Rich Lodgek is vice president of Mercer Group International of NJ Inc. He has over 24 years of experience in the waste and recycling fields of demolition, construction and demolition recycling and scrap metal recycling and processing.

Under the mentorship of Mario Mazza, the founder of Mercer Wrecking & Recycling, Bay Bridge Enterprises (formerly known as Jacobsen Iron & Metal), Horizon Disposal and Mercer Group International of NJ Inc., Lodgek learned valuable, hands-on facets of the Mercer Group of companies. Over a 24-year period to date, he has had experience in buying, grading and selling of various different types of scrap metals, metal shredding, pricing demolition jobs, operation of heavy equipment, crushing concrete, running scales, running trucks, loading barges and bulk cargoes of scrap, processing, grading and running the family C&D MRF transfer station, located in Trenton, New Jersey. Lodgek also has led multiple acquisitions over the years to grow the C&D recycling business and to further secure its day-to-day inbound volumes and territories.

Over the past eight years, Lodgek and his wife Jaime Lodgek along with his brother-in-law and his wife have purchased the remaining shares of the family business.

Lodgek has both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science from West Virginia University, College of Mining and Engineering.