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Thomas Benke
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Managing Member
, The Environmental Compliance Organization LLC (Domestic Law Firm)
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Portland, Oregon,
United States
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Environmental Attorney with over 10 years experience implementing environmental protection, sustainable development, emergency disaster response and business development projects in Russia and China. B.S. Chemical Engineering 1984, J.D. 1992. Executive Director of ECO International, a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Core competency environmental regulatory (administrative) reform. |
 Contact Thomas Benke
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Area of Expertise: |
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Capacity Building, Training, Advocacy
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Disaster, Aid, Emergencies, Relief
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Environment, Climate, Energy, Water, Sanitation
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Government, Governance, Reforms
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Private Sector, Social Enterprise, Corporate Social Responsibility
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Professional Experience: |
SUMMARY
Thomas Benke is an environmental attorney with an environmental engineering background. He has over the last twelve years, in addition to running a full time environmental law practice, managed numerous environmental and business development projects in the Russian Far East and China. Mr. Benke is also founder and Executive Director of ECO International, a recognized 501(c)(3) organization with ongoing projects in Russia and China.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER & ATTORNEY
Thomas Benke began his career in 1985 as a hazardous waste permitting engineer for the State of Texas, where he became expert at control and mitigation of toxic pollution. After graduating from law school in 1992 Mr. Benke accumulated experience in all pollution control disciplines and became expert in drafting and implementing administrative regulations for environmental protection.
Mr. Benke's most recent professional accomplishment was a successful end to federal litigation on behalf of home-owners who had found themselves living within a toxic waste disposal site. As lead environmental and litigation counsel, Mr. Benke secured over $3.5MM to pay for cleanup of the residential development and of a related manufacturing facility, both formerly considered to be "orphan sites" by State officials. (It is the conclusion of this federal litigation frees Mr. Benke to seek an international appointment at this time.)
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT
In 1999 Mr. Benke began consulting for the City of Khabarovsk and Khabarovsk Krai, Russia regarding solid waste management systems. Over the next 10 years the City and Krai asked Mr. Benke to consult on a wide variety of environmental issues. During that time Mr. Benke also served as Deputy General Director of the Portland State University Free Market Business Development Institute in the RFE and lectured regularly at universities throughout the RFE. After a November 2005 chemical spill in China threatened Khabarovsk's drinking water supply (the Amur River), Thomas Benke was dispatched by the City of Portland (Khabarovsk's sister city) to establish field protocols for monitoring drinking water quality in Khabarovsk. After the May 2007 earthquake in Sichuan Province, China, the State of Oregon dispatched Mr. Benke to the earthquake epicenter to assist in development of a drinking water protection program serving the displaced population.
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
Thomas Benke served as Adjunct Professor at Portland State University from 2002-2005 where he taught a course on Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Law.
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Education: |
B.S. Chemical Engineering 1984
J.D. (Law) 1992
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Affiliations and Achievements: |
Secretary and Director of Environmental Programs, Portland-Khabarovsk Sister City Association
Executive Committee, Oregon State Bar International Law Section
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Available for: |
- Consulting assignments
- Job opportunities
- Being headhunted – make me an offer
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