Meet the Team

Bob Richard

President

As president of Hazmat Safety Consulting, Bob provides dangerous goods regulatory assistance to customers worldwide by drawing on his vast experience, knowledge of the hazardous materials (dangerous goods) regulations and an extensive network of dangerous goods professionals worldwide. From 2006-2010, Bob served as the Deputy Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) at the U.S. Department of Transportation, where he was responsible for directing the day-to-day operation of the U.S. Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety Program, including overseeing the regulatory development, technical review and classification, international standards, outreach, special permits and approvals, and enforcement offices.

Bob has been involved in the development and implementation of hazardous materials safety regulations for more than 28 years and has been responsible for a broad range of domestic and international hazardous materials safety efforts. Bob served as the Chairman of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods that has responsibility for publishing the United Nations Model Regulations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. Bob also served as the chairman and vice chairman of the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel which has responsibility for developing and publishing the International Civil Aviation Regulations which govern the transport of dangerous goods by air. Bob was the Panel member nominated by the United States to the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel for a number of years. He also led US delegations to the International Maritime Organization Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers Sub-Committee and coordinated with the US Coast Guard in developing technical proposals and responding to sea transport incidents involving hazardous materials. He played a major role in developing the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code into the revised format that exists today.

Throughout his career,  Bob has been involved in the development of domestic and international regulations and gained not only an understanding of the regulations, but the intent and meaning behind the words.

Since leaving the government for private practice, Bob draws on his vast experience to provide guidance and consulting services to clients ranging from major international corporations to small businesses. He has assisted numerous clients with bringing their operations into compliance. Bob has conducted compliance audits, assisted clients with classifying their hazardous materials, interpreted regulatory requirements, developed training programs and operations manuals and assisted clients with navigating the complexities of the domestic and international transport regulations.

Bob is the executive director of the Medical Device Battery Transport Council. The MDBTC was formed to promote the safe transport of lithium batteries and battery-powered medical devices. The MDBTC agrees with regulators that safety of both passengers and crew is of the utmost importance, and to that point, is supportive of rules that enhance safety for all parties involved in air transport. Further, the MDBTC shares a common bond with regulatory groups in that each member company has a strong interest in seeing that their lithium battery shipments arrive at the destination safely. This council aims to work with regulators to identify risk reduction opportunities while also mitigating the impacts of overly burdensome regulations that have an adverse effect on the efficient transportation of life-saving products worldwide.

Ryan Paquet

Vice President

As Vice President of Hazmat Safety Consulting, Ryan provides our clients with extensive experience and perspective he has gained in his 20+ years of experience related to hazardous materials transportation safety.

For 10 years, Ryan was the Director of Approvals and Permits Division for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in the US Department of Transportation. In this role, he led the critical function of processing special permit and approval applications in coordination with other domestic government agencies, foreign governments, and international organizations.  He has led action and government response to the worldwide recall, national disasters, and the introduction of new technologies into the US market.  Ryan’s ability to navigate across government and organizational boundaries is proven by his reputation in the Dangerous Goods industry.

Previously, Ryan served as PHSMSA’s Assistant Director of International Standards where he participated in the US delegation to the UN Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and International Maritime Organization.   Additionally, Ryan has led numerous, successful, delegations in international diplomacy and coordination, which led to direct benefits for the international transport of dangerous goods.

Ryan is a lifelong student in the art and science of leadership. He is a Licensed Professional Geologist with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Connecticut and a Master’s degree in Organizational Development and Leadership from Fielding University.  Ryan lives in Rhode Island with his wife Renee, son Rainen and daughter Vivienne.

Mike Pagel

Senior Consultant

Mike Pagel is a Senior Consultant with HazMat Safety Consulting. As a dangerous goods consultant, Mike partners with clients to improve their hazmat transportation programs. This includes creating customized training courses, conducting on-site storage and transportation compliance audits, general consulting support, assistance with Special Permits & Approvals, and developing company SOPs. Mike supports a range of clients with DG compliance, including producers of medical devices, eCommerce operations, cosmetics suppliers, 3PLs & carriers, electric vehicle makers, packaging manufacturers, and consumer electronics companies.

