18A — October 28 - November 10, 2016 — Executive Women in Business — M id A tlantic
Real Estate Journal
www.marejournal.com
Executive Women in Business
Sue Boyle and Wanda Chin Monahan The women of the Brownfield Coalition of the Northeast (BCONE)
Sue Boyle Sr. Practice Leader Environmental GEI Consultants, Inc. Years with company: 8.5 Years in field: 34 Years in Brownfields Redevelopment: 17
Wanda ChinMonahan Partner Sedita, Campisano & Campisano Years with company/firm: 4 Years in field: 26 Years in real estate industry: 16+
hat was your most notable project, deal or transaction in 2016? Initiation of remediation at a Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) site, using innovative remedy not embraced by NJ pre-LSRP program. What impact has social media / networking had on your business? It is all about networking! I spend a decent amount of time sharing that philosophy and experience with entry-level women in the industry, encourag- ing them to join me as a guest at important networking events. The Licensed Site Remediation Professionals Association (LSRPA), for which I am the contracted Executive Director, has stepped up its social media presence in 2016 thanks to Charlene Drake, the energetic new Chair of the Communica- tions Committee. As has the Brownfield Coalition of the Northeast (BCONE). Tell us how and when you began your career in the profession you are in, about your current position and why you choose the field/ profession you are in today? I began with an independent commission in NJ that was at the forefront of the receiving end of the Not InMy Backyard (NIMBY) movement. I became an expert in hazardous waste data analysis and projections while working for the commission and then moved to the NJDEP, rising to Assistant Commissioner for Site Remediation. While at NJDEP, I was an early advocate for brownfield site remediation and redevelopment as an approach to site cleanups with a positive purpose, which dovetails splendidly with my environmental planning background. I built a national reputation in brownfields, during which time I worked closely with now-colleagues at GEI Consultants in NJ and CT and joined GEI after retiring from my public service career with the State of NJ. What unique qualities and/or personality traits do you feel make you most successful in your profession? My long career with the State of NJ gives me insight into the workings of a regulatory agency, a good handle on politics by virtue of the positions I held, and lots of excellent contacts throughout the state and the national brownfield industry. I have a multi-disciplinary academic and professional background, which is extremely valuable when working with stakeholder frommany back- grounds. I’m trained in conflict resolution and interest-based negotiation. I work hard, have a good sense of humor, and am experienced and just cynical enough to roll with the punches and not take a lot of things personally. What is the funniest, most unique situation you have faced / con- quered during your business career? I was hung in effigy on the side of I-195 (along with 10 others), which is an experience very few people in this profession have actually encountered. I keep the photo in my office and my home office. I took it as a badge of honor that I was doing my job and I did admire the “moxie” of the group that pro- duced it. My mother was horrified when it made the front page of the Phila- delphia Inquirer; she wrote a blistering letter to the Mayor of the town where it happened. He was a great guy: they became fast friends for decades after he received her letter and he personally assured her that he would never let anything bad happen to me. What outside activities do you enjoy during you free time? My husband and I love to travel: Ireland this summer, Tuscany a few years back to celebrate big birthdays with 19 family members and friends-who- are-family. We have a regional food website, leftatthefork.net. I play some tennis, swim (and am loving the new trend of salt water pools), love the arts, and value my tight circle of family and friends. n W
W hat was your most notable project, deal or transaction in 2015? I Served as environmental legal counsel in representation of na- tional developer of warehouse distribution centers in acquisition of over 170+ acre site with total value of over $120+ million in purchase price and construction costs with proposed 1.4 million s/f of new buildings. In identifying, evaluating and managing the environmental risks posed by the site and finding cost-efficient ways to protect the client from these risk exposures, our work along with the other professionals on the team, allowed the client to confidently close on the site. The first building is nearing completion for occupancy. How do you contribute to your company and/ or the industry? I am responsible for generating new business through either new clients (mainly through referrals) or newmatters for existing clients as well as perform- ing the work to retain clients. In many transactions, I work with real estate brokers, appraisers, lenders/investors, environmental and engineering firms and transactional/real estate attorneys. I am also a member on the Board for the Brownfields Coalition of the NorthEast (BCONE), Sustainable Jersey Board of Trustees, Passaic County Brownfields Commission and other professional organizations. I am a frequent speaker at industry conferences. How do you manage the work/life balance? As a full-time working mother of four sons and principal of an active law prac- tice, I came to two realizations that have helped me achieve a work/life balance – seek out and accept help when needed and do not expect perfection in either work or family. I feel fortunate to have a wonderfully supportive husband (26+ years) and a network of friends from our close knit community with whom we have shared our kids’ childhoods with their kids through involvement in their sports and activities, carpooling and child care. At the office, I have also been fortunate to have colleagues to whom I can confidently lean on. Tell us how and when you began your career in the profession you are in, about your current position and why you choose your field. I began my career in environmental law in 1992 when I joined the NJ Attorney General’s Office as a Deputy Attorney General representing the NJ Department of Environmental Protection. During these years, the transformation from only remediating sites to brownfields redevelopment allowed me to focus my expertise on re-use of contaminated sites. Going back to private practice, I was able to bring my public policy knowledge to clients who were encountering difficulties navigating the NJDEP regulatory process. I also began representing public enti- ties (towns, improvement authorities) in their quest to clean up and redevelop abandoned properties in their towns to create new tax revenues, remove blight and create short and long term jobs, all resulting in economic development. In my current practice, I represent predominantly private clients and some municipalities on various environmental matters, but mostly on brownfields redevelopment projects. My comprehensive experience and broad perspective allows me to effectively represent a client (private or public) because I have also represented the other side and use that knowledge to achieve the goals of the client. I enjoy the collaborative process with the other related professionals and the client and learning about the related real estate practices. What unique qualities and/or personality traits do you feel make you most successful? I have worked diligently to establish and maintain a reputation as a well- experienced and knowledgeable environmental attorney, conducting my work and representing my clients with the highest degree of ethics and morals, in a pragmatic and practical way to resolve the issues and conclude the matter in the most cost-efficient manner possible. Clients appreciate my responsiveness to their needs and also my passionate commitment to the work they have retained me to perform on their behalf. Do you feel being a woman is an advantage, disadvantage or no ad- vantage in today’s business world? As a minority woman in a predominantly male profession and area of practice, I have often marveled when I consciously realize that I am the only woman continued on page 20A
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