Exclusive Insight From a Variety of Voices
Speakers
The speakers below are confirmed for 2024.
Walter Alcorn
Walter Alcorn, Vice President for Environmental Affairs and Industry Sustainability, Consumer Technology Association
Walter Alcorn is Vice President for Environmental Affairs and Industry Sustainability at the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). Walter manages legislative initiatives impacting consumer electronic product recycling, design, repair, packaging and hazardous materials restrictions for CTA. Prior to CTA Walter co-founded the National Center for Electronics Recycling and was a nationally-recognized consultant for public and private sector clients supporting development of state and corporate electronics recycling systems. Outside of CTA Walter serves as a local elected official on the Fairfax County, Virginia Board of Supervisors.
Steve Alexander
Steve Alexander, President and CEO, The Association of Plastic Recyclers
Steve Alexander serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR, the Voice of Plastic Recyclers®), a Washington, D.C.-based trade association whose members represent more than 95% of the processing capacity for post-consumer plastics in North America. APR serves the plastics recycling industry by providing technical and educational solutions with the goal of creating a greater supply of quality material for recycling and enhancing the quality of the existing supply stream. Steve is also the president of Resource Recycling, Inc., a publishing and conference management firm that produces the Plastics Recycling Conference, among others.
Nace Allen
Nace Allen, Vice President, Echo Environmental
Nace Allen serves as Vice President for Echo Environmental (subsidiary of NYSE: ELA), and has more than a decade of experience in the electronics and non-ferrous commodities industry. Nace oversees the financial and operational aspects at Echo’s Carrollton, TX-based facility, which provides recycling services to over 20 percent of Fortune 100 companies. He holds a B.S. in kinesiology from The University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Southern Methodist University.
Paul Baum
Paul Baum, CEO, PlanITROI
Paul Baum is a “people first” entrepreneur who is passionate about closing the digital divide with affordable technology by disrupting the current IT asset disposition model. He enjoys teaching client suppliers about the next user of their retired assets and how their retired assets, refurbished and re-certified, make a huge impact for students, families and small businesses caught in the digital divide through the PlanITROI secure, purpose-driven ITAD business model.
Since 2001, PlanITROI has been closing the digital divide with affordable technology from our clients’ retired IT assets. PlanITROI’s 100% data secure approach helps organizations achieve critical environmental social governance (ESG) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals while recovering the highest possible value for their assets, paying for their ITAD programs.
Elizabeth Beck
Elizabeth Beck, Sales Contracting Officer, Defense Logistics Agency
Elizabeth Beck joined DLA Disposition Services in 2016 as a material examiner and identifier. She has held several property disposition roles in the agency and currently serves as the Sales Contracting Officer for West Region Scrap Sales. Elizabeth previously served in the U.S. Army and has over two decades of Defense Department logistics experience.
Jamie Bohan
Jamie Bohan, SVP, Sustainable Waste Solutions, Macquarie
Jamie Bohan is a Senior Vice President of Sustainable Waste Solutions at Macquarie. In this role, she leads investments into start-ups and companies that are attempting to grow, but who for various reasons struggle to get traditional financing. Her focus areas are e-waste, plastics, carbon and organic waste recycling.
Jamie is a chemical engineer with a master’s in sustainability leadership. Her experience spans technology commercialization combined with sustainability strategy development at Honeywell and Republic Services. She leverages her background to de-risk investments that help drive the circular economy. Jamie is based in Phoenix, Arizona.
Craig Boswell
Craig Boswell, President, HOBI International, Inc.
Craig Boswell is Co-Founder and President of HOBI International, Inc., and has more than 30 years of experience in the design, development and deployment of electronics demanufacturing and recycling techniques. Additionally, Craig is HOBI’s chief industry consultant on demanufacturing, design for disassembly and reverse logistics programs. Craig has published and presented numerous papers on electronic products recycling and the keys to designing more recyclable products. Craig holds a B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois and an MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas.
Brad Brown
Brad Brown, Senior Director of Compliance, Evterra Recycling, LLC
Brad Brown is an accomplished compliance and strategic business development professional with over 30 years of experience in regulatory compliance, risk management and corporate governance. Brad has a proven track record of developing and implementing complex compliance, strategic business programs and guidance on risk mitigation aligned with industry standards, regulatory requirements and company polices.
Brad is the Senior Director of Compliance for Evterra Recycling, a subsidiary of Pedal Point/Korea Zinc. Prior to holding key leadership roles within the recycling industry, he also held professional leadership roles within the semiconductor and contract electronic manufacturing industries.
Eric Capps
Eric Capps, Director, Global Compliance, Iron Mountain
Eric Capps is a senior compliance and quality leader with 18 years of experience in the electronics and ITAD industries with a focus on sustainable process excellence and innovative compliance strategies. As Global Director of Compliance for Iron Mountain's asset lifecycle management (ALM) business, Eric is focused on scaling quality and compliance strategies globally to meet the pace of ALM's growing organization.
Amanda Tischer Buros
Amanda Tischer Buros, Vice President of OEM Solutions, Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations
Amanda Tischer Buros is a seasoned professional in materials lifecycle management, leveraging her expertise to drive innovation and sustainable practices. In her current role as Vice President of OEM Solutions, Amanda’s passion for excellence and extensive knowledge of EPR legislation is evident as she implements industry-leading compliance services, recycling and ITAD sales strategies, and OEM programming for Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations. A respected thought leader, she maintains a diverse experience spanning a wide breadth including regulatory compliance, technical standards and ESG programming. Amanda holds an MBA from Viterbo University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.
Mary Castiglia
Mary Castiglia, Executive Vice President, Hub International
Mary Castiglia is Executive Vice President of the HUB International. Mary draws upon her extensive risk management and insurance experience to guide her clients in developing and implementing insurance programs that fit each company’s life cycle of growth. Mary focuses on working with complex and fast growing companies, especially in the technology and clean tech sectors. Mary, together with her Hub colleagues, works alongside CFOs, risk managers, CISOs, legal counsels and finance executives to guide in developing and procuring best fitting and best-in-class insurance programs while managing total cost of risk.
