RMR's Lafferty Named an Inaugural Recipient of NJBIZ Veterans in Business Award

Mike Lafferty, General Manager of Recycling Management Resources Philadelphia plant in Barrington, NJ, has been named by NJBIZ as one of the inaugural recipients of the NJBIZ Veterans in Business Award.

This new program recognizes veterans who are making a significant impact on New Jersey business as well as continuing to give back to their community. Mike is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps .

Mike wrote about how his time in the military has helped him in his career. “The military helped with not only securing my first civilian job, but also building a career with a high degree of confidence, discipline, and focus.” Mike wrote. “I understood my role and responsibilities very clearly and was able to rise to meet each task promptly and thoroughly. My military experience gave me a unique understanding of large-scale logistics and distribution. I believe that this knowledge base is still an invaluable resource for me today.”

Mike recognizes how his military experience has translated to his current responsibilities leading a recycling plant. “In my current position as General Manager, I have found that my leadership skills in the Marine Corps are the same skills that I draw upon daily,” wrote Mike. “We have a saying, ‘You're only as fast as the slowest man.’ As a leader, I am responsible for helping every individual on my team rising to meet each challenge in order to succeed as a whole. This means that I take care of my team. It also means that I lead by example, in every way. My father was also a Marine and raised me to have a healthy respect for hard work from my early youth. He would take me to work and teach me various skills. He also taught me to value goals and how to earn what I wanted in life.”

Mike is a proud Veteran, and thankful for how the experience has helped him achieve and exceed his goals. “Being a Marine, serving in the military, and defending my country all make me proud to be a Veteran,” Mike wrote. “I am proud to have reached the position I am in now, as quickly as I did. I knew this was my goal when I set out as a new employee, working the night shift. My experience and drive, born out of the discipline I learned as a Marine, were key factors in helping me reach my objectives. I was promoted many times along the way, and each time I have helped my company surpass its goals. The values you learn as a part of the military lend themselves to the same in working for a company.”

Mike will be recognized with the rest of the honorees at a virtual ceremony on Nov. 7 and included in a special section of the Nov. 20 issue of NJBIZ.

Recycling Management Resources is part of The Wilmington Group .