Personnel Notes

Recycling Today editor earns promotion

Recycling Today Editor DeAnne Toto has been named editorial director of the Recycling Today Media Group (RTMG), headquartered in Valley View, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. The RTMG produces and manages three print publications, three websites, six e-newsletters and five annual industry conferences.

Toto joined GIE Media Inc., parent company of Recycling Today, in 1997 after earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University and subsequently accepted more responsibilities, being promoted several times.

“As the business continued to grow, so did DeAnne’s role,” says RTMG Publisher James R. Keefe. “DeAnne has been an amazing contributor to the Recycling Today Media Group, from reporting and feature writing to so many other facets of supporting the company on its journey from a small media business to what we are today.”

When Toto joined GIE Media in 1997, the RTMG produced one magazine: Recycling Today, which has now been joined by Waste Today and Construction & Demolition Recycling.

Toto made the shift to the editorial team in 1999 and, by 2001, was named managing editor of Recycling Today. “She excelled in that role, rapidly making significant enhancements to design, content management and workflow management to ensure deadline compliance,” Keefe says, noting that Toto helped develop content management systems for the magazines’ websites.

“It is with great pride and respect that I announce DeAnne’s promotion to editorial director,” Keefe says “In this newly formed role, DeAnne will manage and oversee all aspects of print, digital and event content and overall content management for the team.”

In memoriam: Georg Wendelin

Plastics recycling equipment provider Erema Group GmbH, headquartered in Ansfelden, Austria, has announced that Georg Wendelin, the company’s co-founder, former managing partner and longtime chair of its supervisory board, died March 29 at age 84.

In 1983, at a time when plastics recycling was in its infancy, Wendelin, together with Erema Group co-founders Helmut Bacher and Helmuth Schulz, laid the cornerstone for the group of companies that, by its own description, is now a global market leader in the plastic recycling technology sector. That year, the three men founded Erema and built its first plastics recycling machine.

“With his pioneering spirit, his business acumen and his respectful and appreciative management style, Georg Wendelin actively shaped the success of the company, attentively and proudly keeping track of how plastics recycling went from being a niche to a trend and how the Erema Group became the driving force behind the circular economy,” the company says.

In 2019, Wendelin was awarded the Golden Decoration of the Republic of Austria—that nation’s highest honor—in recognition of his work in plastics recycling technology.

“We will greatly miss Georg Wendelin as a personality who was closely associated with us for all these years,” says Manfred Hackl, CEO of Erema Group and a longtime friend of Wendelin’s. “Because of his humanity, he was a highly respected figure of leadership on all sides,” he continues.

According to Erema Group, “Georg’s sudden death fills everyone throughout the Erema Group with great sadness but also with gratitude for his work, his trust and his unwavering involvement in the Erema Group.”

Casella names next president, makes changes to executive team

Casella Waste Systems Inc., Rutland, Vermont, has announced its current Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Treasurer Edmond “Ned” R. Coletta will assume the role of president and CFO effective July 1. He will replace President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Edwin D. Johnson, who plans to retire June 30.

Casella says it also will promote  Sean M. Steves, its current senior vice president of operations, to senior vice president and COO of solid waste operations July 1 and Jason M. Mead from his current role of vice president of finance to treasurer and senior vice president of finance.

“These exciting leadership changes follow a multiyear succession planning process,” says John W. Casella, the company’s board chair and CEO. “The board of directors and management have worked hard to identify and build the next generation of leaders throughout the organization to ensure continuity and more importantly to maintain and build upon our culture and core values.

“Ed has been a steadying force throughout his tenure with Casella, and his leadership style and embodiment of our values has helped to shape our winning culture,” Casella adds. “We have great confidence in the team he has built over the last 12 years, and we believe that our key operating programs will continue his legacy,” he adds.

Casella Waste Systems provides solid waste management services in the Northeast U.S. In Waste Today’s ranking of North America’s largest waste companies, Casella was among the 12 largest in 2020. It also was among the seven largest haulers in the municipal solid waste sector.

BHS names new VP

Bulk Handling Systems (BHS), Eugene, Oregon, has hired Charles Shull as vice president. His responsibilities include working with sales and marketing teams throughout BHS and leading initiatives in the plastics conversion and the organics-to-energy sectors.

Shull has more than 25 years of experience in business development, having held executive roles at Mantaro Group, Keenpac North America and CDW Merchants, as well as at Schwarz Retail Services.