if he should take on the challenge. "My dad said, 'What, are you crazy? You get in with the big guys. They're the people who are in the know." Sacco accepted the nomination, ran unopposed, and assumed the post, marking the start of his climb as a national ReMA officer. "I was a bit nervous," he admits. "At that level, it gets more serious. I wondered if I really knew enough to be there."

Those fears proved unfounded, as Sacco showed his leadership abilities over the next six years as ReMA's national secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. His years of ReMA service have "just been phenomenal," he says. Despite the hard work involved, there always were equal measures of fun, not to mention the great learning experiences and invaluable networking opportunities with industry leaders. When asked if he has disliked anything about his ReMA tenure, Sacco only shakes his head and says, "Nothing."

Beyond acknowledging his father's advice and guidance—as well as the support of his brother Philip and wife, Monica—throughout his career, Sacco says he could never have reached his current association position without the assistance of many industry mentors. He recalls talking with Arnold Gachman, ReMA's chair from 1992 to 1994, at an ReMA convention and being impressed by his approachable manner. "I thought the leader of an association would be a stuffed shirt," Sacco says. "Arnie made the position personal and real."

Sacco also thanks Shelley Padnos, ReMA's chair from 1998 to 2000, for making him understand the serious responsibilities of being a chapter president; Cricket Williams for appointing him as an executive committee member; Joel Denbo, for showing him the ropes when he was national secretary/treasurer; Sam Hummelstein, for starting him on the ReMA leadership path; and all of his fellow national officers over the years, who remain good friends and role models.

Get the Game On
Sacco will take office as ReMA chair this May at a time of great economic uncertainty. The persistent "unknowns of the economy" represent serious potential challenges for ReMA and its members, he says. In such tough economic times, ReMA needs to work even harder at telling members about the benefits they receive for their dues dollars. "When you get down to the local level, a lot of people don't know what we're doing," Sacco says. "I'd like to get our average member to understand all the wonderful services that ReMA offers."

As chair, Sacco also wants to "grow each and every commodity area" within the association. "We're not just metals or paper—we encompass the entire recycling industry," he says. "I want more members in every category." By expanding its presence in all scrap niches, ReMA will more thoroughly represent the recycling part of its name and will have more potential candidates for leadership positions at all levels, he says. As part of his commodities push, Sacco would like to "further integrate all the commodities into all the chapters." He acknowledges the benefit of national commodity-focused ReMA chapters such as the Paper Stock Industries Chapter and the Scrap Tire Processors Chapter, but he would like to "see more of those folks integrated into their regional chapters as well," he says. "Their commodities may differ, but they use a lot of the same equipment and share many of the same issues in areas such as safety, personnel, and export."

In addition to continuing ReMA's fiscal responsibility and its focus on pressing issues such as materials theft, the industry's image, and transportation, Sacco has one other not-so-heavy goal during his two-year term as ReMA chair: "I want people to know that being involved in ReMA is fun," he says. He concedes that ReMA service is a time commitment away from work, but "what you learn at ReMA will only make your business better," he asserts. "You'll have a safer, more environmentally sound, and more profitable business by being involved in ISRI."

As Sacco prepares to carry ReMA into the second decade of the new millennium, he's excited. "It's like before a big game," he says, recalling his football days. "I'm not scared; I'm just getting fired up. The heart's starting to pump. Let's get the game on." In particular, it's going to be "interesting and fun," he says, to lead the dozens of Type A individuals who constitute ReMA's committees, divisions, and board. With the support of his fellow national officers and the ReMA staff, success is assured, he says. "It's going to be great." •

Kent Kiser is publisher and editor-in-chief of Scrap.

Sacco's Story

Background: Born Feb. 3, 1962, in Bakersfield, Calif. Youngest of five children, with siblings Angela, Anthony, Laura, and Philip.

Education: Earned a B.S. in business marketing from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles).

Family: Married Monica Valpredo in 1995. Two children—Giovanna, 10, and Giancarlo, 7.

Association Highlights: National secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. Member of the executive committee. President of the Southwestern Chapter. Chair of the member services committee. Chair of the chapter presidents council.

Favorite Movies: Band of Brothers, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption.

Favorite Drinks: Cabernet sauvignon, an occasional gin and tonic, and—for a non-alcoholic drink—water with lemon.

Favorite Cuisine: Authentic Italian food. Also, I like to cook, and I make the best gooey ribs. My ribs are famous.

Favorite Places in the World: Chicago and Italy.

Favorite TV Shows: USC Trojans football games and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games.

Favorite Music: Classic rock.

My greatest personal achievement is…staying married through building a new house.

In my free time, I like to…spend time with my family.

Name something about you that would surprise people. I do yoga two or three times a week. Also, I'd consider running for a seat in the U.S. Congress, but I don't think I could last more than four years.

I'd like to improve my…Italian and Spanish.

If I didn't work in the scrap industry, I'd probably work…in professional sports management—baseball or football.

When my term as ReMA chair is over…I hope ReMA's membership and commodities will have grown during my term, making it a stronger trade association because it has more members in all the commodities.

Print This Article

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March/April 2010

John's Journey

John Sacco has grown far beyond his small-town roots to achieve international business success. In May, he will mark his similar success as an association leader when he becomes ReMA's next national chair.

By Kent Kiser

Some people go their whole lives never knowing their career calling. John Sacco never had that problem. From a young age, he says, he had his eye set on a career in international business, just like his father. Sure enough, Sacco now serves as vice president of the Bakersfield, Calif.-based Sierra Recycling & Demolition, which buys, processes, and sells scrap domestically and internationally, and president of Sierra International Machinery, which sells scrap processing and handling equipment around the world.

Sacco says his father, Ben, determined his future—intentionally or not—by exposing him to the international business world throughout his childhood. Ben Sacco was an Italian immigrant to the United States who built several successful businesses from the ground up, first in the agricultural burlap bag trade, later in the scrap processing and recycling machinery niches. Ben traveled to Italy frequently for business and pleasure, and he brought his family along to expose them to their Italian heritage. John's first trip there was in 1968, when he was just 6 years old. He and his family spent three months in Italy on that trip, and they returned when John was 8 and 14, staying as long as six months at a time. Another crucial experience came right after Sacco graduated from high school, when he accompanied his father on a month-long, around-the-world business trip.

For the past 23 years, Sacco has followed these global aspirations to great success. Now he is on the brink of fulfilling a more recent ambition—that of becoming national chair of ISRI.

Taking Care of Business
At first glance, John Sacco may seem like an unlikely candidate for a career in international business. He was born and still lives in Bakersfield, Calif., which had a population of about 60,000 when he was a kid. "It was definitely small-town America," he recalls. "It was a great place to grow up."

As a youth, Sacco had a passion for sports, showing a talent for baseball, track, and football. "I was a good student, but I was definitely a good little athlete growing up," he says. He still recalls an eighth-grade track meet where he won the 220-yard sprint and came in second in the 100-yard dash. At Highland High School, he played wide receiver and safety on the varsity football team his junior and senior years. On the academic side, he liked math and speech. He still reveals his pride in winning the top honor in a school speech contest in eighth grade for an extemporaneous speech. "I didn't write a word down," he says. Recognizing his public speaking talents, the school called on him that same year to provide the commencement address for his eighth-grade class.

