On May 2, Robert F. Jondreau, executive director of the Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC), passed away suddenly at 72. Jondreau served as executive director of PRC since February 1, 2010. Jondreau served on PRC’s Board for 13 years prior, spending the three years before becoming executive director as board president. The board and staff at PRC issued the following statement:
It is with great sadness that the Pennsylvania Resources Council announces the sudden passing of our Executive Director Bob Jondreau.
Bob has been an integral part of PRC for more than two decades, originally serving as a Board Member (including holding the office of President) before becoming Executive Director in 2010.
Bob has led PRC through a decade that has seen both many opportunities and challenges for environmental organizations, and has worked diligently to build on PRC’s long tradition of leadership through innovative programs and partnerships.
We offer our deepest sympathies to Bob’s wife Joanne and the Jondreau Family. The Board and Staff of PRC will carry on the important conservation work to which Bob had a lifetime dedication.”
PRC will carry on the important conservation work to which Bob had a lifetime dedication.
On taking the job in 2010, Bob said, “I hope to finish many of the projects that were started at this great facility [PRC’s Environmental Living Center at Ridley Creek State Park] in 2009. It has been a long term goal of the Board to get the facility in top physical shape, and I hope to play a major role in this effort, along with the staff of the eastern office. I look forward to the many challenges and opportunities that face PRC in the shaping of its future.”
And he succeeded in these and many other projects working with PRC’s staff, Board and many partners.
Just Friday, the Chester Environmental Partnership in Delaware County posthumously honored Bob with a 2018 CEP Award for his work.
Under Jondreau’s leadership, PRC:
- Launched the Let’s Tackle Recycling program, a tailgate recycling effort at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. This program continued in 2011 at Philadelphia Eagles home games and at the 2011 Winter Classic Game in Pittsburgh, and won PRC a Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence
- Launched Scenic Pittsburgh to preserve, protect, and enhance the scenic beauty of the region.
- Expanded Zero Waste Pittsburgh to Zero Waste Pennsylvania and the initiated the Zero Waste Pennsylvania Awards.
- Launched ReuseFest, a one-day collection event for materials destined for reuse.
- Launched groundbreaking and innovative watershed stewardship and stormwater initiatives with the Delaware County Stormwater Collaborative. PRC initiated the Stream Smart Stormwater House Call Audit Program and conducted 45 audits in the Darby/Cobbs watershed to educate property owners on best practices to manage stormwater and protect local water quality.
- Launched the Northside Keeps it Clean Initiative with Allegheny CleanWays to educate and encourage residents to become more active recyclers and to fight litter in their communities.
- The Not in Philly project became the first online Adopt-a-Block volunteer-driven, neighborhood litter clean-up initiative in Pennsylvania, and was nominated for a Sustain PHL Award.
- Assumed operation of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Recycling Hotline, which provides community members with resources to locate responsible and local recycling options.
- Celebrated the 15th anniversary of its hard-to-recycle and household chemical events in 2017, which collected 700,000+ pounds of electronic waste, tires, household chemicals and more in 2017.
- Hosted successful Act 101 recycling roundtables at both ends of the Commonwealth that engaged recycling industry stakeholders and local citizens in discussions about the future of funding recycling in Pennsylvania.