Mary has a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Colorado College. She holds several insurance designations: Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter, Associate in Risk Management, Associate in Surety Bonding, Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU) and Cyber COPE. Mary is a speaker on various panels.
Elizabeth Chen
Elizabeth Chen, CEO, Trillion Technologies and Trading LLC
In 2012, Elizabeth Chen founded Trillion in Hong Kong and later expanded its global presence with operations in the United States (Dallas) and the UAE (Dubai). As the founder and CEO of the Trillion Companies, she brings remarkable energy and visionary leadership to the team, thriving on their high energy, diverse background and rigorous work ethic.
With over 25 years of experience in consulting, management, supervision and administration, Elizabeth has empowered small enterprises and Fortune 500 companies, including Trillion Companies, Ford Motor Company and DTE Energy. Her expertise in technology, operations and business development has enhanced international operations, business strategies and overall development.
She holds an MBA in finance and an MIS from Wayne State University and an M.S. in geography from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in China. Beyond her professional achievements, Elizabeth actively engages in community service, currently serving as a board member of the Canyon Crest Academy Foundation.
Cheryl T. Coleman
Cheryl T. Coleman, Senior VP Advocacy, Safety & Sustainability, Recycled Materials Association
Cheryl T. Coleman is the Senior Vice President for Advocacy, Safety and Sustainability at The Recycled Materials Association (ReMA). In her current role at ReMA, she is leading efforts with ReMA members and other stakeholders to strengthen the recycled materials industry’s voice in domestic and global policy, including the evolution of energy sources like decarbonization, electrical vehicles, batteries management and workforce development.
Cheryl previously served as the Director of the Resource Conservation and Sustainability Division at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Prior to her tenure at EPA, Cheryl was the Director for RCRA and CERCLA related programs at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Amanda Cotton
Amanda Cotton, E-Waste Coordinator, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Amanda Cotton has worked for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for 17 years as the E-Waste Coordinator and also works on policy for product stewardship, such as for solar panels, carpet, batteries, mattresses and packaging.
Scott Denbo
Scott Denbo, CEO, Commercial Insurance Associates, LLC
Scott Denbo is proud to lead a group of dedicated folks who are growing Commercial Insurance Associates’ property/casualty insurance business and focused on remaining independent. He is navigating the great parts and the challenging parts about working with family members - his father and his brother. Scott is committed to making the insurance industry more transparent operationally and better understood despite its complexity. He believes people are kind and empathetic, striving to positively impact their families and communities. His three children are a constant source of wonder for me. Scott and his wife are happily raising them in his hometown of Nashville, TN.
Michael Espada
Michael Espada, Senior Commercial Director, Sims Lifecycle Services
Michael Espada specializes in global business development for secure, sustainable asset management solutions while managing diverse, global sales teams. Along with core skills in SP&O and project/program management, Michael utilizes various sales approaches lending to his skills as a senior director with broad experience in international and cross-cultural business management.Michael has been with Sims for nearly 20 years. Lately, his experience has been integral to hyperscalers towards circular and sustainable asset management solutions. His experience as a defense contractor extends to his past employment by developing advance economic models for military branches and developing operational plans for engagement and enactment.
Jeff Farano
Jeff Farano, Corporate Counsel, Manager of Compliance and Governmental Relations, SA Recycling
Jeff Farano is an attorney with over 30 years experience in governmental relations at the local, state and federal levels. Jeff has been with SA Recycling LLC since its formation, handling environmental compliance matters as well as legislative regulatory matters on a local, state and federal levels. As a result of SA presence in many states, Jeff is well-versed in all aspects of regulatory and legislative matters related to recycling. Jeff is the legislative chair for the ReMA West Coast chapter and president of the Arizona Scrap Recycling Association. He has chaired several task forces and is active in several committees for ReMA at the national level.
Troy Firman
Troy Firman, Sales Manager, Iron Mountain
Troy Firman started his company at the age of 24 in the ITAD industry. During that time, he ran all phases of the company. He sold that company to Regency Technologies. From there, Troy took over their outbound resale and looked to maximize profits. Regency recently got acquired by Iron Mountain at the beginning of this year. Troy is currently running outbound sales for CEU material.
Russell Fraker
Russell Fraker, Of Counsel, Beveridge & Diamond
Russell Fraker is an attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Beveridge & Diamond, P.C. His practice encompasses environmental regulatory issues associated with facilities and products. As a member of the firm’s international practice group, he counsels clients in the electronics, agricultural and pharmaceutical sectors on compliance with product stewardship and waste laws worldwide, with a particular emphasis on Latin America. Before studying law, Russell worked as an environmental consultant in the oil, forestry, and telecommunications industries; as a marine fisheries observer; and in the planning, permitting, maintenance, and repair of undersea cable systems.
Roger Gagnon
Roger Gagnon, President & CEO, Extreme Protocol Solutions
Roger Gagnon is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Extreme Protocol Solutions (EPS). After graduating with bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from WPI in 1993, he worked as a data storage engineer for EMC Corporation and Digital Equipment Corporation before founding EPS in 1999. With over 25 years of industry leadership, storage protocol and hardware expertise, he has made EPS a global player in the data storage test, development and sanitization markets. His commitment to cutting-edge, customer-focused solutions that ensure risk mitigation while providing substantial ROI has allowed EPS to secure the trust and business of many Fortune 100, 500 and 1000 companies.
Jennie Gift
Jennie Gift, Vice President of Member Services, Information Governance & Management Association (i-SIGMA)
Jennie Gift, CRA, CSDS, is a 20 + veteran of the information governance industry. Jennie started her career at an independent information governance company in the DC metro area. Jennie recently joined i-SIGMA staff as Vice President of Member Services. She has served on the i-SIGMA BOD as the Corporate Partner Director for i-SIGMA and chaired the 2023 Conference Committee as well as the Corporate Partner Engagement Committee. She also served on the CSDS Board of Regents. In her current role, Jennie is enthusiastic about embarking on new challenges and is committed to leveraging her experience to assist organizations grow and expand their businesses through compliance and regulations.