Mike started in the industry in 2012 at PHMSA’s Hazardous Materials Information Center (HMIC) at DOT HQ in Washington, DC. For two years, Mike supported the HMIC by answering thousands of questions on PHMSA’s Hazardous Materials Regulations. In this role, Mike worked directly with PHMSA Rulemaking, Approvals & Permits, and Technical staff.

After leaving the DOT, Mike moved to Wisconsin where he spends his time struggling to think of what personal interests to include at the end of his bio.

Michael Roldan

Senior Associate Consultant

Michael Roldan served as the U.S. Coast Guard’s Chief, Hazardous Materials Division where he developed national and international standards and policy for the safe and secure carriage of chemicals. As well, he provided extensive support and guidance to operational commanders regarding chemical regulations & authorities while managing time critical deliverables including daily processing of requests for approvals & exemptions to US and international classification requirements for containerized & bulk dangerous cargoes. Michael also led US interagency negotiations at the International Maritime Organization sub-committees regarding hazardous materials safety & security.  He was also the Designated Federal Officer of the Federal Advisory Committee for the safe transport of chemicals as well as the Coast Guard’s lead representative for interagency research on hazardous materials transport.

Most recently Michael served as Regional Director – Americas for Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL), a global oil spill response cooperative that provides a range of services to its members and clients to help prevent, contain, and clean up oil spills. As Regional Director, Michael took primacy on the delivery of all response services to customers in the Western Hemisphere and for the discharge of operational objectives through the effective deployment of personnel & equipment across the company. His guiding principle was to deliver efficient and effective response services for all clients on time and within budget throughout the region through the provision of inspirational leadership, optimization of staff resources and an efficient cost management. He also oversaw an effective stakeholder engagement, promoted key industry messages and adhered to globally accepted good practices in order to facilitate efficient and effective preparedness and response.

Paula Reavis

Associate Consultant / Adult Learning Expert

Paula Reavis is an experienced hazardous materials and dangerous goods transport trainer and owner of Reavis Compliance Company.  Driven by the belief that compliance is key, she takes pride in providing the best transport courses possible. As a Hazmat/DG professional, her goals include helping companies maintain compliance through the entire shipping process and providing any necessary consulting services needed. After 11 years in the business, she is well versed in the 49CFR Parts 100-185, IATA, and IMDG transport regulations and has more than a passing familiarity with OSHA HazCom2012 and WHMIS2015.

In another life, Paula was in the public school system as a high school science teacher and Nationally Board Certified Counselor (NBCC).  Her bachelor’s degrees are in Secondary Science Education and Chemistry from North Carolina State University and a Master’s degree in Counseling from East Carolina University.  She lives in the St. Louis, Missouri area with her husband Drew.

Richard D. Tarr, PhD

Associate Consultant / Chemist

Dr. Tarr served the USDOT’s Office of Hazardous Materials Safety as a Chemist for over 30 years.  In this time with USDOT, Richard became a world-renowned expert in the classification of explosives, fireworks, organic peroxides and self-reactive substances.

Richard’s expertise and impeccable reputation around the world provides great perspective and understanding to HSC’s customers, trying to navigate the complicated classification requirements.  Since Richard retired from USDOT, he has been busy traveling, spending time with family, and remaining active in the global fireworks industry.

Margaret (Peg) Carson

Associate Consultant

Margaret served the USDOT’s Office of Hazardous Materials Safety as a Hazardous Materials Investigator for 14 years and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for over 24 years. Margaret is an experienced investigator with a demonstrated history of understanding and translating regulations. Margaret has extensive skills in safety and operational controls, important in her work as a Logistics Manager for FEMA, in response to natural disasters.  Margaret has a Bachelor’s Degree focused in Biology and Chemistry from Franklin Pierce University, and an MS in Environmental Engineering from UMass Lowell.