When he wasn't playing sports, Sacco loved to visit his father's business, which had stocks of burlap bags and scrap. One attraction, he admits, were the donuts. "I'd get in early with my dad and have my pick of the donuts," he says. "As a kid, that was a great incentive to go to work." He soon started helping out with small jobs around the yard. "The first piece of equipment I operated was a broom," he recalls. Gradually, he progressed to bigger equipment, such as the plant's balers. Today, Sacco finds it ironic that he sells balers through Sierra International Machinery.

After Sacco graduated from high school, he and his father embarked on their around-the-world business trip. From California, they headed eastward, stopping in New York so Ben could visit and introduce John to some friends in the scrap industry, including Hugo Neu, scion of international scrap operator Hugo Neu Corp., and various members of the Capasso family of Pascap Co. (Bronx, N.Y.). Sacco still considers these encounters with some of the "biggest players in the industry" as his "first real introduction to the scrap metal business."

Upon returning from his global voyage, Sacco headed off to college in the big city—Los Angeles—at the University of Southern California. Though he describes his college experience as "pure, unadulterated fun," he also kept business on his mind, graduating in 1987 with a B.S. in business marketing. He came out ready to get down to, well, business. "After I graduated, I knew it was time to go to work," he says. "I took two weeks' vacation and have been working ever since."

As Sacco considered his post-college options, there was a critical moment when he almost didn't pursue an international career in scrap. He thought his future could be in fast food, so he submitted an application to buy a McDonald's franchise. "I thought it was a no-brainer," he says. His father had other plans for him, however. One day he approached John with some brochures on Italian scrap processing equipment, all written in Italian. He looked at his son and said, "So, you took marketing in college?" John replied, "Yeah." Ben dropped the brochures in front of him and said, "Then market these machines."

"That's when my career officially began," Sacco says. In the intervening 23 years, he has more than proved his mettle, helping both the family's scrap business and its equipment enterprise grow into industry leaders. He has enjoyed having a foot in both the scrap and the equipment sides of the industry, noting that the two complement each other. His scrap recycling knowledge helps him understand the needs of other processors, which helps him sell equipment. Conversely, his equipment-related visits to scrap plants around the world give him new ideas to use in his family's scrap business back home.

Reviewing his career success thus far, Sacco points with pride to the great personal and professional relationships he had with his father until his death last year and he has with his brother Philip (president of Sierra Recycling & Demolition) to this day. Sacco is quick to credit his father for his business accomplishments, recounting his dad's advice to always honor your word. "That's it, that's all you've got," Sacco says. "If you lose that, you lose everything." He also recalls growing up hearing a lot of "little Italian sayings," such as the advice that loosely translates as, "Do good, and forget about it; do bad, and you must always look over your shoulder." Such sentiments helped Sacco forge his personal and professional value systems. "My philosophy is simple: Just do what you say you're going to do," he says. "Just treat people right."

Sacco's Story Background: Born Feb. 3, 1962, in Bakersfield, Calif. Youngest of five children, with siblings Angela, Anthony, Laura, and Philip. Education: Earned a B.S. in business marketing from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles). Family: Married Monica Valpredo in 1995. Two children—Giovanna, 10, and Giancarlo, 7. Association Highlights: National secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. Member of the executive committee. President of the Southwestern Chapter. Chair of the member services committee. Chair of the chapter presidents council. Favorite Movies: Band of Brothers, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption. Favorite Drinks: Cabernet sauvignon, an occasional gin and tonic, and—for a non-alcoholic drink—water with lemon. Favorite Cuisine: Authentic Italian food. Also, I like to cook, and I make the best gooey ribs. My ribs are famous. Favorite Places in the World: Chicago and Italy. Favorite TV Shows: USC Trojans football games and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games. Favorite Music: Classic rock. My greatest personal achievement is staying married through building a new house. In my free time, I like to spend time with my family. Name something about you that would surprise people. I do yoga two or three times a week. Also, I'd consider running for a seat in the U.S. Congress, but I don't think I could last more than four years. I'd like to improve my Italian and Spanish. If I didn't work in the scrap industry, I'd probably work in professional sports management—baseball or football. When my term as ReMA chair is over I hope ReMA's membership and commodities will have grown during my term, making it a stronger trade association because it has more members in all the commodities.

A Leader Is Born
John Sacco also can thank his father for introducing him to scrap recycling's trade associations. While he was in college, his father brought him to an event in Los Angeles held by the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel, one of ReMA's predecessor associations. Ben Sacco's scrap company, Sierra Iron & Metal Co. (now Sierra Recycling & Demolition), had been an ISIS member virtually from its start in 1959.

That first association exposure piqued John's interest, but it wasn't until Sacco attended the 1989 ReMA convention at the Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles that he truly caught the association bug. There he saw Richard Abrams, ReMA's first elected chair, introduce former president Ronald Reagan as the keynote speaker. "I went, 'That is cool. That is something I want to do,'" Sacco says, not knowing how prescient his words were. This May, he will continue the ReMA leadership chain that Abrams began when he becomes the association's 12th chair.

Sacco's ascent up the ReMA leadership ladder did not begin in earnest until 1997. Sam Hummelstein, a Sierra International Machinery customer and head of ReMA's subcommittee on industry restructuring at the time, asked him to participate in the association's Decision 2000 strategic planning meeting in Dallas. At the event, Sacco enjoyed helping ReMA chart its future direction and meeting other industry leaders, including Joel Denbo (who would become ReMA chair for the 2004 to 2006 term).

Shortly thereafter, George Adams and David Williams—two fellow California recyclers and ReMA members—recruited Sacco to join the board of the association's Southwestern Chapter. When the chapter faced a void at the top of its leadership ranks, Sacco's scrap colleagues asked him to become the chapter's president for the 1999 to 2001 term. Unsure if he wanted to assume that responsibility, Sacco consulted his dad for advice. "He said, 'Yeah, absolutely, you want to be in on this. It will be a good experience,'" he recalls.

From then onward, Sacco continued to take on ReMA leadership roles, including chair of the chapter presidents council, chair of the member services committee, member of the national board of directors, and member of the executive committee during the administration of ReMA Chair Cricket Williams from 2002 to 2004. Then, in 2004, Sacco was nominated to run for ReMA secretary/treasurer, a national elected post. Once again, he asked his dad if he should take on the challenge. "My dad said, 'What, are you crazy? You get in with the big guys. They're the people who are in the know." Sacco accepted the nomination, ran unopposed, and assumed the post, marking the start of his climb as a national ReMA officer. "I was a bit nervous," he admits. "At that level, it gets more serious. I wondered if I really knew enough to be there."

Those fears proved unfounded, as Sacco showed his leadership abilities over the next six years as ReMA's national secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. His years of ReMA service have "just been phenomenal," he says. Despite the hard work involved, there always were equal measures of fun, not to mention the great learning experiences and invaluable networking opportunities with industry leaders. When asked if he has disliked anything about his ReMA tenure, Sacco only shakes his head and says, "Nothing."

