Who is Joseph Manduke?
Environmental expert and Hydrogeologist. His information is available on Zoominfo.com Another is the movie producer, who is a cousin of ours. The poet is his son, me. He is however, my father and the writer of published outdoor short-stories. History of HTS Environmental Group, HTS Risk Management Services, ASK Companies, (Maryland Corporations, 1988,1990) outline: Founder of HTS Environmental Group, (INC 500, "America's fastest growing private companies",1993 (Citation, "INC Magazine")Joseph Manduke is one of the first to describe a unique and comprehensive way to address the CERCLA due-diligence question of real property liability and has actually been called the first to use the term "Phase One". Prior to that time in 1986, "Level One" was often used. Most engineering firms were so afraid to attempt to environmentally define risk, especially to entrenched real estate attorney's, that a huge "hole" opened in a new market of engineering. That was in 1987. The initial work was not insurable, as it was so new. Later, Manduke would convince a major insurer to underwrite the Phase One information in each HTS report. At a huge premium, HTS was able to issue an insurance certificate to each lender for 1 Million Dollars of real liability protection for each property. This was a huge marketing success. Seen today, that risk is actually lower than in the past, insurance is often a replacement for a good professional investigation. To address the needs of potentially contaminated property, HTS developed significant laboratory and drilling operations. A heavy equipment and remediation division was planned, but when the manager in the Columbia office who was offered the position balked due to family time pressure in 1992, the idea was dropped.The Columbia , Maryland Office was located at 9009 Mendenhall Court. HTS had an option to purchase the entire 25000 square foot buiding in 1992. Other offices were located in Phoenix , Arizona (3636 North Central Street, Louis Cheney, Manager), Oak Park, Illinois, Newark, Delaware (Brian B. Feeney, Manager). and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Other offices were planned in Atlanta, Honolulu, and last and unopened, Tampa, Florida. It is said that David Slutsky, an attorney from Chicago operating a fledgling environmental firm called "Environmental Risk Consultants", (ERC) offered Joe a job in D.C. after his resignation from ATEC.Joe discussed the offer, and decided to develop his own idea, the Phase 1 (One )ESA. It was both a report and a volume product. Joe designed his company around very high quality document production and QA/QC professional staff, along with a highly mobile work force. This was somewhat unique in the sedate Washington-Baltimore engineering community. At one time the NASA famous firm "Biosphereic's" President met with Joe Manduke to merge. Manduke was an astronomy buff and knew they had worked on the Mars Viking project. But the Biosphereics owners couldn't see a firm's future based on transactional assessment, and they parted friends. The company policy of HTS was that all field assessment staff had a degree in Geology, other Sciences, or Engineering from an an approved 4 year University, or College. There were no execeptions for the "on the ground" staff scientists. Then some engineering firms would send unqualified and untrained persons on property evaluations. Usually these were Civil firms with no waste or hazardous waste background. It was a new area then. Many were hurt, some with damaging financial suits , and a few with fatal litigation for "Missing Love Canal". That is why some company names have changed over the years. Later, the ASTM, would adopt the HTS particular standards and requirements, including HTS title ownership reviews, aerial photography interpretation (API), and an environmental checklist which was corporate copywrited material in 1988 into their MUCH later standard. (Environmental Due-Diligence Checklist (Trademark HTS US), and notes 1988. Original Certificate still current, and hard copy with confirmation) "Text of a standard corporate document, Joseph Manduke, HTS Risk Mangagement Services, Inc (MD), 1988. HTS rotated staff through its Phoenix and Chicago offices, and all Phase One's were drafted in the field and completed and reviewed in Columbia, Maryland. The highest volume of ESA's was 120 per month in late 1993. Normal turnaround time was 10 days, on a national basis. HTS completed environmental assessment projects in all US states except North Dakota and Hawaii. The average fee for the HTS Phase One was 2000 dollars (US). The largest clients of the firm were Chrysler First Business Credit Corp, GE Capital, and and many of the largest banking institutions of the United States. EMG targeted REIT's, which Manduke had avoided in favoring a more personal, local approach to services. This turned out to be a flawed idea. The last contract awarded to HTS was assessment of all the "Flying J" truck stops in the United States. The company ceased operations due to unresolved divorce and ownership issues on June 30, 1994.Later, HTS would attempt to acquire ERC, but was trumped in a Chicago boardroom by Hank "Post" Posner who created a new version of an older firm by investment and redesign- Environmental Management Group (EMG) in Baltimore. The attempted takeover occurred during the Manduke divorce, which was in process for control of the companies. Later EMG would hire the senior staff of HTS and face litigation. During the 8 total years of operation as "HTS Risk Management Services", and "HTS Environmental Group", and its diverse companies ( some involving education and medical care), no lawsuits against the company officers, or personnell were ever filed. None. The quality of the training, leadership , and performance was the finest the environmental field has witnessesd to date. Period.Note: The "GEOMAN" and "Topoman" were educational science and geography products and trademarks of ASK, Inc. An HTS subsidiary. This was an environmental and educational products company to be integrated into schools. The EIC Environmental group " Child-Centered Environmental Assessment" (CEFA) patent of Joseph Manduke is in spirit with this.ASK, Inc. was planning a move into the medical field and other environmental education markets at the time of the dissolution of the HTS Group. The ASK unit was under the direction of Rhonda Manduke, Director. Sonora-Mohave Asset Group(SMA) held and maintained certain patents of HTS and EIC but is no longer an active business. Thousands of mom and dad's HTS reports are still in paper and later internet form (i.e, City of Boston") are still being reviewed and used n environmental investigations. Many SUPERFUND sites were found during the routine investigation of HTS field personell from 1988 through 1994 all over the United States.