Jeff Gloyd
Jeff Gloyd, Founder, Gloyd Recycling Solutions
Jeff Gloyd is the founder of Gloyd Recycling Solutions LLC (GRS). He has over two decades of experience working in the waste and recycling industry. His business specializes in e-waste recycling, the design and implementation of waste and recycling facilities, executive leadership recruitment, and sales leadership training and transition. Previous to GRS, Jeff was the President of evTerra Recycling and was the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at URT, worked at the corporate office of Waste Management, and earlier in his career gained experience while managing a regional hazardous waste and landfill operation in Wisconsin. Mr. Gloyd has served on the Board of Directors of the North American Hazardous Materials Management Association for over 13 years.
Marissa Heffernan
Marissa Heffernan, Associate Editor, E-Scrap News
Marissa Heffernan started working for Resource Recycling and E-Scrap News in January 2022, after spending several years as a reporter at a daily newspaper in Southwest Washington. She focuses on recycling policy and also curates the monthly Policy Now newsletter.
Daniel Grande
Daniel Grande, Chief Product Officer, Arbor
Daniel Grande is the Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder at Arbor, a forward-thinking company revolutionizing carbon accounting. With his eyes set on enhancing value for customers, Daniel navigates the nexus of product design, strategy, and marketing, ensuring that Arbor’s solutions resonate with market demands. His mastery in communications enriches stakeholder experience, facilitating businesses to confidently present their product carbon footprints for diverse applications.
Daniel is passionate about democratizing access to precise and transparent carbon footprint data, driving positive change in the fight against climate change.
Beyond the office, Daniel's creativity and love for innovation take him outdoors, where he enjoys the tranquility of hiking, the rhythm of music and the challenge of engaging engineering projects.
Clive Hess
Clive Hess, President, CompuCycle
Clive Hess is currently the President of CompuCycle, a leading electronics recycling, processing and plastics plant. With over 25 years of experience in the family business, Clive has been instrumental in driving industry change. He has recognized the need for comprehensive solutions in security, data destruction and sustainability when handling corporate IT assets.
Under his leadership, CompuCycle manages the environmentally responsible disposal of approximately 120,000 reusable IT assets and 25 million pounds of potentially harmful electronic materials annually. Clive’s mission is to safeguard sensitive data and protect the environment by pushing for innovation in all processes.
His latest initiative aims to enhance CompuCycle’ s processing facility to handle plastics from electronic waste more effectively. This project will reduce the reliance on downstream entities, significantly lowering clients' carbon footprints by diverting thousands of materials from landfills and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Charles Hildebrand
Charles Hildebrand, Sales Manager, UNTHA America
Charles Hildebrand has worked as a sales manager with UNTHA America since 2009. He has been integral in the company's growth in electronics recycling and data destruction, building them into one of the most respected names in the business. Long a fan of UNTHA’s solid and reliable four-shaft shredders, he is very excited about the advantages their newest shredding technologies are bringing to the electronics recycling industry.
He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and has worked in a variety of industries, focusing on material properties and failure analysis. A ReMA (formerly ISRI) member since 2009, Charles is active in the Electronics Division and finds shredding electronics to be a strangely satisfying endeavor.
George Hinkle
George Hinkle, President, ARCOA Group
George Hinkle is a managing partner at the ACROA Group, a holding company base din Illinois with entities that focus on asset management, end of life recycling, data security and logistics. He is also the past chair of the electronics division of ReMa and currently serves as the chair of RIOS. With over 20 years in the industry, he has an extensive background and experience working with corporate and government institutions of all sizes and companies throughout the recycling industry.
David Hirschler
David Hirschler, Chief Sustainability Officer, ERI
David Hirschler is the Chief Sustainability Officer at ERI, the nation’s leading recycler of e-waste. David is responsible for ERI’s internal and external sustainability and circularity initiatives as well as ERI’s legislative responsibilities covering the gamut of producer responsibility regulations through data protection regulations. In addition, David serves as president of the board of FABSCRAP, a nonprofit organization focused on the recycling and reuse of commercial textile waste. David has worked in the recycling field for more than 20 years and holds a master’s degree in urban and environmental policy and planning from Tufts University.
Dan Holtmeyer
Dan Holtmeyer, Managing Editor, E-Scrap News
Dan Holtmeyer is a writer, editor and photographer in northwest Arkansas, where he oversees Resource Recycling's national publications focusing on the recycling industry. His career in journalism, in both reporter and editor roles, has stretched from Nebraska to Oklahoma, Missouri, Minnesota and here in the Natural State. Prior to joining Resource Recycling in January, Dan managed the recycling program of a local regional nonprofit, connecting stakeholders, collecting data, and supporting public education and outreach.
Felix Hottenstein
Felix Hottenstein, Sales Director, MSS Inc.
In 1993, Felix Hottenstein received his master’s degree in material science engineering from the Federal Polytechnical Institute in Zurich, Switzerland (ETHZ). Since 1999, Felix has been Sales Director for MSS Inc., the optical sorting division of CP Group, a manufacturer or materials handling and sorting equipment for the recycling and waste management industry.
Robert Houghton
Robert Houghton, CEO, Sage Sustainable Electronics
Bob Houghton founded Redemtech in 1998, leading one of the first and most successful ITAD services firms globally until its sale to Arrow Electronics in 2012. He is co-founder of the Coalition for American Electronics Recycling (CAER), the voice of responsible electronics recycling on Capitol Hill for over 10 years. Houghton served as Interim Executive Director for the e-Stewards certification program to assist with developing its strategic long-term plan. In 2014 he co-founded Sage Sustainable Electronics, a rapidly growing mission-focused ITAD services company differentiated by its singular focus on reducing environmental impact by reusing more and recycling less—a practice also resulting in superior financial results for Sage customers. In 2023 Bob closed a growth capital investment with Closed Loop Partners to ensure Sage’s ability to continue its growth and innovation. His career is dedicated to the Sage mission: to make tech more sustainable, affordable and available to everyone.