Beyond acknowledging his father's advice and guidance—as well as the support of his brother Philip and wife, Monica—throughout his career, Sacco says he could never have reached his current association position without the assistance of many industry mentors. He recalls talking with Arnold Gachman, ReMA's chair from 1992 to 1994, at an ReMA convention and being impressed by his approachable manner. "I thought the leader of an association would be a stuffed shirt," Sacco says. "Arnie made the position personal and real."

Sacco also thanks Shelley Padnos, ReMA's chair from 1998 to 2000, for making him understand the serious responsibilities of being a chapter president; Cricket Williams for appointing him as an executive committee member; Joel Denbo, for showing him the ropes when he was national secretary/treasurer; Sam Hummelstein, for starting him on the ReMA leadership path; and all of his fellow national officers over the years, who remain good friends and role models.

Get the Game On
Sacco will take office as ReMA chair this May at a time of great economic uncertainty. The persistent "unknowns of the economy" represent serious potential challenges for ReMA and its members, he says. In such tough economic times, ReMA needs to work even harder at telling members about the benefits they receive for their dues dollars. "When you get down to the local level, a lot of people don't know what we're doing," Sacco says. "I'd like to get our average member to understand all the wonderful services that ReMA offers."

As chair, Sacco also wants to "grow each and every commodity area" within the association. "We're not just metals or paper—we encompass the entire recycling industry," he says. "I want more members in every category." By expanding its presence in all scrap niches, ReMA will more thoroughly represent the recycling part of its name and will have more potential candidates for leadership positions at all levels, he says. As part of his commodities push, Sacco would like to "further integrate all the commodities into all the chapters." He acknowledges the benefit of national commodity-focused ReMA chapters such as the Paper Stock Industries Chapter and the Scrap Tire Processors Chapter, but he would like to "see more of those folks integrated into their regional chapters as well," he says. "Their commodities may differ, but they use a lot of the same equipment and share many of the same issues in areas such as safety, personnel, and export."

In addition to continuing ReMA's fiscal responsibility and its focus on pressing issues such as materials theft, the industry's image, and transportation, Sacco has one other not-so-heavy goal during his two-year term as ReMA chair: "I want people to know that being involved in ReMA is fun," he says. He concedes that ReMA service is a time commitment away from work, but "what you learn at ReMA will only make your business better," he asserts. "You'll have a safer, more environmentally sound, and more profitable business by being involved in ISRI."

As Sacco prepares to carry ReMA into the second decade of the new millennium, he's excited. "It's like before a big game," he says, recalling his football days. "I'm not scared; I'm just getting fired up. The heart's starting to pump. Let's get the game on." In particular, it's going to be "interesting and fun," he says, to lead the dozens of Type A individuals who constitute ReMA's committees, divisions, and board. With the support of his fellow national officers and the ReMA staff, success is assured, he says. "It's going to be great." •

Kent Kiser is publisher and editor-in-chief of Scrap.

.

March/April 2010

John's Journey

John Sacco has grown far beyond his small-town roots to achieve international business success. In May, he will mark his similar success as an association leader when he becomes ReMA's next national chair.

By Kent Kiser

Some people go their whole lives never knowing their career calling. John Sacco never had that problem. From a young age, he says, he had his eye set on a career in international business, just like his father. Sure enough, Sacco now serves as vice president of the Bakersfield, Calif.-based Sierra Recycling & Demolition, which buys, processes, and sells scrap domestically and internationally, and president of Sierra International Machinery, which sells scrap processing and handling equipment around the world.

Sacco says his father, Ben, determined his future—intentionally or not—by exposing him to the international business world throughout his childhood. Ben Sacco was an Italian immigrant to the United States who built several successful businesses from the ground up, first in the agricultural burlap bag trade, later in the scrap processing and recycling machinery niches. Ben traveled to Italy frequently for business and pleasure, and he brought his family along to expose them to their Italian heritage. John's first trip there was in 1968, when he was just 6 years old. He and his family spent three months in Italy on that trip, and they returned when John was 8 and 14, staying as long as six months at a time. Another crucial experience came right after Sacco graduated from high school, when he accompanied his father on a month-long, around-the-world business trip.

For the past 23 years, Sacco has followed these global aspirations to great success. Now he is on the brink of fulfilling a more recent ambition—that of becoming national chair of ISRI.

Taking Care of Business
At first glance, John Sacco may seem like an unlikely candidate for a career in international business. He was born and still lives in Bakersfield, Calif., which had a population of about 60,000 when he was a kid. "It was definitely small-town America," he recalls. "It was a great place to grow up."

As a youth, Sacco had a passion for sports, showing a talent for baseball, track, and football. "I was a good student, but I was definitely a good little athlete growing up," he says. He still recalls an eighth-grade track meet where he won the 220-yard sprint and came in second in the 100-yard dash. At Highland High School, he played wide receiver and safety on the varsity football team his junior and senior years. On the academic side, he liked math and speech. He still reveals his pride in winning the top honor in a school speech contest in eighth grade for an extemporaneous speech. "I didn't write a word down," he says. Recognizing his public speaking talents, the school called on him that same year to provide the commencement address for his eighth-grade class.

When he wasn't playing sports, Sacco loved to visit his father's business, which had stocks of burlap bags and scrap. One attraction, he admits, were the donuts. "I'd get in early with my dad and have my pick of the donuts," he says. "As a kid, that was a great incentive to go to work." He soon started helping out with small jobs around the yard. "The first piece of equipment I operated was a broom," he recalls. Gradually, he progressed to bigger equipment, such as the plant's balers. Today, Sacco finds it ironic that he sells balers through Sierra International Machinery.

After Sacco graduated from high school, he and his father embarked on their around-the-world business trip. From California, they headed eastward, stopping in New York so Ben could visit and introduce John to some friends in the scrap industry, including Hugo Neu, scion of international scrap operator Hugo Neu Corp., and various members of the Capasso family of Pascap Co. (Bronx, N.Y.). Sacco still considers these encounters with some of the "biggest players in the industry" as his "first real introduction to the scrap metal business."

Upon returning from his global voyage, Sacco headed off to college in the big city—Los Angeles—at the University of Southern California. Though he describes his college experience as "pure, unadulterated fun," he also kept business on his mind, graduating in 1987 with a B.S. in business marketing. He came out ready to get down to, well, business. "After I graduated, I knew it was time to go to work," he says. "I took two weeks' vacation and have been working ever since."

As Sacco considered his post-college options, there was a critical moment when he almost didn't pursue an international career in scrap. He thought his future could be in fast food, so he submitted an application to buy a McDonald's franchise. "I thought it was a no-brainer," he says. His father had other plans for him, however. One day he approached John with some brochures on Italian scrap processing equipment, all written in Italian. He looked at his son and said, "So, you took marketing in college?" John replied, "Yeah." Ben dropped the brochures in front of him and said, "Then market these machines."

