List any previous leadership positions held with the National Recycling Coalition or state recycling organizations and describe what you accomplished in those positions.
· Member of 2003’s NRC sponsored Taskforce on Glass Recycling\
· Repeated Speaker at NRC’s Annual Convention (either in the Commodity Update Review or on a glass recycling seminar)
· Repeated Speaker at Regional/State Meetings/Conventions such as “The Southeast Recycling Convention”
· Presenter at State Legislative Sessions on Recycling
· Participant at Senator Jeffords Senate Hearing on Recycling
If you currently serve in a volunteer leadership position with another organization, please explain your role and accomplishments.
· N/A
What special abilities would you bring to NRC’s leadership?
I have 15 years experience sourcing, processing and selling recycled glass. Glass is one of the most difficult materials to recycle due to the mix of colors and the relatively low value of glass. The rapid change to single stream recycling has impacted glass recycling probably more than any other of the major five commodities.
Strategic Materials has prospered in this difficult environment due to our ability to balance resistance to change vs. the need for change. The NRC has a similar challenge. Pressure to increase recycling rates demands the NRC be open to new approaches while staying true to its mission.
What do you think are the most important recycling issues facing the NRC or recycling on the national level?
The NRC needs to be the agent of change that increases the quantity and quality of recycling while staying true to its heritage of encouraging open views from all interested parties.
What steps should the NRC take to strengthen its role and relationships with our affiliated state organizations?
By helping the state organizations enroll members and receive funding versus competing with them over memberships and the fees. A membership in the NRC should automatically enroll one into the home state organization and that organization should receive their enrollment fee.
What individual or group in the field of recycling has had the most influence on you?
Customers have had the biggest impact on me. I entered the recycling world from a large billion dollar company into a small recycling world. Customers had been supplied material but were not really listened to by previous managers. We transformed SMI into a supplier of high quality material and by doing so we have created a competitive edge. Listening to their needs, communicating our needs and compromising on the “right” solution has changed the glass recycling world.
How would you “sell” the importance of an NRC membership to a person who is unfamiliar with the NRC?
NRC provides great networking opportunities, access to the latest recycling trends and equipment, information on other markets and their issues, and a way to voice your opinion on key issues of the day. No other organization provides this service for recycling issues.
How is the work you do as a professional compatible with NRC’s mission?
NRC’s new Mission contains five goals which are the same as some of our goals within Strategic Materials. Within Strategic, I am responsible for its financial health. My responsibilities also include; driving innovative recycling solutions, driving strategic partnerships with my suppliers and customers, staying abreast of emerging recycling issues and solutions.
Lastly, I am a leading national voice on glass recycling.
The NRC Board of Directors is comprised of individuals with a concern for the common good of the Coalition. Discuss how you would help the Board reach consensus among a group of peers with varied interests and/or positions on a specific issue.
All of us in the recycling world are faced with building consensus with our business peers, with our suppliers and customers. We do this by listening to the positions of others, analysis of facts supported by data, by giving our opinions, discussing our differences, and compromising when required. The NRC Board is no different.
What would be your personal goals as a member of the NRC Board of Directors?
I have several different types of goals I want to achieve within NRC. Some goals involve learning from the NRC; some involve impacting decisions at the NRC.
I will learn more about how different recycling industries work and develop a broad range of contacts within these industries. I want to learn more about how the different government levels decide what’s important to recycle and how they look economics versus the public good.
I want to impact how glass recycling is perceived. I will influence how recycling is judged (recycling versus diversion) and would provide the check and balances between waste haulers and the recycling community. I want to insure that we encourage all types of recycling but, if needed, that we support programs that generate the highest recycling rates.
I will work tirelessly to improve the quantity and quality of recycling. We not only want to see rates increase but we need to make sure quality of recycling continues to improve.