NEWARK - A dream of Stubby Warmbold, President and Founder of CitiLog, became true when CitiLog Newark opened for business on July 31, 2012. CitiLog opened their Newark sawmill in a rough neighborhood and made it a reality with the help of two cities, Newark and East Orange.

 

 

CitiLog Sawmill is divided into two cities. 1.5 acres is in the city of Newark and 2.5 acres has been in the city of East Orange. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place in the presence of Newark Mayor Cory Booker, East Orange Mayor Robert Bowser, Irvington Mayor Wayne Smith, Assemblyman Thomas Giblin, East Orange Councilman Ted Green and other dignitaries.

 

 

Mayor Booker said, “We are against each other. We can be a nation of win-win, and something not just wasteful. Everything has a value and importance.” He added that many people grew up in prison and we forget about them. He feels incredible pride in this project.

 

Bowser said, “There are four kinds of people. One who makes things happen, one who waits for things to happen, one who watches things happen, and one who asks ‘What Happened?’ This project falls in to the first category.”

 

Warmbold said, “We are a for-profit corporation and have not received or will not receive any grants. We can hire anyone from the local community. We are not limited to prison re-entry employment.”

 

John Sowell, CitiLog Newark Site Head and former Irvington Council President was the master of ceremonies for the program. Lata Ready of Prudential, Lenny Ward from the State of New Jersey Parole Board, Stephanie Greenwood, the Sustainability Officer of the Department of Economic and Housing Development, and CitiLog employees Bruce Thompson and Donald Van Dyke gave their brief comments about how great this program is and how it will help local employment.