Jay Illingworth
Jay Illingworth, Director, Harmonization, Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA)
After previous executive roles with both the Canadian Federal Government & IBM Canada, in 2003 Jay Illingworth was appointed Vice President of Electronics Product Stewardship Canada (EPSC) where he worked closely with Canada’s leading manufacturers of information technology and consumer electronics on a variety of environmental issues.
In 2009 Jay was named the Director of Harmonization for Canada's industry-led environmental stewardship programs for electronics, leading the development of the industry’s performance measurement framework, and revitalized their work on setting and tracking environmental handling fees.
Since January of 2012 Jay has continued this harmonization work with the Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA), including industry outreach and stakeholder relations including liaison with EPR programs in the U.S. and Europe, and is a member of the R2 Technical Advisory Committee.
Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson, Principal Advocate, Privata Vox, LLC
Robert (Bob) Johnson, CSDS, CIPP/US, CIPP/E, is the Principal Advocate at Privata Vox, LLC, a consultancy specifically focused on helping organizations capitalize on emerging data protection and privacy requirements.
Prior to his current endeavor, Bob is best known as the co-founder of NAID, where he served as CEO for 27 years, and where he also oversaw the 2018 merger of NAID and PRISM Int’l, creating the Int’l Secure Information Governance & Management Assn. (i-SIGMA).
Among his many accomplishments are appearing before U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearings on breach reform, participating in FACTA Final Disposal Rule rulemaking, and architecting NAID AAA Certification.
Bob holds IAPP’s Certified Information Privacy Professional accreditations for the U.S. (CIPP/US) and Europe (CIPP/E), is an I-SIGMA-accredited Certified Secure Destruction Specialist (CSDS), and is a prolific and respected writer and speaker on the topics of privacy and data protection compliance, policy development, and data processor management.
Chris Kaasmann
Chris Kaasmann, VP of Compliance, Greenchip
Chris Kaasmann is VP of Compliance at Greenchip E-Waste & ITAD Solutions, an e-Stewards and R2 certified electronics recycler with two locations in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Chris came to Greenchip in January 2022 after over a decade of experience in the recycling industry. Most recently, Chris spent four years at Samsung, where he managed e-waste environmental compliance and take-back operations. Prior to this, Chris managed recycling programs for RLGA and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
Fearghal Kearney
Fearghal Kearney, Vice President Global Sales, Circulor
Fearghal Kearney is the VP of Sales at Circulor, whose mission is delivering traceability-as-a-service for raw materials and commodities, tracking supply chain data and embedded carbon at each stage of production, recycling, and end-of-life and helping companies verify responsible sourcing, address ESG objectives and create and maintain digital product passports. Fearghal is an experienced senior finance and commercial professional with over 25 years of experience in advising and managing businesses across several industries focusing on providing visibility into financial, procurement and supply chain processes.
Brian Kemp
Brian Kemp, Sales Contract Specialist, Defense Logistics Agency
Brian Kemp joined DLA Disposition Services in 2014 as an agency transportation specialist. He joined the Sales Contracting Division in 2022, where he currently oversees administration, billing and marketing of DLA’s electronic recycling account. He retired from military service in 2015 after 25 years with the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Michigan Air National Guard.
Samir Khoury
Samir Khoury, Head of Tech Operations, Iron Mountain
Samir Khoury is a seasoned operations professional with over 17 years of experience with Iron Mountain (previously Regency Technologies). During the span of his career, Samir has developed a diverse skill set spanning IT services, including day-to-day management of complex operations in one of the largest ITAD companies and overseeing planning and implementation of large operational processes and systems. As Head of Tech Operations, his current responsibilities include overseeing 10 Iron Mountain facilities across the U.S. with a focus on refurbishing and repair of ITAD assets for resale.
Maria Kisska
Maria Kisska, Group Manager, Sustainability and Regulatory Compliance, Epson America, Inc.
Maria Kisska brings over 30 years of experience in the consumer electronics and packaging industries to Epson’s newly created role of Group Manager, Sustainability & Regulatory Compliance. In addition to leading implementation in the Americas of sustainability initiatives and circular economy programs, her teams recently supported Seiko Epson Corporation’s global transition to renewably sourced electricity. Fluent in Spanish, she has a Master of International Business Studies (MIBS) from the University of South Carolina and has worked in Mexico, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Chile and Argentina. Maria lives in Long Beach, CA with her husband, two daughters and a large collection of bicycle parts.
Susan Krautbauer
Susan Krautbauer, Senior Director, Advancement, Digitunity
Susan Krautbauer is a recognized leader in technology, focusing on digital equity and advancing opportunities for women in technology. With over 20 years in global ITAD and IT service delivery, and nearly five years in the nonprofit sector, she has championed equitable access to technology for everyone. In 2024, she received CompTIA's Advancing Women in Technology Leadership Award.
As Senior Director of Advancement at Digitunity, Susan applies Digitunity’s Methodology for a Sustainable Device Ecosystem, advocating for affordable computers and digital skills training. Advising the public and corporate sectors on policy and education, her work with SERI’s Technology Advisory Committee underscores her commitment to ESG principles. A sought-after speaker, Susan emphasizes computer reuse for environmental sustainability and social impact. Publications include "Digital Equity: Advocating For Where It Begins," “Refurbished Computers: Debunking 5 Common Myths and Highlighting Benefits” and "Connecting the Desire to Do Good with Opportunities to Help People in Need."
