The Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) and Recycling Today are excited to introduce the first annual 30 Under 30 awards to highlight young professionals working in the recycled materials industry.

Our industry needs young professionals, laborers, technicians and tradespeople, and, happily, this inaugural class has representation from all these important fields.

Nominations were open to employees of ReMA member companies only, underscoring ReMA’s commitment to professional growth while highlighting opportunities the organization provides for networking, professional development and industry engagement.

The award selection process was managed through ReMA’s Young Executive Council working in concert with Recycling Today team members, ensuring the recognition is peer-reviewed and meritbased.

The 2024 class is featured below and also will be highlighted on the ReMA and Recycling Today websites, at Scrap Expo 2024 and the 2024 ReMA Roundtables.

The program helps to showcase the incredible contributions young people are making across the industry, highlight the wide range of career paths available within the industry and recognize the future.

Please take some time to read about these wonderful young people. If you know them, congratulate them on this tremendous recognition.

Thank you to all those who nominated young industry members for this program, and a special thanks to the firms who stood up to sponsor this first-year program.

Kazim Ali

Managing Partner
NUR Metals

Kazim Ali got a head start in recycling, attending his first ReMA convention at age 13, and since has worked alongside his father, focusing on nonferrous. His efforts to restore the company’s profitability in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic were critical, and his colleagues say his product knowledge, problem-solving skills and ability to keep pace with industry veterans are invaluable.

Darpan Bhatt

Darpan Bhatt joined Bhatt International Inc. in 2016, and the company since has expanded to 34 countries, engaged in four processing operations worldwide and expanded to seven grades of recyclable materials as well as two minor metals. As company director, Bhatt has opened new trade routes and helped Bhatt International enter the semifinished metals markets.

Cameron Brady

Cameron Brady has been with Newco Metals for five years, starting as a laborer and advancing to warehouse operations manager. He began sorting metals in college, and his dedication led him to a supervisory role overseeing production, shipping and receiving and dispatching. He oversees 20 employees and continuously seeks innovative methods to increase material output.

Maddie Carlson

Maddie Carlson’s interest in sustainability began in childhood. As a sustainability consultant at Shapiro, she is responsible for developing recycling programs for new clients by researching viable outlets for recycled material and analyzing emissions. Carlson’s dedication to sustainability is also exemplified in her writing, as she contributes to a blog called Sustainability Insights and writes a column called “Beyond the Bin.”

Clyde Cameron III

Clyde Cameron III represents the third generation of family members employed at Beacon Metals Co. Inc. He currently serves as manager but previously worked in the yard as a laborer and operator, as well as in logistics, sales and purchasing. Cameron has focused on improving efficiency, resulting in a safer work environment and increased processing capability at Beacon.

Lianne Gironda

Lianne Gironda is responsible for permitting and regulatory compliance at a 30-acre facility in Everett, Massachusetts. With a focus on environmental stewardship, she has managed complex projects, overseen contractor safety and supported corporate initiatives. Her dedication to learning and leadership is evident through her active participation in industry training, internal meetings and community events.

Jameson Harding

From rim stacker to material handler operator, Jameson Harding has worn many hats throughout his time at Harding Metals. Today, he is vice president of purchasing, working with the company’s industrial and dealer accounts to ensure fair service and pricing. In addition to his daily responsibilities, Harding also serves as treasurer for ReMa’s New England Chapter.

Madison Hicks

Madison Hicks is an accomplished accounting specialist at Albert Bros. Inc., with nearly four years of experience. She has excelled in roles from accounting, purchasing, logistics and IT. Hicks received the Goes the Extra Mile Award (2023) and the Top Utility Team Member Award (2021). She leads the Albert Bros. United Way campaign and is pursuing a master’s degree in accounting.

Sarah Hinchcliffe

Sarah Hinchcliffe started at Reserve Management Group as an intern, and her colleagues say she has become one of the company’s “most forward-thinking employees.” She has become RMG’s go-to contact for everything related to environmental, social and governance policies and procedures and embraces the opportunity to learn about state regulations and how to best manage them.

Mary Horter

Mary Horter not only works in purchasing, but she also helped Metal Source get organized. Horter implemented Metal Source’s digital interactive scheduling platform, helping create the system the company uses today. A ReMA Best Young and Brightest attendee, she also works registration at the Indiana ReMA scholarship fundraising golf outing every year.

Harli Hubbard

Harli Hubbard has leveraged her experience as a material recovery facility manager into helping recycling operations across the U.S. She manages 500 employees across 15 sites in the eastern U.S. and plays what Leadpoint calls a “pivotal role” in developing and executing the company’s long-term strategy, demonstrating a “dedication to sustainability.”

Cameron Keefe

Regional Sales Manager
Sierra International Machinery
With a deep-rooted curiosity for the recycling industry, Cameron Keefe has built a strong professional network and rapidly established himself in his territory. An active member of the Future Industry Leaders Alliance and various ReMA chapters, he continually seeks to expand his knowledge, support industry growth and leverage his connections to benefit his team and customers.

Bill Keiser

Bill Keiser’s “innovative approach to problem-solving” has helped Empire Recycling Corp. increase its business and volume while fostering what the company says is a positive atmosphere. He has made workflow improvements by suggesting changes in material flows from purchase to sorting, processing and packaging and has recruited other young people into the industry.