Barbara Lantry-Miller

Associate Consultant / Engineer

Barbara Lantry-Miller comes to HCS as a consultant with 30+ years of experience in the chemical industry in Environmental, Health, Safety and Dangerous Goods.  For the past 16 years Barbara was the Director of Controlled Products and Dangerous Goods for the AMERICAS for Givaudan, a Swiss multinational manufacturer of flavors, fragrances and active cosmetic ingredients.  She began her career as a Program Engineer with GE Aircraft Engines moving into the world of Environmental, Health and Safety, transitioning from engines to chemicals. She has been responsible for hazard communication, SDS and label authoring, configuration development on integrated SDS authoring software, Dangerous Goods and Controlled Products (drug precursors, explosive precursors and chemical weapons. 

In addition to her corporate work, from 2014 to 2021 she was an NGO delegate to the UN Sub Committees of Experts for the Globally Harmonized System and the Transport of Dangerous Goods.  Barbara was a influential industry advocate in the development of the combustible dust guidance “Annex 11: Guidance on Other Hazards Not Resulting in Classification” in Rev 8 of the GHS Purple Book.  In addition, she lobbied successfully at the UN for labelling relief in the Labelling Working Group resulting in “Annex 7:  Examples of arrangements of the GHS label elements” which highlighted the need for alternative forms of hazard communication labelling for small packages.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts (English) and a Bachelor of Science (Industrial and Systems Engineering) from The Ohio State University and a Master’s in Science with emphasis in environmental, health and safety from the University of Cincinnati.

Throughout her career Barbara has managed to balance family, work and volunteerism.  She was a member of the DGAC Board of Directors for two years and then elected to Chairman of the Board in 2016.  In addition, she was elected to the Board of Directors of the Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles in 2023.  When not working she vacations and hikes with her husband and their giant poodle Cosmo. 

Mike Van Ort

Associate Consultant

Mike got his start in the dangerous goods world working for a large railroad in Chicago, IL. There he learned the FRA and DOT ground and rail operations/ requirements for the movement of consumer, mail, and dangerous goods shipments; Mike implemented those requirements at the rail yards he was responsible for. After leaving the railroad, Mike migrated to a large Midwest farm cooperative and traveled the country evaluating/ auditing and documenting the policies and procedures for the local cooperatives, and assisting them in lobbying to halt some of the rural rail abandonments with the knowledge learned from his railroad days. Mike also created for them an operational manual for petroleum and anhydrous ammonia safety for the cooperatives and drivers to follow to ensure compliance.

Mike then moved into a corporate dangerous goods administrator role at a large global manufacturer for nearly 30 years.

There he oversaw the dangerous goods requirements for the nine hazard classes globally for ground, air and ocean shipments. In addition, he helped develop a dangerous goods Internal manual and training modules for both plant and distribution centers globally to meet the diverse modal requirements. Mike also followed up with internal and external audits to ensure compliance, which included material Identification, classification, packaging, marking and labeling.

Mike rounded out his career in helping create the Medical Device Battery Transport Council.

(MDBTC) was formed to promote the classification and safe transport of lithium batteries and battery-powered medical devices. MDBTC was renamed Medical Device Transport Council to address all of the transport concerns for all medical material shipments.. The goal of the council was to work with regulators to identify risk reduction opportunities while also mitigating the impacts of overly burdensome regulations that have an adverse effect on the efficient transportation of life-saving products worldwide. Mike provided global support for two of the major Midwest medical device companies as well as provided guidance to other members through the MDTC organization for the past 10 years.

Mike has been active with DGAC, COSTHA, and PBRA and has participated with the UN in Geneva over several years.

Mikes Contact info:
Michael W Van Ort
11040 6^th Street Circle N
Lake Elmo MN 55042
612-220-5019