Worm Digest is in Transition
A New Executive Director and his Team are Announced!
By Wendy Gibson
Worm
Digest commenced in 1993 with the goal of teaching everyone about
earthworm composting, a process in which red earthworms turn
recoverable resources into a great soil amendment. Their earliest
activity was the quarterly magazine, Worm Digest, started by
Stephen White and Steven Zorba Frankel. In the early years, they
focused on promoting earthworm composting in the home to recycle the
valuable nutrients in food scraps and to reduce the material going to
landfills. They also went into classrooms, and assisted teachers
and students to get started processing their food scraps showing them
how much fun it was to learn using a worm bin.
In
2004, “Zorba”, turned over the reins to Pete Bogdanov who currently
owns Vermico. Pete ran both Vermico and The Worm Digest for over a
year. Due to the strenuous workload of running two companies, Pete
began a nationwide search to find an individual who could take over The
Worm Digest and continue to make it successful. He found the
person he was looking for.
In September of 2005, a new Executive
Director was announced for The Worm Digest. His name is Jamie
Melvin. His vision is to take The Worm Digest to another
level. What started off in humble beginnings back in Eugene,
Oregon has landed thirteen years later in the midwest town of
Cleveland, Ohio. Jamie is currently the CEO of Sansai
Environmental Technologies, LLC .
Jamie Melvin
Jamie
took no time at all to put together an all-star cast of the who’s who
in the earthworm/environmental industry. He diversified his Board
of Directors with academic professors and field-tested
professionals. He also gathered a group of local
individuals in the Cleveland area who are willing to support the
cause and assist in the day to day activities of running a successful
public non-profit organization. Jamie stated, “It takes a great
team of people to accomplish lofty goals. I think we have a
nucleus to accomplish this.”
Some of the professors on the
Board are, Dr. Clive Edwards, of Ohio State University. Dr.
Edwards has written thirty books and published over one hundred and
eighty papers specific to earthworms.
Clive Edwards
Another
professor who is part of the team is, Dr. Norman Arancon, from the
Phillipines. Dr. Arancon has published several research papers and
is currently doing research at Ohio State University.
Norman Arancon
John Tharakan, PhD,
is Professor of Chemical Engineering at Howard University and Chairs of
the Department. With over twenty years experience in research,
education and technical consulting, he has authored numerous
publications in environmental and bioprocess engineering, engineering
education, environmental justice and appropriate technology. His
current research focuses on the uses of microbial techniques and
vermicomposting for the biological remediation of hazardous waste
sludge contaminated with PCBs.
John Tharakan
Dr.
Jeff Tomberlin is a professor at Texas A&M University. Dr.
Tomberlin has published research papers on the subject of black soldier
fly larvae.
Jeff Tomberlin
Jerry
Guinn is a businessman from Pittsburg, Texas. Mr. Guinn has had a
deep interest in vermicomposting and vermiculture for
years. Jerry’s experience is his practical knowledge through field
testing.
Jerry Guinn
Bob
Ingram owns Trinity Ranch in House Springs, Missouri. Mr. Ingram
is a businessman and has been instrumental in providing and sharing
accurate knowledge to people who are interested in vermicomposting and
vermiculture.
Bob Ingram
It
appears that Jamie Melvin has put a great team together at the new Worm
Digest. This team has all the ear-markings to accomplish great
goals. For a long time many people in the business and science
community have been looking forward to this collaboration.
Good luck to all of them and thank you for making this a better world to live in.
Wendy
Gibson is a free-lance journalist who has a passion for environmental
impact on the earth. Her latest assignment was covering the
hurricane disaster down in New Orleans, Louisiana.
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