Ron Alexander

Ron Alexander entered the composting industry in 1984 after being interviewed by the first compost brokerage company in the U.S. He was one of the first full-time compost salespeople.
“I was lucky enough to meet and interact with several of the researchers with roots at Beltsville (Rufus Chaney, Pat Millner, Larry Sikora, George Willson), and even worked for Dr. Eliot Epstein,” notes Alexander. “Operating in the Mid-Atlantic, I also had the honor of working closely with Drs. William Mitchell and Frank Gouin.”
From BioCycle’s vantage point, Ron Alexander has blazed a path for compost and compost-amended products within the American Association of Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO) — state Department of Agriculture officials who register and regulate the distribution of fertilizer, soil amendments and liming agents. BioCycle readers and others in the composting industry have learned via Alexander’s articles what can be said legally about “compost” on a product label and/or promotional materials.
Similarly, he has worked tirelessly with state Departments of Transportation, landscape architects and others to establish specifications for compost use in storm water management and erosion and sediment control.
“Ron Alexander is one of those rare talents who could have had a successful career in just about any industry,” writes Noel Lyons, McGill Environmental Systems of NC Inc. “I am glad he chose organics recycling. Ron has promoted the cause of composting around the globe with his unique energy and forcefulness. He is truly a trailblazer. Ron was selling biosolids compost last century when the mere idea of calling it a product challenged conventional thinking. For the most difficult challenges you can count on Ron — not just to help, but to go to the front lines.
“Today, there is growing knowledge of the importance of organics in dealing with what is likely the world’s greatest challenge — climate change. Educating the widest possible audience on this topic is more important than ever. Few people are equipped to take on this challenge better than Ron.”
— Nora Goldstein, BioCycle
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