Brandon Keith

Staff Accountant
Tungco Inc.
His colleagues say Brandon Keith is “the one you want on your team.” Keith started as a logistics manager, where he streamlined Tungco’s global logistics. In his transition to finance, he has produced hours of weekly savings through continuous functional improvement and passed those savings to customers, suppliers and service providers to streamline their operations, too.

Lincoln Lail

In his short time in the industry, Lincoln Lail has developed high-level metals identification skills and uses his knowledge to increase yields and maximize valuations. As part of the “young guns” at Tungco/74 Alloys, his colleagues say his voice is the one that speaks for the majority, and he continues to find ways to improve employees’ experiences.

Dawson Lane

With an eye for detail, Dawson Lane has worked to move Lakes Iron & Metal forward in terms of safety and production. He took a unique yard layout and changed how material flows to make it safer and more efficient, mastering equipment operation and maintenance and changing processes to exceed product quality standards.

Jared Levang

Jared Levang has gone from a first-year apprentice to a certified Red Seal Truck and Transport Mechanic and is pursuing heavy equipment technician qualifications. Known for his leadership, Levang manages a fleet of 12 trucks and 26 pieces of equipment, often covering for senior staff. His dedication to teamwork was celebrated with an internal award for collaboration in 2022.

Drew Mims

Drew Mims is an accomplished owner-operator who founded and leads a rapidly expanding recycling business. Known for his dedication, he has impacted his region’s industry. Mims actively participates in ReMA events and manages his company with a mix of family and external employees, exemplifying entrepreneurial leadership in the recycling sector.

Christian Mitchell

Christian Mitchell is known for his significant contributions to improving operational efficiency. He has successfully streamlined the baling process and played a key role in training his High Tide Metals colleagues in equipment operations. Mitchell’s initiative in taking on additional responsibilities and his effective problem-solving skills highlight his expertise and impact within the company.

Emily Molstad

Emily Molstad has had a passion for sustainability for as long as she can remember and fostered that passion in college. Since then, she has founded her own software company, Valis, and has developed technology that optimizes scrap processing. Her colleagues say her leadership extends to her ability to identify industry needs and find solutions as well as enhance efficiency and sustainability in metals recycling.

Wyatt Pontius

Wyatt Pontius co-founded ReMatter in 2019 after becoming interested in the recycling industry as an undergraduate student at Stanford University. An end-to-end software solution built to streamline and optimize a scrap yard’s operations, ReMatter’s portfolio of services includes purchasing, inventory management, payments, sales, reporting and accounting. Pontius believes the best products are built to serve a customer’s evolving needs.

Caleb Ralphs

Caleb Ralphs co-founded Valis Insights to help make recycling more profitable and to close the loop on the circular economy for metal fabrication. As chief technology officer, Ralphs helped develop the artificial intelligence-powered process optimization software, VALI-Sort, which integrates with sensor-based technology to capture and analyze material data.

Vignesh Ramesh

As vice president of RVD Commerce, Vignesh Ramesh has implemented strategies that enhance operational efficiency and sustainability. Over the last eight years, the company saw fivefold growth under his leadership. Ramesh has shown his dedication to professional development through involvement in global trade organizations, including ReMA and the Bureau of International Recycling.

Omar Rivera

Utility and Controls Engineer
Monterrey Iron & Metal
At Monterrey Iron & Metal, Omar Rivera contributes in many ways—safety initiatives, energy consumption reduction, quality control and sampling, project management and material sortation automation. He has developed tools that promote safe and efficient production, including automated tarping systems, rotor-stop technology and equipment modeling, fostering a cleaner and safer work environment.

Grayson Rutherford

Grayson Rutherford helps customers find new avenues for scrap metal. As a member of the Discussion Panel of the Glass Recycling Coalition, Rutherford helped create a new material recovery facility certification program. He also is an avid ReMA convention attendee and has been described as a true team player.

Brandon Sacca

Brandon Sacca is a metal trader at Axiom Metals, where he enhances efficiency and integrates new technologies. Active in the ReMA Pittsburgh Chapter, he leads social media initiatives and fosters industry connections. As a former YEC liaison and current board member for the Pittsburgh Chapter, Sacca recently spearheaded Axiom’s debut at the ReMA convention.

David Silverstein

Process Technology Engineer
Cirba Solutions
David Silverstein leverages his chemical engineering expertise to lead the design and development of a cutting-edge lithium-ion battery recycling facility. With a background in oil and gas and technical consulting, he excels in project management, vendor relations and advanced process modeling. His work is pivotal in advancing battery recycling technology and enhancing Cirba Solutions’ capabilities.

Madalyn Smith

Madalyn Smith is responsible for ensuring a positive customer experience and, in only three years in the industry, has made her mark at CW Metals Inc. She assisted in the development and implementation of a customer satisfaction and survey system, and her exceptional customer service translates to interactions with her peers, who’ve said she demonstrates a distinctive approach to working with her colleagues.

Meagan Trozzo

Meagan Trozzo’s peers say her can-do and positive attitude set her apart, noting she has proven “there is no need for a title to lead.” Trozzo had a hand in implementing CRM software at BASF Metals, capturing new sales of precious metals catalysts and has pursued continuous professional development to further her career.

Sarah Zwilsky

As vice president of Potomac Metals Inc., Sarah Zwilsky manages eight facilities, oversees 140 employees and maintains thousands of accounts. Through her connection with ReMA, she has established a partnership with a local science, technology, engineering and mathematics program, looking to engage local students in the recycling industry.