Rob Lawson-Shanks
Rob Lawson-Shanks, CEO & Co-Founder, Molg
Rob Lawson-Shanks is the CEO and Co-Founder of Molg. Rob co-founded Molg after a decade of working in consumer electronics, where he realized he was contributing firsthand to the 50+ million ton problem of e-waste because of how products were being designed and manufactured. Prior to Molg, Rob was the CTO and Co-Founder of Lifefuels, an innovative beverage technology company funded by Keurig Dr. Pepper, which was sold in 2021. In addition to winning 2x CES Innovation Awards, Rob is a 2023 Grist 50 fixer and was featured in Forbes’ Unconventional Minds series discussing the challenges and opportunities that come with building complex, cross-category products.
Pablo León
Pablo León, CEO, Sostenplas
Pablo León is CEO and Co-Founder of Sostenplas SL. Based in Segovia, Spain, Sostenplas started operations in 2020 and has experienced massive growth year on year under Pablo’s leadership, becoming one of the WEEE plastics recycling industry leaders in its four years of existence. Prior to that, Pablo was CEO for Asia Pacific of Fosimpe SL, a global plastic collector and recycler, also from Spain, for almost 10 years.
Jim Levine
Jim Levine, SVP North American Operations, Iron Mountain
Jim Levine has been working in the ITAD industry for over 25 years and was a founding member of Regency Technologies. Jim and the team at Regency helped to shape the industry as we know it today. In January of 2024, Regency Technologies was sold to Iron Mountain as a platform to grow the asset lifecycle management (ALM) business throughout North America and around the globe. While the industry has matured in many ways over the years, technology continues to evolve and Jim and his team continue to see opportunities for growth and improvement.
Jason Linnell
Jason Linnell, Executive Director, National Center for Electronics Recycling
Jason Linnell is the Executive Director of the National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER), where he leads activities such as research on electronics recycling data and policy as well as management of the Electronics Recycling Coordination Clearinghouse (ERCC). Under Jason’s direction, the NCER manages and oversees the statewide networks of collectors and recyclers for the Oregon State Contractor Program and Vermont State Standard Plan and administers the Illinois and South Carolina Manufacturer Clearinghouses.
Robert Lubin
Robert Lubin, Managing Director, Corporate Fuel Advisors, Inc.
Robert Lubin leads Corporate Fuel Advisor’s (CFA) investment banking activities in clean technology, waste and recycling, sustainability, and organics and supports CFA’s broader industrial advisory activities. He offers a combination of financial advisory and operating management experience to client relationships.
As an operating executive and entrepreneur prior to joining CFA, Robert was SVP of Strategy and Business Development for HiWave Energy (Clean Technology), Treasurer and VP of Business Development for Interstate Waste Services, VP of Finance and Business Development of TransLoad America (waste-by-rail), and he started biomass recycling and glass recycling businesses.
Robert began his career in corporate finance as an investment banker for Arthur Anderson, and then led the Industrials Investment Banking Team at CIBC Oppenheimer, where he completed more than 30 transactions. He has a B.A. in political science from Lehigh University and an MBA from the Darden School at the University of Virginia.
Tom Mahowald
Tom Mahowald, Director, Americas, Bloom ESG
Tom Mahowald is Director - Americas for Bloom-ESG, a sustainability, finance and software-powered advisory focused on carbon and capital markets and across ESG. Bloom helps ITAD's quantify and benchmark avoided emissions from recycling operations to create economic value for ITADs and their most important clients across the electronics value chain.
Prior to joining Bloom ESG, Tom held senior positions at Guidehouse and was also an early member of Pike Research – a provider of quantitative market research for clean technology markets, which was sold to Navigant. Tom has decades of experience working in ESG, decarbonization and energy.
Naomi Manahan
Naomi Manahan, Director of EPR Operations, Reverse Logistics Group
Naomi Manahan is the Director of EPR Operations at Reverse Logistics Group (RLG). She works with cities and counties across the U.S. to help them understand their responsibilities as they relate to their state’s EPR laws, as well as facilitating collection events and permanent sites in coordination with community leaders, local and state authorities and local recyclers. She also is the Head of Sustainability for RLG’s U.S. division and works to support internal and external efforts to expand the circular economy, reduce emissions and provide recycling opportunities to underserved communities. Naomi holds a master’s in sustainability management from Columbia University and previously worked as a scientist studying long-term ecological trends in Antarctica.
Kyle Marks
Kyle Marks, Founder & CEO, Retire-IT, LLC
Kyle Marks is an ITAD enthusiast, author, and CEO of Retire-IT, an independent consulting firm specializing in IT asset disposition management. He is the author of the book Where the IT Lifecycle Ends. With over 20 years of experience, Marks has managed more than 20,000 ITAD projects. Previously, Marks served as President of US Micro at Arrow Electronics, was a consultant with Bain & Company, and worked in marketing with Maybelline L'Oréal. He holds an economics degree from Rhodes College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He is also proud to be the father of two wonderfully inexhaustible kids.
Michael McBride
Michael McBride, Property Risk Control Practice Leader, HUB International
Mike McBride is the Property Risk Control Practice Leader for the HUB Risk Services Division. Mike has over 35 years in the property risk engineering field with a focus on highly protected risk (HPR) property loss prevention. Prior to joining HUB, Mike led the property practice for the largest global unbundled property risk engineering services organization, leading a global team of 140. He has also held leadership positions at several insurance organizations including director, property risk engineering of a large multi-national insurance carrier and vice president of engineered lines at a major global reinsurer. Mike’s experience includes a broad array of Fortune 500 companies including power generation, renewable energy, waste recycling and processing, auto industry, plastics and rubber, food processing, construction, metal working, textiles, telecommunications and paper mills. He served on The International Association of Engineering Insurers (IMIA) working groups for photovoltaic parks and wind energy.
Patty McKenzie
Patty McKenzie, Education & Outreach, SERi - R2
Patty McKenzie has been with SERI, educating facilities about the R2 Standard and certification process, for more than 11 years. She also serves as the “first call for help” for questions about R2 requirements and the implementation of the standard. Prior to SERI, Patty was a research and communications consultant, working with clients from a broad array of industries. This experience, coupled with her own experience establishing and selling two businesses, provides her with insight into the challenges that many R2 Certified companies encounter.
