Star Environmental, Inc. approaches every environmental cleanup or consultation task with the a winning attitude. Although the firm will tackle almost any project, its focus has been legally mandated asbestos abatement since it was founded in 1990. "We eliminate liability for our customers," says Todd Strader, company founder and president. "Since the cleanup has to be done, our goal is to do it safely, do it right, and do it efficiently." Strader uses that philosophy as the text and his business as the classroom for teaching skills and developing attitudes that will help employees get along better in work and in life.
    The Clean Air Act gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) responsibility over exposure to asbestos, a naturally occuring, fibrous mineral that can cause cancer if ingested in large enough quantities over time. Because of its strength and resistance to fire and corrosion, asbestos has been used in hundreds of commercial products, such as brake linings, floor tile, and insulation. Its presence there harms no one unless the product is disturbed and the asbestos fibers escape into the air, where people can inhale them. Companies consult environmental contractors such as Star prior to extensive remodeling or demolition to test for and encapsulate or remove asbestos.

A FIRM FOUNDATION

    Both Strader and his general manager, Chris Zumbaugh, have the educational backgrounds and experience to meet the exacting task of environmental cleanup. Both worked as general managers for one of Indiana's largest asbestos contractors and both have relevant educational backgrounds-Strader in biology and Zumbaugh in architectural engineering.
   The firm operates out of a 100,000 square foot warehouse on the city's northwest side, from which the two partners have diligently worked to develop business. Their goal has been to build a foundation of positive relationships with local environmental consultants, regulatory agencies, corporate clients, and employees.
    Based on company numbers, they have been successful. Since its founding, Star has become the second largest asbestos contractor in the city and eigth-largest overall environmental contractor. Annaul revenues almost doubled in 1999, exceeding $4.3 million.
    Star acts as a general contractor on demolition work as a subcontractor. Customers run the gamut from homeowners getting a furnace replaced to Fortune 500 companies, developers, and other environmental contractors. The company's team has worked for city, state, and federal government entities, every major university in the state, and Indianapolis Public Schools, and has even traveled out of state for clients. What speaks ever more highly of the work done by Star Environmental is that every client-past and present-has given the company permission to use them as a reference. Satisfaction, created client by client, is paramount to progress for this forward-thinking company.
    Safety policies are written with implementation in mind and reviewed at tailgate safety meetings every day before work begins. Employees wear state-of-the-art protective gear and strictly adhere to industry standards to ensure zero contamination or exposure.
    Star provides all clients with a detailed proposal of all available options prior to the start of the work, followed by thorough, post-removal sanitization and air sampling by an independent laboratory to ensure credibility. A final report to clients contains all necessary sampling, removal, and management information.

BUILDING UP EMPLOYEES

The nature of environmental cleanups, and particularly asbestos abatement, involves tearing structures down and often leaving them looking worse then before. "That, coupled with the fact that we work tough hours-nights and weekends-with carcinogens, makes it difficult to find and motivate employees in the tight labor market," Strader says.
He addresses this issue by treating his employees well can creating positive experiences for them, including volunteer opportunities with Star Missions, a nonprofit arm of Star Environmental that sponsors construction and medical projects in developing countries. By providing opportunities to assist underprivileged communities, Strader hopes to instill a sense of understanding and compassion that will carry over into the workplace.
Overseas projects have included building a four-room elementary school in Ecuador, constructing a health center in Guatemala. Locally, Star has also assisted Habitat for Humanity, the American Cancer Society, the Breast Health Awareness League, Traders Point Christian Church, and the International School of Indiana with volunteers, in-kind services, and donations.
"Our employees will do a better job for our customers if they have opportunities to give to others less fortunate and to build something up rather than just tearing things down," Strader says. He developed an interest in overseas missions during trips to Kenya and Nicaragua while a student at DePauw University. A friend in the Peace Corps now helps him find projects, and Strader recruits volunteers from his business, church, and schools.
He hopes employees use the experience to help develop their careers. "Most of the people we encounter in these missions trips have little opportunity to improve their circumstances," he says, "I hope my employees, by comparison, see how many opportunities they have to improve their lives and take advantage of some. If the job Star provides them with becomes a stepping-stone to something better than we have done our duty as an employer.