"That's when my career officially began," Sacco says. In the intervening 23 years, he has more than proved his mettle, helping both the family's scrap business and its equipment enterprise grow into industry leaders. He has enjoyed having a foot in both the scrap and the equipment sides of the industry, noting that the two complement each other. His scrap recycling knowledge helps him understand the needs of other processors, which helps him sell equipment. Conversely, his equipment-related visits to scrap plants around the world give him new ideas to use in his family's scrap business back home.

Reviewing his career success thus far, Sacco points with pride to the great personal and professional relationships he had with his father until his death last year and he has with his brother Philip (president of Sierra Recycling & Demolition) to this day. Sacco is quick to credit his father for his business accomplishments, recounting his dad's advice to always honor your word. "That's it, that's all you've got," Sacco says. "If you lose that, you lose everything." He also recalls growing up hearing a lot of "little Italian sayings," such as the advice that loosely translates as, "Do good, and forget about it; do bad, and you must always look over your shoulder." Such sentiments helped Sacco forge his personal and professional value systems. "My philosophy is simple: Just do what you say you're going to do," he says. "Just treat people right."

Sacco's Story

Background: Born Feb. 3, 1962, in Bakersfield, Calif. Youngest of five children, with siblings Angela, Anthony, Laura, and Philip.

Education: Earned a B.S. in business marketing from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles).

Family: Married Monica Valpredo in 1995. Two children—Giovanna, 10, and Giancarlo, 7.

Association Highlights: National secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. Member of the executive committee. President of the Southwestern Chapter. Chair of the member services committee. Chair of the chapter presidents council.

Favorite Movies: Band of Brothers, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption.

Favorite Drinks: Cabernet sauvignon, an occasional gin and tonic, and—for a non-alcoholic drink—water with lemon.

Favorite Cuisine: Authentic Italian food. Also, I like to cook, and I make the best gooey ribs. My ribs are famous.

Favorite Places in the World: Chicago and Italy.

Favorite TV Shows: USC Trojans football games and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games.

Favorite Music: Classic rock.

My greatest personal achievement is…staying married through building a new house.

In my free time, I like to…spend time with my family.

Name something about you that would surprise people. I do yoga two or three times a week. Also, I'd consider running for a seat in the U.S. Congress, but I don't think I could last more than four years.

I'd like to improve my…Italian and Spanish.

If I didn't work in the scrap industry, I'd probably work…in professional sports management—baseball or football.

When my term as ReMA chair is over…I hope ReMA's membership and commodities will have grown during my term, making it a stronger trade association because it has more members in all the commodities.

A Leader Is Born
John Sacco also can thank his father for introducing him to scrap recycling's trade associations. While he was in college, his father brought him to an event in Los Angeles held by the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel, one of ReMA's predecessor associations. Ben Sacco's scrap company, Sierra Iron & Metal Co. (now Sierra Recycling & Demolition), had been an ISIS member virtually from its start in 1959.

That first association exposure piqued John's interest, but it wasn't until Sacco attended the 1989 ReMA convention at the Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles that he truly caught the association bug. There he saw Richard Abrams, ReMA's first elected chair, introduce former president Ronald Reagan as the keynote speaker. "I went, 'That is cool. That is something I want to do,'" Sacco says, not knowing how prescient his words were. This May, he will continue the ReMA leadership chain that Abrams began when he becomes the association's 12th chair.

Sacco's ascent up the ReMA leadership ladder did not begin in earnest until 1997. Sam Hummelstein, a Sierra International Machinery customer and head of ReMA's subcommittee on industry restructuring at the time, asked him to participate in the association's Decision 2000 strategic planning meeting in Dallas. At the event, Sacco enjoyed helping ReMA chart its future direction and meeting other industry leaders, including Joel Denbo (who would become ReMA chair for the 2004 to 2006 term).

Shortly thereafter, George Adams and David Williams—two fellow California recyclers and ReMA members—recruited Sacco to join the board of the association's Southwestern Chapter. When the chapter faced a void at the top of its leadership ranks, Sacco's scrap colleagues asked him to become the chapter's president for the 1999 to 2001 term. Unsure if he wanted to assume that responsibility, Sacco consulted his dad for advice. "He said, 'Yeah, absolutely, you want to be in on this. It will be a good experience,'" he recalls.

From then onward, Sacco continued to take on ReMA leadership roles, including chair of the chapter presidents council, chair of the member services committee, member of the national board of directors, and member of the executive committee during the administration of ReMA Chair Cricket Williams from 2002 to 2004. Then, in 2004, Sacco was nominated to run for ReMA secretary/treasurer, a national elected post. Once again, he asked his dad if he should take on the challenge. "My dad said, 'What, are you crazy? You get in with the big guys. They're the people who are in the know." Sacco accepted the nomination, ran unopposed, and assumed the post, marking the start of his climb as a national ReMA officer. "I was a bit nervous," he admits. "At that level, it gets more serious. I wondered if I really knew enough to be there."

Those fears proved unfounded, as Sacco showed his leadership abilities over the next six years as ReMA's national secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. His years of ReMA service have "just been phenomenal," he says. Despite the hard work involved, there always were equal measures of fun, not to mention the great learning experiences and invaluable networking opportunities with industry leaders. When asked if he has disliked anything about his ReMA tenure, Sacco only shakes his head and says, "Nothing."

Beyond acknowledging his father's advice and guidance—as well as the support of his brother Philip and wife, Monica—throughout his career, Sacco says he could never have reached his current association position without the assistance of many industry mentors. He recalls talking with Arnold Gachman, ReMA's chair from 1992 to 1994, at an ReMA convention and being impressed by his approachable manner. "I thought the leader of an association would be a stuffed shirt," Sacco says. "Arnie made the position personal and real."

Sacco also thanks Shelley Padnos, ReMA's chair from 1998 to 2000, for making him understand the serious responsibilities of being a chapter president; Cricket Williams for appointing him as an executive committee member; Joel Denbo, for showing him the ropes when he was national secretary/treasurer; Sam Hummelstein, for starting him on the ReMA leadership path; and all of his fellow national officers over the years, who remain good friends and role models.

Get the Game On
Sacco will take office as ReMA chair this May at a time of great economic uncertainty. The persistent "unknowns of the economy" represent serious potential challenges for ReMA and its members, he says. In such tough economic times, ReMA needs to work even harder at telling members about the benefits they receive for their dues dollars. "When you get down to the local level, a lot of people don't know what we're doing," Sacco says. "I'd like to get our average member to understand all the wonderful services that ReMA offers."

As chair, Sacco also wants to "grow each and every commodity area" within the association. "We're not just metals or paper—we encompass the entire recycling industry," he says. "I want more members in every category." By expanding its presence in all scrap niches, ReMA will more thoroughly represent the recycling part of its name and will have more potential candidates for leadership positions at all levels, he says. As part of his commodities push, Sacco would like to "further integrate all the commodities into all the chapters." He acknowledges the benefit of national commodity-focused ReMA chapters such as the Paper Stock Industries Chapter and the Scrap Tire Processors Chapter, but he would like to "see more of those folks integrated into their regional chapters as well," he says. "Their commodities may differ, but they use a lot of the same equipment and share many of the same issues in areas such as safety, personnel, and export."