Ed Moreland
Ed Moreland, Sales Contracting Officer, Defense Logistics Agency
Ed Moreland began his career in DLA in 2015 as Administrative Assistant in the agency’s Law Enforcement Support Office. In 2019, he became a sales contracting officer (SCO) covering DLA Disposition Services’ mid-America region scrap sales and currently serves as the SCO for DLA’s electronic recycling contracts.
Dr. Ryan Nolte
Dr. Ryan Nolte, Senior Director of Safety Outreach, Recycled Materials Association (ReMA)
Dr. Ryan Nolte assists Recycled Material Association (ReMA) members with safety compliance and regulatory updates. He writes the weekly EHS Updates and produces the Monthly EHS Calendar. He developed and currently teaches the Organizational Culture and Safety Success class and provides outreach training for Material Handler and Powered Industrial Vehicle Train-the-Trainer. He is the co-trainer for their Fire Safety and Prevention in the Recycling Industry course. Ryan previously worked at two scrap metal recyclers in operations and as an environmental, health and safety manager. He has a total of 29 years as a professional in recycling operations and environmental, health and safety. He has also worked in brass rod production, automotive, plastics and battery making industries. Ryan has a Master of Science in occupational health and safety from Indiana State University and a Doctor of Education in organizational leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University.
Emmanuel Nyaletey
Emmanuel Nyaletey, CEO & Founder, BridgeSolar LLC
Emmanuel Nyaletey is the founder of BridgeSolar and a recognized expert in recycling and reuse markets in Africa. With over a decade of experience in the circular economy, Emmanuel has spearheaded efforts to bring renewable solar energy to communities in Ghana, with plans to expand into the rest of West Africa. BridgeSolar serves households and businesses that otherwise couldn't afford solar energy.
His work through BridgeSolar underscores the intersection of technical innovation and community impact, focusing on recycling and repurposing solar panels to create sustainable energy solutions. Emmanuel's expertise in both the technical aspects of solar energy, electronics, and software engineering, and his deep understanding of reuse markets in Africa, makes him a leading voice in the ongoing conversation about sustainable development, technology and energy access across the continent.
Brendan O’Byrne
Brendan O'Byrne, Director, Data Center & Enterprise Services, Guardian Data Destruction
Brendan O’Byrne brings over 35 years of experience in sales management and operations within the IT electronics and ITAD industry. As the Director of Guardian’s Data Center and Enterprise Services Division, Brendan closely collaborates with our sales and operations teams, integrating a wide range of project-based services including data destruction, packing, logistics, data center decommissioning, lift and shift, lease return, erasure, audits and visual identification of data bearing devices for large-scale, highly secure facilities and high value assets.
His drive, enthusiasm and expertise in IT, operations and management offer a unique blend of customer-centric strategic and tactical thinking. Detail-oriented by necessity and nature, Brendan ensures that projects are meticulously planned, with solutions or backup options ready for each potential question or problem, to achieve the promised outcome.
Neil Peters-Michaud
Neil Peters-Michaud, CEO, Cascade Asset Management
Neil Peters-Michaud is the Co-Founder and CEO of Cascade Asset Management, an ITAD pioneer founded in 1999 with processing facilities in Madison (WI), Indianapolis (IN), and Orlando (FL). Neil has served on the Committee of Experts to develop the initial e-Stewards standard, participated in the development of the server standard for EPEAT, and partnered on research and demonstration projects in electronics reuse and recycling with iNEMI, the U.S. EPA, and World Bank.
Joe Pickard
Joe Pickard, Chief Economist and Director of Commodities, Recycled Materials Association (ReMA)
Joe Pickard serves as the Chief Economist and Director of Commodities at the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA), where he conducts research and analysis on commodity and scrap market developments and the key economic role that recycling plays in the U.S. and abroad. Joe regularly provides information and insights on the primary and recycled iron and steel, nonferrous metal, paper, plastics and electronics markets to the 1,300 ReMA member companies as well as to industry associations, policymakers, the press and the general public. As a current member of the Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee and Industry Trade Advisory Committee No. 5, he serves as an advisor on scrap-related trade issues to the Commerce Department and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Pickard holds a master’s degree in economics from Virginia Tech, a bachelor’s degree in political science from Loyola University Maryland, and also studied at George Mason University and K.U. Leuven in Belgium.
Jon Powell
Jon Powell, Ph.D., Founder and CEO, Apex Catalytic
Jon Powell, Ph.D., is a chemical/environmental engineer, tech leader, 4x founder and impact investor who has spent his 20+ year career driving positive environmental outcomes with his own advisory firms, tech companies and innovative organizations including Closed Loop Partners and Salesforce. He's Founder and CEO of Apex Catalytic, which provides advisory and an enablement platform to leading corporates and investment funds on frontier sustainability challenges with a focus on R&D; tech solutions for emerging environmental challenges; building and enhancing circular supply chains for a range of materials; incorporating AI, including Generative, to accelerate positive environmental outcomes; and more. He's also author of the newsletter Sustainability at the Frontier, where he translates high-impact sustainability research to a practitioner audience including CSOs and other prominent leaders in corporate sustainability and investing. He earned his Ph.D. at Yale University and his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Florida. He is based in Chicago.
Daniel Puckett
Daniel Puckett, Business Director, e-Stewards
Daniel Puckett is the Business Director at e-Stewards and has been immersed in the electronics recycling industry from an early age, attending his first conference at just 10 years old. As the son of Jim Puckett, the founder of e-Stewards, Daniel grew up with a strong understanding of sustainability and the challenges facing the electronics recycling industry. His background and exposure to the field naturally led him to contribute to the growth of e-Stewards, where he now helps drive the mission of responsible recycling and certification. Outside of work, Daniel enjoys fishing, listening to podcasts, and reading.
