Former DEP commissioner, assemblyman Robert Shinn dies
Robert Shinn Jr., lifelong resident of Hainesport Township passed away May 5, 2023 at the age of 85. He attended Hainesport Elementary School and graduated from Rancocas Valley High School. He served as RVRHS Class President in high school sophomore and junior years and President of the student body in his senior year. He was active in varsity football and was co-captain his senior year. Mr. Shinn attended Drexel Institute of Technology majoring in Commerce and Engineering. He served in Korea as an Aircraft Mechanic. After the Army, he attended Indiana Tech College majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He held two United States mechanical patents. He was founder and President of Material Handling System, S2 Concepts and Hollyford Enterprises, Inc. He was also a member and Past President of Mt. Holly Rotary Club. Mr. Shinn provided over 40 Robert C. Shinn, Jr. scholarships to graduating seniors from RVRHS.
Mr. Shinn devoted three decades to public service:
- Hainesport Township Committee 1968 – 1976, Mayor in 1973 and 1974
- Elected Burlington County Freeholder (nka Commissioner) from 1977 until 1985. He helped pioneer numerous programs and initiatives to protect Burlington County’s natural resources.
- Served 8 years in the NJ General Assembly, 8th District from 1985 until 1994
- Appointed Commissioner of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection by Governor Christie Todd Whitman in 1994 and served in this position until 2002
Mr. Shinn was integral to the County’s implementation of the TDR (Transfer of Development Rights) program in Burlington County, which centered around farmland preservation. He was instrumental in the development of the Burlington County Resource Recovery Complex and Burlington County’s first-of-its kind regional recycling program. While with NJDEP, he instituted the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to improve understanding of natural resources across the landscape. He also led the effort to secure the first conservation easement in the NJ Pinelands. During his tenure at NJDEP, Mr. Shinn also served on several government bodies including his role was President of the Environmental Council of States; member of the Executive Committee of the Ozone Transport Assessment Group, appointed by the EPA; and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Center for Clean Air Policy in Washington DC.
On May 19, 2017 NJDEP Commissioner honored former DEP Commissioner Mr. Shinn by officially naming a research vessel that support’s DEP’s mission of protecting NJ waters the “Research Vessel Robert C. Shinn Jr.”.
Mr. Shinn is survived by his wife Paula; his daughter Debbie Shinn of Delran; step-daughter Jody Meeks of Woodland and step-son Scott Weidermann of Atco; grandson Dave Meeks; sister Michelle Shinn, nephew Nigel Encinas; and his former wife Barbara Shinn.
On behalf of the Hainesport Township Committee and staff, Mayor Gerry Clauss gives his sincerest condolences to Mr. Shinn’s family, “Bob Shinn Jr. was a personal friend, mentor and a devoted Hainesport resident. He will be missed”.