In addition to continuing ReMA's fiscal responsibility and its focus on pressing issues such as materials theft, the industry's image, and transportation, Sacco has one other not-so-heavy goal during his two-year term as ReMA chair: "I want people to know that being involved in ReMA is fun," he says. He concedes that ReMA service is a time commitment away from work, but "what you learn at ReMA will only make your business better," he asserts. "You'll have a safer, more environmentally sound, and more profitable business by being involved in ISRI."

As Sacco prepares to carry ReMA into the second decade of the new millennium, he's excited. "It's like before a big game," he says, recalling his football days. "I'm not scared; I'm just getting fired up. The heart's starting to pump. Let's get the game on." In particular, it's going to be "interesting and fun," he says, to lead the dozens of Type A individuals who constitute ReMA's committees, divisions, and board. With the support of his fellow national officers and the ReMA staff, success is assured, he says. "It's going to be great." •

Kent Kiser is publisher and editor-in-chief of Scrap.

Sacco's Story

Background: Born Feb. 3, 1962, in Bakersfield, Calif. Youngest of five children, with siblings Angela, Anthony, Laura, and Philip.

Education: Earned a B.S. in business marketing from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles).

Family: Married Monica Valpredo in 1995. Two children—Giovanna, 10, and Giancarlo, 7.

Association Highlights: National secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. Member of the executive committee. President of the Southwestern Chapter. Chair of the member services committee. Chair of the chapter presidents council.

Favorite Movies: Band of Brothers, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption.

Favorite Drinks: Cabernet sauvignon, an occasional gin and tonic, and—for a non-alcoholic drink—water with lemon.

Favorite Cuisine: Authentic Italian food. Also, I like to cook, and I make the best gooey ribs. My ribs are famous.

Favorite Places in the World: Chicago and Italy.

Favorite TV Shows: USC Trojans football games and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games.

Favorite Music: Classic rock.

My greatest personal achievement is…staying married through building a new house.

In my free time, I like to…spend time with my family.

Name something about you that would surprise people. I do yoga two or three times a week. Also, I'd consider running for a seat in the U.S. Congress, but I don't think I could last more than four years.

I'd like to improve my…Italian and Spanish.

If I didn't work in the scrap industry, I'd probably work…in professional sports management—baseball or football.

When my term as ReMA chair is over…I hope ReMA's membership and commodities will have grown during my term, making it a stronger trade association because it has more members in all the commodities.

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March/April 2010

John's Journey

John Sacco has grown far beyond his small-town roots to achieve international business success. In May, he will mark his similar success as an association leader when he becomes ReMA's next national chair.

By Kent Kiser

Some people go their whole lives never knowing their career calling. John Sacco never had that problem. From a young age, he says, he had his eye set on a career in international business, just like his father. Sure enough, Sacco now serves as vice president of the Bakersfield, Calif.-based Sierra Recycling & Demolition, which buys, processes, and sells scrap domestically and internationally, and president of Sierra International Machinery, which sells scrap processing and handling equipment around the world.

Sacco says his father, Ben, determined his future—intentionally or not—by exposing him to the international business world throughout his childhood. Ben Sacco was an Italian immigrant to the United States who built several successful businesses from the ground up, first in the agricultural burlap bag trade, later in the scrap processing and recycling machinery niches. Ben traveled to Italy frequently for business and pleasure, and he brought his family along to expose them to their Italian heritage. John's first trip there was in 1968, when he was just 6 years old. He and his family spent three months in Italy on that trip, and they returned when John was 8 and 14, staying as long as six months at a time. Another crucial experience came right after Sacco graduated from high school, when he accompanied his father on a month-long, around-the-world business trip.

For the past 23 years, Sacco has followed these global aspirations to great success. Now he is on the brink of fulfilling a more recent ambition—that of becoming national chair of ISRI.

Taking Care of Business
At first glance, John Sacco may seem like an unlikely candidate for a career in international business. He was born and still lives in Bakersfield, Calif., which had a population of about 60,000 when he was a kid. "It was definitely small-town America," he recalls. "It was a great place to grow up."

As a youth, Sacco had a passion for sports, showing a talent for baseball, track, and football. "I was a good student, but I was definitely a good little athlete growing up," he says. He still recalls an eighth-grade track meet where he won the 220-yard sprint and came in second in the 100-yard dash. At Highland High School, he played wide receiver and safety on the varsity football team his junior and senior years. On the academic side, he liked math and speech. He still reveals his pride in winning the top honor in a school speech contest in eighth grade for an extemporaneous speech. "I didn't write a word down," he says. Recognizing his public speaking talents, the school called on him that same year to provide the commencement address for his eighth-grade class.

When he wasn't playing sports, Sacco loved to visit his father's business, which had stocks of burlap bags and scrap. One attraction, he admits, were the donuts. "I'd get in early with my dad and have my pick of the donuts," he says. "As a kid, that was a great incentive to go to work." He soon started helping out with small jobs around the yard. "The first piece of equipment I operated was a broom," he recalls. Gradually, he progressed to bigger equipment, such as the plant's balers. Today, Sacco finds it ironic that he sells balers through Sierra International Machinery.

After Sacco graduated from high school, he and his father embarked on their around-the-world business trip. From California, they headed eastward, stopping in New York so Ben could visit and introduce John to some friends in the scrap industry, including Hugo Neu, scion of international scrap operator Hugo Neu Corp., and various members of the Capasso family of Pascap Co. (Bronx, N.Y.). Sacco still considers these encounters with some of the "biggest players in the industry" as his "first real introduction to the scrap metal business."

Upon returning from his global voyage, Sacco headed off to college in the big city—Los Angeles—at the University of Southern California. Though he describes his college experience as "pure, unadulterated fun," he also kept business on his mind, graduating in 1987 with a B.S. in business marketing. He came out ready to get down to, well, business. "After I graduated, I knew it was time to go to work," he says. "I took two weeks' vacation and have been working ever since."

As Sacco considered his post-college options, there was a critical moment when he almost didn't pursue an international career in scrap. He thought his future could be in fast food, so he submitted an application to buy a McDonald's franchise. "I thought it was a no-brainer," he says. His father had other plans for him, however. One day he approached John with some brochures on Italian scrap processing equipment, all written in Italian. He looked at his son and said, "So, you took marketing in college?" John replied, "Yeah." Ben dropped the brochures in front of him and said, "Then market these machines."

"That's when my career officially began," Sacco says. In the intervening 23 years, he has more than proved his mettle, helping both the family's scrap business and its equipment enterprise grow into industry leaders. He has enjoyed having a foot in both the scrap and the equipment sides of the industry, noting that the two complement each other. His scrap recycling knowledge helps him understand the needs of other processors, which helps him sell equipment. Conversely, his equipment-related visits to scrap plants around the world give him new ideas to use in his family's scrap business back home.