Jim Puckett
Jim Puckett, Executive Director, Basel Action Network
Jim Puckett is the co-founder and Executive Director of Basel Action Network, where he provides strategic oversight and implements and expands their programs. As an activist for over 25 years, his work on toxic waste and toxic waste trade has helped control pollution, safeguard fragile ecosystems from bio-accumulating toxins, protect the world’s poor from health hazards, and reuse the Earth’s limited resources. He has been a chief proponent of just international policies within the United Nations Basel Convention since its inception in 1989. As the only person to have attended every Conference of the Parties meeting, he supports delegates in drafting, approving, and implementing policies that protect people from the global trade of toxic waste.
Leo Raudys
Leo Raudys, President & CEO, Call2Recycle
Leo Raudys is President and CEO of Call2Recycle, the country’s premier battery collection, logistics and recycling program. With decades of experience as an environmental and sustainability leader, Leo works in partnership with its Board of Directors to accelerate Call2Recycle’s transformation in the growing battery recycling market.
Sophia Runau
Sophia Runau, Lifecycle Engineering Manager, Sims Lifecycle Services
Sophia Runau, Lifecycle Engineering Manager at Sims Lifecycle Services (SLS), has shaped the sustainability function of the company and is creating industry-leading reporting tools and integrating sustainability across the different business functions. Under her responsibility, the company has successfully achieved using more than 98% renewable electricity in its operations and reducing more than 70% of its emissions over the past years.
On a day-to-day basis, Sophia works closely with clients, anticipating their sustainability needs and looks for opportunities for advancing SLS’ sustainability performance and enabling a more circular, decarbonized economy. Her passion to foster green skills and embed sustainability throughout the organization is demonstrated through an ongoing university mentorship program and continuously identifying opportunities for further energy-efficiency increases globally.
Sophia holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical and biological engineering from the Friedrich Alexander University, DE and a master’s degree in sustainable chemical engineering and environmental management from Newcastle University, UK.
Rike Sandlin
Rike Sandlin, Founder & CEO, Rivervista Partners / RIOS
Rike Sandlin consults in the ITAD and recycling industries on operational excellence – business strategies, go-to-market plans, operations, sustainability, ESG and M&A. In short, he helps organizations grow. Recently Rike served as Interim Executive Director for the Global Recycling Standards Organization (GRSO), the nonprofit governing body for the RIOS standard. As an advocate for best practices and high standards, Rike has served as Co-Chair of the R2 TAC, Chairman of the RIOS Board of Directors and Chairman of ISRI’s Certification & Standards and Education Committees; and he frequently speaks on best practices. Previously, Rike was COO and partner in HiTech Assets, a leading ITAD. He also served as Environmental Affairs and Marketing Director for Arrow/Intechra and managed product development for Verizon. Rike earned his engineering degree from Georgia Tech and MBA from Millsaps College. He lives on a mountaintop near Huntsville, AL.
Patrick Santelli
Patrick Santelli, Senior Compliance and Sustainability Manager, Manufacturers Recycling Management Company (MRM)
Patrick Santelli serves as the Senior Compliance and Sustainability Program Manager for the Electronic Manufacturers Recycling Management Company (MRM). MRM was founded to help electronics manufacturers work together to provide convenient, environmentally responsible recycling to consumers and comply with e-waste laws across the U.S. MRM works with 50 electronics manufacturers and runs e-waste recycling programs in 20 states, Washington D.C., and Ontario. Patrick works with manufacturers to ensure ERP compliance in e-waste as well as provide solutions to all e-waste needs.
Alexander Sattler
Alexander Sattler, Sales and Project Manager, IFE Material Handling
Alexander Sattler is a sales and project manager for IFE Material Handling. He has several years of experience as a design engineer, starting in 2016 in the automotive industry. Since 2022 he is responsible for plant layouts and project management at IFE Austria. IFE operates globally in the material handling sector, especially for the mining and recycling industry.
At the start of 2025 Alexander will become one of the local contact persons for IFE Material Handling North America Inc. As part of IFE NA, he will be responsible for technical clarification of any kind for customer needs.
Brandon Shaw
Brandon Shaw, President, Plastic Recycling Inc.
Brandon Shaw is the President of Plastic Recycling Inc. (PRI), a leading firm headquartered in Indianapolis with nine facilities across the U.S. With over 20 years of experience in the recycling and compounding of plastics, Brandon is at the forefront of advancing PRI's mission to provide circular solutions and high-quality post-consumer resin built around the recycling of WEEE.
Under Brandon's leadership, PRI has grown to become one of the largest domestic recyclers of plastic in the U.S., with a capacity of over 200 million pounds. His focus on developing sustainable recycling practices and innovative compounding solutions has positioned PRI as a key player in the industry.
At PRI, Brandon is dedicated to expanding the company’s impact on the circular economy and enhancing its capabilities to meet the growing demands for recycled plastics. He continues to lead initiatives that push the boundaries of sustainability and environmental responsibility in the recycling sector.
Adam Shine
Adam Shine, President, Sunnking Sustainable Solutions
Adam Shine has been a prominent figure in the recycling industry since 2008, leading Manitoba Corporation, a non-ferrous metal recycling facility, as its President and representing the fourth generation of leadership. Alongside his role at Manitoba, Adam is also the President of Sunnking Inc., where he focuses on IT asset disposition (ITAD) and electronics recycling. His expertise lies in harnessing technology solutions and effective leadership.
Beyond his professional responsibilities, Adam has held significant roles in the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA), serving as Chair of the Electronics Division and Co-Chair of both the Membership Committee and the Education and Training Committee. Additionally, he is an active member of the Governance Board and the Strategic Advisory Committee for the REMADE Institute.
In his free time, Adam enjoys coaching hockey and baseball, traveling, and spending quality time with his wife and three children.
