Personnel notes

United Scrap Metal executive earns honor

The Manufacturing Institute, Washington, has announced that Jodi Keller-Wheeler, vice president of Cicero, Illinois-based United Scrap Metal, has been awarded a 2016 Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Award.

The STEP Ahead Awards are designed to “honor women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers representing all levels of the manufacturing industry, from the factory floor to the C-suite,” the institute says.

The Manufacturing Institute says it recognized 130 recipients of the STEP Awards at a reception in Washington April 21.

“I am incredibly honored to work for an aggressively growing woman-owned organization,” says Keller-Wheeler. “I am fortunate to have a career I am passionate about and [that] inspires me every day.”

As a member of the executive leadership team at United Scrap Metal, Keller-Wheeler has helped lead the company to double-digit growth in each of the past four years, according to a news release about the award from The Manufacturing Institute.

A career in manufacturing for Keller-Wheeler was encouraged at a young age because of the influence of her sister, who has a degree in mechanical engineering, and her father, who has more than 40 years of experience in manufacturing.

The STEP Awards are part of a larger STEP Ahead initiative, launched to examine and promote the role of women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research and leadership for attracting, advancing and retaining strong female talent.

United Scrap Metal, founded in 1978 by its current CEO Marsha Serlin, purchases, processes and markets recyclable commodities, including nonferrous and ferrous metals, paper and plastic.

Upstate Shredding adds vice president to focus on commercial, expansion efforts

Upstate Shredding – Weitsman Recycling, Owego, New York, has added Matt Schroth to its team as vice president of commercial and expansion. Schroth will focus on expanding the company in various markets, beginning with its recent foray into the western Pennsylvania market with its New Castle retail scrap yard and shredder. The shredder is the first step in a multimillion-dollar expansion planned for the region, the company says.

Upstate Shredding primarily operates throughout upstate New York and southern Pennsylvania.

Schroth served most recently as director of nonferrous sales for Schnitzer Steel Industries. During his time there, he was responsible for overseeing the sale of nonferrous metals from Schnitzer’s auto and metals recycling businesses. His duties also included assisting with industrial scrap bids, general market guidance, commercial strategy and research and development and quality control for Schnitzer’s downstream separation plants.

“I’ve enjoyed working for a number of firms across the country, but I was eager for the opportunity to move to a growing, nimble private company,” Schroth says.

SRS president earns IERC Honorary Award

Sims Recycling Solutions (SRS), headquartered in West Chicago, Illinois, a provider of global information technology asset disposition (ITAD) services, has announced that Steve Skurnac, global president of SRS, has received the IERC Honorary Award at this year’s International Electronics Recycling Congress (IERC) 2016.

According to IERC, Skurnac received this award in recognition of his work in promoting the electronics recycling industry. The decision, made by the International Steering Committee, was in honor of his 25 years of work.

“Over the length of my career within the electronics recycling industry, I have observed a great deal of risks, uncertainties and shifts within recycling business models,” Skurnac said. “I am, and will continue to be, dedicated to ethical and responsible recycling and ensuring the industry is on a path that will accommodate the ever-changing global IT and electronics markets.”