Reviewing his career success thus far, Sacco points with pride to the great personal and professional relationships he had with his father until his death last year and he has with his brother Philip (president of Sierra Recycling & Demolition) to this day. Sacco is quick to credit his father for his business accomplishments, recounting his dad's advice to always honor your word. "That's it, that's all you've got," Sacco says. "If you lose that, you lose everything." He also recalls growing up hearing a lot of "little Italian sayings," such as the advice that loosely translates as, "Do good, and forget about it; do bad, and you must always look over your shoulder." Such sentiments helped Sacco forge his personal and professional value systems. "My philosophy is simple: Just do what you say you're going to do," he says. "Just treat people right."

Sacco's Story Background: Born Feb. 3, 1962, in Bakersfield, Calif. Youngest of five children, with siblings Angela, Anthony, Laura, and Philip. Education: Earned a B.S. in business marketing from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles). Family: Married Monica Valpredo in 1995. Two children—Giovanna, 10, and Giancarlo, 7. Association Highlights: National secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. Member of the executive committee. President of the Southwestern Chapter. Chair of the member services committee. Chair of the chapter presidents council. Favorite Movies: Band of Brothers, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption. Favorite Drinks: Cabernet sauvignon, an occasional gin and tonic, and—for a non-alcoholic drink—water with lemon. Favorite Cuisine: Authentic Italian food. Also, I like to cook, and I make the best gooey ribs. My ribs are famous. Favorite Places in the World: Chicago and Italy. Favorite TV Shows: USC Trojans football games and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games. Favorite Music: Classic rock. My greatest personal achievement is staying married through building a new house. In my free time, I like to spend time with my family. Name something about you that would surprise people. I do yoga two or three times a week. Also, I'd consider running for a seat in the U.S. Congress, but I don't think I could last more than four years. I'd like to improve my Italian and Spanish. If I didn't work in the scrap industry, I'd probably work in professional sports management—baseball or football. When my term as ReMA chair is over I hope ReMA's membership and commodities will have grown during my term, making it a stronger trade association because it has more members in all the commodities.

A Leader Is Born
John Sacco also can thank his father for introducing him to scrap recycling's trade associations. While he was in college, his father brought him to an event in Los Angeles held by the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel, one of ReMA's predecessor associations. Ben Sacco's scrap company, Sierra Iron & Metal Co. (now Sierra Recycling & Demolition), had been an ISIS member virtually from its start in 1959.

That first association exposure piqued John's interest, but it wasn't until Sacco attended the 1989 ReMA convention at the Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles that he truly caught the association bug. There he saw Richard Abrams, ReMA's first elected chair, introduce former president Ronald Reagan as the keynote speaker. "I went, 'That is cool. That is something I want to do,'" Sacco says, not knowing how prescient his words were. This May, he will continue the ReMA leadership chain that Abrams began when he becomes the association's 12th chair.

Sacco's ascent up the ReMA leadership ladder did not begin in earnest until 1997. Sam Hummelstein, a Sierra International Machinery customer and head of ReMA's subcommittee on industry restructuring at the time, asked him to participate in the association's Decision 2000 strategic planning meeting in Dallas. At the event, Sacco enjoyed helping ReMA chart its future direction and meeting other industry leaders, including Joel Denbo (who would become ReMA chair for the 2004 to 2006 term).

Shortly thereafter, George Adams and David Williams—two fellow California recyclers and ReMA members—recruited Sacco to join the board of the association's Southwestern Chapter. When the chapter faced a void at the top of its leadership ranks, Sacco's scrap colleagues asked him to become the chapter's president for the 1999 to 2001 term. Unsure if he wanted to assume that responsibility, Sacco consulted his dad for advice. "He said, 'Yeah, absolutely, you want to be in on this. It will be a good experience,'" he recalls.

From then onward, Sacco continued to take on ReMA leadership roles, including chair of the chapter presidents council, chair of the member services committee, member of the national board of directors, and member of the executive committee during the administration of ReMA Chair Cricket Williams from 2002 to 2004. Then, in 2004, Sacco was nominated to run for ReMA secretary/treasurer, a national elected post. Once again, he asked his dad if he should take on the challenge. "My dad said, 'What, are you crazy? You get in with the big guys. They're the people who are in the know." Sacco accepted the nomination, ran unopposed, and assumed the post, marking the start of his climb as a national ReMA officer. "I was a bit nervous," he admits. "At that level, it gets more serious. I wondered if I really knew enough to be there."

Those fears proved unfounded, as Sacco showed his leadership abilities over the next six years as ReMA's national secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. His years of ReMA service have "just been phenomenal," he says. Despite the hard work involved, there always were equal measures of fun, not to mention the great learning experiences and invaluable networking opportunities with industry leaders. When asked if he has disliked anything about his ReMA tenure, Sacco only shakes his head and says, "Nothing."

Beyond acknowledging his father's advice and guidance—as well as the support of his brother Philip and wife, Monica—throughout his career, Sacco says he could never have reached his current association position without the assistance of many industry mentors. He recalls talking with Arnold Gachman, ReMA's chair from 1992 to 1994, at an ReMA convention and being impressed by his approachable manner. "I thought the leader of an association would be a stuffed shirt," Sacco says. "Arnie made the position personal and real."

Sacco also thanks Shelley Padnos, ReMA's chair from 1998 to 2000, for making him understand the serious responsibilities of being a chapter president; Cricket Williams for appointing him as an executive committee member; Joel Denbo, for showing him the ropes when he was national secretary/treasurer; Sam Hummelstein, for starting him on the ReMA leadership path; and all of his fellow national officers over the years, who remain good friends and role models.

Get the Game On
Sacco will take office as ReMA chair this May at a time of great economic uncertainty. The persistent "unknowns of the economy" represent serious potential challenges for ReMA and its members, he says. In such tough economic times, ReMA needs to work even harder at telling members about the benefits they receive for their dues dollars. "When you get down to the local level, a lot of people don't know what we're doing," Sacco says. "I'd like to get our average member to understand all the wonderful services that ReMA offers."

As chair, Sacco also wants to "grow each and every commodity area" within the association. "We're not just metals or paper—we encompass the entire recycling industry," he says. "I want more members in every category." By expanding its presence in all scrap niches, ReMA will more thoroughly represent the recycling part of its name and will have more potential candidates for leadership positions at all levels, he says. As part of his commodities push, Sacco would like to "further integrate all the commodities into all the chapters." He acknowledges the benefit of national commodity-focused ReMA chapters such as the Paper Stock Industries Chapter and the Scrap Tire Processors Chapter, but he would like to "see more of those folks integrated into their regional chapters as well," he says. "Their commodities may differ, but they use a lot of the same equipment and share many of the same issues in areas such as safety, personnel, and export."

In addition to continuing ReMA's fiscal responsibility and its focus on pressing issues such as materials theft, the industry's image, and transportation, Sacco has one other not-so-heavy goal during his two-year term as ReMA chair: "I want people to know that being involved in ReMA is fun," he says. He concedes that ReMA service is a time commitment away from work, but "what you learn at ReMA will only make your business better," he asserts. "You'll have a safer, more environmentally sound, and more profitable business by being involved in ISRI."