Jerry Sjogren
Jerry Sjogren, Senior Director of Safety, Recycled Materials Association (ReMA)
Jerry Sjogren is the Senior Director of Safety at the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA). He has over 34 years of experience in the environmental, health and safety (EHS) and transportation industries. Prior to joining ISRI, Sjogren was the Safety Director at Westborough, Mass.-based E.L. Harvey & Sons where he managed the development and administration of the company’s safety program and environmental issues, including compliance with all levels of related government regulations. In addition to receiving EHS certifications in Emergency Response & Incident Command, Sjogren has training in employee relations and government compliance subjects. Sjogren has served on local and national professional industry organizations, from the National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA) to ANSI Z245 Sub-Committees. He is a member of the Westborough Local Emergency Planning Committee, and former chair of the ISRI Safety & Environmental Council (ISEC).
Brian Smith
Brian Smith, Program Analyst, Defense Logistics Agency
Brian Smith began his DLA career in 2006 as a supply systems analyst. He currently serves as a program analyst in the Contract Oversight and Support Division, interpreting, evaluating and providing guidance on public sales contracting policies. Brian has extensive experience in receiving and demilitarization of excess military equipment policy and overseeing disposal operations worldwide.
Colin Staub
Colin Staub, Associate Editor, E-Scrap News
Colin Staub is an associate editor at Resource Recycling, Inc., reporting on the municipal, plastics and electronics recycling sectors for the company's three trade publications. He first joined the publication as a staff reporter in 2017, and works out of the company's Portland, Oregon headquarters.
Shawn Stockman
Shawn Stockman, VP, Sustainability Solutions, Onepak, Inc.
Shawn Stockman is a sustainability and circular economy professional with more than 30 years of business experience including 18 years in reverse logistics technology. As one of the first employees of Onepak, he developed the first national program for Certified I.T. Asset Handlers in the reverse logistics industry. Shawn has spoken nationally on sustainability, ESG, logistics technologies as well as on other data-driven business technology practices, and has contributed a significant amount of pro bono work to nonprofits, industry and community organizations.
In recent years Shawn's focus on the circular economy and the environmental and social impacts of the ITAD and e-waste industry has led to board positions with the Reusable Packaging Association and the Green Stewards Alliance, as well as a current volunteer member of SERI's Technical Advisory Committee on ESG Reporting Standards.
Ken Thomas
Ken Thomas, President, Universal Recycling Technologies
Three decades immersed in manufacturing and finance, Ken Thomas’ tenure at Universal Recycling Technologies has been marked by a steadfast commitment to strategic innovation and operational efficiency. At the helm as President, Ken’s team has propelled the company forward in the fiercely competitive electronics lifecycle industry, navigating growth through a balance of financial acuity and process improvement.
Previously, as VP Finance/Corporate Controller, Ken championed the implementation of visual management systems and analytical methodologies that underpin their current operational successes. Their collaborative efforts have not only optimized their manufacturing processes, but also solidified URT's reputation for delivering superior client value and sustainable, innovative solutions.
Selena Turnock
Selena Turnock, Certification Director, e-Stewards
Selena Turnock is the e-Stewards Certification Director. Selena is an environmental, health, safety and compliance professional with 10 years of experience in the e-scrap and recycling industry. As her previous role was within an e-Stewards certified organization, she is accustomed to working with the e-Stewards standard from the processor standpoint and uses this familiarity in her role as Certification Director. Selena's credentials include being an ISO 14001 certified internal auditor and holding OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 training certifications, thus providing tailored service to all current and future e-Stewards Certified processors.
Patricia Whiting
Patricia Whiting, Principal, Whiting & Daswani Consulting
Patricia Whiting is the Principal at Whiting & Daswani Consulting. Before founding the firm, she served as the Global Government Affairs Manager at Sims Limited. With over 20 years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Patricia also spent more than a decade as the Basel Convention Competent Authority, demonstrating her extensive expertise in environmental policy and international agreements. Early in her career, Patricia was a program officer at the International Law Institute in Washington, D.C. and a revenue analyst in the Governor's Budget Bureau in the Massachusetts Executive Office for Administration and Finance. Patricia holds a B.A. in political science and business from the University of New Hampshire and an M.S. in civil engineering from Tufts University focused on hazardous materials management.
Hong Yoon
Hong Yoon, Chief Executive Officer, Hanil Eco Solutions, Inc.
Hong Yoon is the President of Hanil Eco Solutions, Inc. in California and its sister company, Hanil Green-Tech, Co., Ltd. in South Korea. Having spent most of his life in the U.S., and at the same time having his roots in South Korea, he led his company in Korea to bring its technology into the U.S. to serve recycling needs. Under his management, Hanil supplies quality post-consumer resins to some of the largest companies in the world, achieving a true circular economy. He prioritizes the environment and compliance when it comes to recycling. He believes that only when recycling is done right, we have an opportunity for more sustainability in the future.
Matthew Young
Matthew Young, President, Electronics Value Recovery, Inc.
Matthew Young is a recycling, reuse and sustainability entrepreneur, who has spent his entire professional career in e-recycling and refurbishing. Matthew graduated from the University of Maryland in 2010, after having already spent two years working at an electronics recycling company. Matthew then worked at electronics recyclers and refurbishers of different sizes before starting his own e-scrap and refurbishing business in 2016. Matthew has also spent five years processing mattresses as a mattress recycler. Finally, Matthew has served in a variety of roles in ReMA's electronics division, and actively worked developing ReMA specifications for electronics reuse for several years.
Zhan “Bo” Zhang
Zhan "Bo" Zhang, Director, BoMET Polymer Solutions
Zhan "Bo" Zhang is Co-Founder of BoMET Polymer Solutions. Based in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, with a second facility in Western New York State, BoMET Polymer is a dedicated e-plastics recycler that processes nearly all types of plastics generated in the electronics recycling industry and a premier supplier of PCR ABS in North America. Zhang has served on the board of the Canadian Association of Recycling Industry (CARI) for nearly 10 years.
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