As Sacco prepares to carry ReMA into the second decade of the new millennium, he's excited. "It's like before a big game," he says, recalling his football days. "I'm not scared; I'm just getting fired up. The heart's starting to pump. Let's get the game on." In particular, it's going to be "interesting and fun," he says, to lead the dozens of Type A individuals who constitute ReMA's committees, divisions, and board. With the support of his fellow national officers and the ReMA staff, success is assured, he says. "It's going to be great." •

Kent Kiser is publisher and editor-in-chief of Scrap.

.

March/April 2010

John's Journey

John Sacco has grown far beyond his small-town roots to achieve international business success. In May, he will mark his similar success as an association leader when he becomes ReMA's next national chair.

By Kent Kiser

Some people go their whole lives never knowing their career calling. John Sacco never had that problem. From a young age, he says, he had his eye set on a career in international business, just like his father. Sure enough, Sacco now serves as vice president of the Bakersfield, Calif.-based Sierra Recycling & Demolition, which buys, processes, and sells scrap domestically and internationally, and president of Sierra International Machinery, which sells scrap processing and handling equipment around the world.

Sacco says his father, Ben, determined his future—intentionally or not—by exposing him to the international business world throughout his childhood. Ben Sacco was an Italian immigrant to the United States who built several successful businesses from the ground up, first in the agricultural burlap bag trade, later in the scrap processing and recycling machinery niches. Ben traveled to Italy frequently for business and pleasure, and he brought his family along to expose them to their Italian heritage. John's first trip there was in 1968, when he was just 6 years old. He and his family spent three months in Italy on that trip, and they returned when John was 8 and 14, staying as long as six months at a time. Another crucial experience came right after Sacco graduated from high school, when he accompanied his father on a month-long, around-the-world business trip.

For the past 23 years, Sacco has followed these global aspirations to great success. Now he is on the brink of fulfilling a more recent ambition—that of becoming national chair of ISRI.

Taking Care of Business
At first glance, John Sacco may seem like an unlikely candidate for a career in international business. He was born and still lives in Bakersfield, Calif., which had a population of about 60,000 when he was a kid. "It was definitely small-town America," he recalls. "It was a great place to grow up."

As a youth, Sacco had a passion for sports, showing a talent for baseball, track, and football. "I was a good student, but I was definitely a good little athlete growing up," he says. He still recalls an eighth-grade track meet where he won the 220-yard sprint and came in second in the 100-yard dash. At Highland High School, he played wide receiver and safety on the varsity football team his junior and senior years. On the academic side, he liked math and speech. He still reveals his pride in winning the top honor in a school speech contest in eighth grade for an extemporaneous speech. "I didn't write a word down," he says. Recognizing his public speaking talents, the school called on him that same year to provide the commencement address for his eighth-grade class.

When he wasn't playing sports, Sacco loved to visit his father's business, which had stocks of burlap bags and scrap. One attraction, he admits, were the donuts. "I'd get in early with my dad and have my pick of the donuts," he says. "As a kid, that was a great incentive to go to work." He soon started helping out with small jobs around the yard. "The first piece of equipment I operated was a broom," he recalls. Gradually, he progressed to bigger equipment, such as the plant's balers. Today, Sacco finds it ironic that he sells balers through Sierra International Machinery.

After Sacco graduated from high school, he and his father embarked on their around-the-world business trip. From California, they headed eastward, stopping in New York so Ben could visit and introduce John to some friends in the scrap industry, including Hugo Neu, scion of international scrap operator Hugo Neu Corp., and various members of the Capasso family of Pascap Co. (Bronx, N.Y.). Sacco still considers these encounters with some of the "biggest players in the industry" as his "first real introduction to the scrap metal business."

Upon returning from his global voyage, Sacco headed off to college in the big city—Los Angeles—at the University of Southern California. Though he describes his college experience as "pure, unadulterated fun," he also kept business on his mind, graduating in 1987 with a B.S. in business marketing. He came out ready to get down to, well, business. "After I graduated, I knew it was time to go to work," he says. "I took two weeks' vacation and have been working ever since."

As Sacco considered his post-college options, there was a critical moment when he almost didn't pursue an international career in scrap. He thought his future could be in fast food, so he submitted an application to buy a McDonald's franchise. "I thought it was a no-brainer," he says. His father had other plans for him, however. One day he approached John with some brochures on Italian scrap processing equipment, all written in Italian. He looked at his son and said, "So, you took marketing in college?" John replied, "Yeah." Ben dropped the brochures in front of him and said, "Then market these machines."

"That's when my career officially began," Sacco says. In the intervening 23 years, he has more than proved his mettle, helping both the family's scrap business and its equipment enterprise grow into industry leaders. He has enjoyed having a foot in both the scrap and the equipment sides of the industry, noting that the two complement each other. His scrap recycling knowledge helps him understand the needs of other processors, which helps him sell equipment. Conversely, his equipment-related visits to scrap plants around the world give him new ideas to use in his family's scrap business back home.

Reviewing his career success thus far, Sacco points with pride to the great personal and professional relationships he had with his father until his death last year and he has with his brother Philip (president of Sierra Recycling & Demolition) to this day. Sacco is quick to credit his father for his business accomplishments, recounting his dad's advice to always honor your word. "That's it, that's all you've got," Sacco says. "If you lose that, you lose everything." He also recalls growing up hearing a lot of "little Italian sayings," such as the advice that loosely translates as, "Do good, and forget about it; do bad, and you must always look over your shoulder." Such sentiments helped Sacco forge his personal and professional value systems. "My philosophy is simple: Just do what you say you're going to do," he says. "Just treat people right."

Sacco's Story

Background: Born Feb. 3, 1962, in Bakersfield, Calif. Youngest of five children, with siblings Angela, Anthony, Laura, and Philip.

Education: Earned a B.S. in business marketing from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles).

Family: Married Monica Valpredo in 1995. Two children—Giovanna, 10, and Giancarlo, 7.

Association Highlights: National secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. Member of the executive committee. President of the Southwestern Chapter. Chair of the member services committee. Chair of the chapter presidents council.

Favorite Movies: Band of Brothers, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption.

Favorite Drinks: Cabernet sauvignon, an occasional gin and tonic, and—for a non-alcoholic drink—water with lemon.

Favorite Cuisine: Authentic Italian food. Also, I like to cook, and I make the best gooey ribs. My ribs are famous.

Favorite Places in the World: Chicago and Italy.

Favorite TV Shows: USC Trojans football games and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games.

Favorite Music: Classic rock.

My greatest personal achievement is…staying married through building a new house.

In my free time, I like to…spend time with my family.

Name something about you that would surprise people. I do yoga two or three times a week. Also, I'd consider running for a seat in the U.S. Congress, but I don't think I could last more than four years.

I'd like to improve my…Italian and Spanish.

If I didn't work in the scrap industry, I'd probably work…in professional sports management—baseball or football.

When my term as ReMA chair is over…I hope ReMA's membership and commodities will have grown during my term, making it a stronger trade association because it has more members in all the commodities.

A Leader Is Born
John Sacco also can thank his father for introducing him to scrap recycling's trade associations. While he was in college, his father brought him to an event in Los Angeles held by the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel, one of ReMA's predecessor associations. Ben Sacco's scrap company, Sierra Iron & Metal Co. (now Sierra Recycling & Demolition), had been an ISIS member virtually from its start in 1959.

That first association exposure piqued John's interest, but it wasn't until Sacco attended the 1989 ReMA convention at the Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles that he truly caught the association bug. There he saw Richard Abrams, ReMA's first elected chair, introduce former president Ronald Reagan as the keynote speaker. "I went, 'That is cool. That is something I want to do,'" Sacco says, not knowing how prescient his words were. This May, he will continue the ReMA leadership chain that Abrams began when he becomes the association's 12th chair.

Sacco's ascent up the ReMA leadership ladder did not begin in earnest until 1997. Sam Hummelstein, a Sierra International Machinery customer and head of ReMA's subcommittee on industry restructuring at the time, asked him to participate in the association's Decision 2000 strategic planning meeting in Dallas. At the event, Sacco enjoyed helping ReMA chart its future direction and meeting other industry leaders, including Joel Denbo (who would become ReMA chair for the 2004 to 2006 term).

Shortly thereafter, George Adams and David Williams—two fellow California recyclers and ReMA members—recruited Sacco to join the board of the association's Southwestern Chapter. When the chapter faced a void at the top of its leadership ranks, Sacco's scrap colleagues asked him to become the chapter's president for the 1999 to 2001 term. Unsure if he wanted to assume that responsibility, Sacco consulted his dad for advice. "He said, 'Yeah, absolutely, you want to be in on this. It will be a good experience,'" he recalls.

From then onward, Sacco continued to take on ReMA leadership roles, including chair of the chapter presidents council, chair of the member services committee, member of the national board of directors, and member of the executive committee during the administration of ReMA Chair Cricket Williams from 2002 to 2004. Then, in 2004, Sacco was nominated to run for ReMA secretary/treasurer, a national elected post. Once again, he asked his dad if he should take on the challenge. "My dad said, 'What, are you crazy? You get in with the big guys. They're the people who are in the know." Sacco accepted the nomination, ran unopposed, and assumed the post, marking the start of his climb as a national ReMA officer. "I was a bit nervous," he admits. "At that level, it gets more serious. I wondered if I really knew enough to be there."

Those fears proved unfounded, as Sacco showed his leadership abilities over the next six years as ReMA's national secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. His years of ReMA service have "just been phenomenal," he says. Despite the hard work involved, there always were equal measures of fun, not to mention the great learning experiences and invaluable networking opportunities with industry leaders. When asked if he has disliked anything about his ReMA tenure, Sacco only shakes his head and says, "Nothing."

Beyond acknowledging his father's advice and guidance—as well as the support of his brother Philip and wife, Monica—throughout his career, Sacco says he could never have reached his current association position without the assistance of many industry mentors. He recalls talking with Arnold Gachman, ReMA's chair from 1992 to 1994, at an ReMA convention and being impressed by his approachable manner. "I thought the leader of an association would be a stuffed shirt," Sacco says. "Arnie made the position personal and real."

Sacco also thanks Shelley Padnos, ReMA's chair from 1998 to 2000, for making him understand the serious responsibilities of being a chapter president; Cricket Williams for appointing him as an executive committee member; Joel Denbo, for showing him the ropes when he was national secretary/treasurer; Sam Hummelstein, for starting him on the ReMA leadership path; and all of his fellow national officers over the years, who remain good friends and role models.

Get the Game On
Sacco will take office as ReMA chair this May at a time of great economic uncertainty. The persistent "unknowns of the economy" represent serious potential challenges for ReMA and its members, he says. In such tough economic times, ReMA needs to work even harder at telling members about the benefits they receive for their dues dollars. "When you get down to the local level, a lot of people don't know what we're doing," Sacco says. "I'd like to get our average member to understand all the wonderful services that ReMA offers."

As chair, Sacco also wants to "grow each and every commodity area" within the association. "We're not just metals or paper—we encompass the entire recycling industry," he says. "I want more members in every category." By expanding its presence in all scrap niches, ReMA will more thoroughly represent the recycling part of its name and will have more potential candidates for leadership positions at all levels, he says. As part of his commodities push, Sacco would like to "further integrate all the commodities into all the chapters." He acknowledges the benefit of national commodity-focused ReMA chapters such as the Paper Stock Industries Chapter and the Scrap Tire Processors Chapter, but he would like to "see more of those folks integrated into their regional chapters as well," he says. "Their commodities may differ, but they use a lot of the same equipment and share many of the same issues in areas such as safety, personnel, and export."

In addition to continuing ReMA's fiscal responsibility and its focus on pressing issues such as materials theft, the industry's image, and transportation, Sacco has one other not-so-heavy goal during his two-year term as ReMA chair: "I want people to know that being involved in ReMA is fun," he says. He concedes that ReMA service is a time commitment away from work, but "what you learn at ReMA will only make your business better," he asserts. "You'll have a safer, more environmentally sound, and more profitable business by being involved in ISRI."

As Sacco prepares to carry ReMA into the second decade of the new millennium, he's excited. "It's like before a big game," he says, recalling his football days. "I'm not scared; I'm just getting fired up. The heart's starting to pump. Let's get the game on." In particular, it's going to be "interesting and fun," he says, to lead the dozens of Type A individuals who constitute ReMA's committees, divisions, and board. With the support of his fellow national officers and the ReMA staff, success is assured, he says. "It's going to be great." •

Kent Kiser is publisher and editor-in-chief of Scrap.

Sacco's Story

Background: Born Feb. 3, 1962, in Bakersfield, Calif. Youngest of five children, with siblings Angela, Anthony, Laura, and Philip.

Education: Earned a B.S. in business marketing from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles).

Family: Married Monica Valpredo in 1995. Two children—Giovanna, 10, and Giancarlo, 7.

Association Highlights: National secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect. Member of the executive committee. President of the Southwestern Chapter. Chair of the member services committee. Chair of the chapter presidents council.

Favorite Movies: Band of Brothers, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption.

Favorite Drinks: Cabernet sauvignon, an occasional gin and tonic, and—for a non-alcoholic drink—water with lemon.

Favorite Cuisine: Authentic Italian food. Also, I like to cook, and I make the best gooey ribs. My ribs are famous.

Favorite Places in the World: Chicago and Italy.

Favorite TV Shows: USC Trojans football games and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games.

Favorite Music: Classic rock.

My greatest personal achievement is…staying married through building a new house.

In my free time, I like to…spend time with my family.

Name something about you that would surprise people. I do yoga two or three times a week. Also, I'd consider running for a seat in the U.S. Congress, but I don't think I could last more than four years.

I'd like to improve my…Italian and Spanish.

If I didn't work in the scrap industry, I'd probably work…in professional sports management—baseball or football.

When my term as ReMA chair is over…I hope ReMA's membership and commodities will have grown during my term, making it a stronger trade association because it has more members in all the commodities.