Personnel Notes

BHS names managing director of Max-AI

Bulk Handling Systems (BHS), Eugene, Oregon, has appointed Matthias Erdmannsdoerfer to serve as the company’s managing director of Max-AI.

Prior to assuming this role, Erdmannsdoerfer served more than six years as president of Nashville, Tennessee-based National Recovery Technologies (NRT), a developer of optical sorting technology and a subsidiary of BHS. In his new position, Erdmannsdoerfer will be responsible for BHS’ Max-AI product line, including sales, business development and product and application development.

“Matthias has been instrumental to the development of both NRT’s technology and its global footprint,” says BHS CEO Steve Miller. “Matthias’ expertise and success working with all of our companies and systems, including with Max from the beginning, will accelerate our deployment of Max.”

Max-AI technology uses artificial intelligence (AI) to recognize materials in a manner similar to how people recognize materials. The company launched Max-AI in 2017 as a tool to power robotic sorters, optical sorters and reporting systems. The company says it will continue to integrate the tool into new and existing equipment at material recovery facilities (MRFs).

Since its inception, more than 50 Max-AI AQC (autonomous quality control) robotic sorters have been sold into quality control applications for fiber and containers.

“[Max-AI] has entirely changed the way we look at processing waste,” Erdmannsdoerfer says. “I’m currently building out Max’s human team to work with me as we continue to help our customers benefit from all that Max is capable of.”

Davidov

GBB adds principal associate to team

Gershman, Brickner and Bratton Inc. (GBB), McLean, Virginia, has announced that Sustainable Projects Advisor Robin Davidov has joined the firm as principal associate. A solid waste industry veteran, Davidov has more than 37 years of experience in sustainable waste management, renewable energy, recycling and organic waste.

In addition to joining selected GBB project teams, providing senior-level advisory and leadership, she will make her depth of experience and expertise available to industry solid waste leaders through the GBB Access! program, a subscription service providing on-demand, as-needed, solid waste management advisory and information through direct access to GBB executives, analysts and professional staff.

“A true leader, Robin is recognized in the industry for her extensive experience with public-private contracting, marketing of renewable energy, dispute resolution and public education, and we‘re very excited to welcome her to the GBB team,” Steve Simmons, GBB senior vice president, says.

Davidov is the former executive director of the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority, a regional multijurisdictional development and financing agency in Baltimore established to assist member jurisdictions in providing adequate solid waste disposal facilities. During her 30-year tenure leading the authority, she was responsible for the procurement of long-term contracts for the transportation and disposal of waste and recycling contracts. She also worked on the development, permitting, financing, construction and operation of three award-winning waste-to-energy projects and four landfill gas-to-energy projects, one sewage sludge composting facility and two solar projects.

“While at the authority, I had the opportunity to experience firsthand GBB‘s professionalism, work ethic and passion for sustainable waste management solutions through projects that the firm did for us,” Davidov says. “It‘s an honor to now join the team and work together on helping other organizations.”

For the past seven years, she has been an independent consultant, providing advisory services that included contract negotiations for the public sector, project management and professional coaching to U.S.-based and international clients, with a specialty in island nations.

Davidov served as a trustee for the Municipal Waste Management Association, the Washington-based environmental affiliate of the United States Conference of Mayors, from 2008 to 2011 and as the president in 2011. She also served on the Maryland governor‘s Task Forces on Solid Waste, Recycling and Dredge Spoil.

Davidov has an undergraduate degree in biology from Windham College in Vermont and a master‘s degree in regional planning from the University of Pennsylvania.

Based in the Tampa, Florida, area, she can be reached at rdavidov@gbbinc.com.

Kripke adds to trading staff

Kripke Enterprises Inc. (KEI), a nonferrous scrap metal brokerage firm headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, has announced the addition of Roch Leavitt to the company’s trading staff.

Leavitt graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans with a degree in economics and is a native of Daphne, Alabama.

“We are very excited about Roch joining our team. He is a bright young man with prior experience in the scrap metal industry,” says Marvin Finkelstein, vice president of the southern region.

Founded in 1993, KEI has locations in Boca Raton, Florida, and Jackson, Tennessee, in addition to Toledo. The company says its sales will top more than $150 million in 2018.

ISRI hires vice president of environmental, health and safety

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Washington, has hired Scott Wiggins to serve as vice president of environmental, health and safety (EHS). The association says Wiggins will lead ISRI’s EHS training and outreach programs, including the ISRI Safety & Environmental Council (ISEC), Circle of Safety Excellence and OSHA Alliance, as well as the ongoing development of safety and environmental products and services.

“With safety being a core value of ISRI and the recycling industry, it is crucial that the association has a strong, qualified person leading our EH&S efforts,” says Robin Wiener, ISRI president. “Scott brings more than two decades of field and management experience to this role for ISRI. His knowledge and expertise will further enhance the many safety and environmental offerings available to ISRI members and the industry.”

She continues, “I am excited to be working with Scott as ISRI continues to develop and further strengthen the tools and other resources needed for recyclers to build a strong safety culture at every single facility.”

Prior to joining ISRI, Wiggins managed the EHS program for Delek Logistics, an oil and gas pipeline transportation company, and the EHS operations for two oil refineries in Mississippi, overseeing air permitting in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. Wiggins also developed safety programs, including training, inspection and policy gap analysis, and oversaw emergency response and was the technical liaison for emergency and EHS compliance.

“I am looking forward to getting to know ISRI and its members,” Wiggins says. “I am especially excited to use my 20-plus years of experience in EHS to guide membership in incorporating best safety practices and being compliant during all operations from transportation and driving to handling explosive hazards.”

Wiggins was mobilized twice for Operation Iraqi Freedom, including a tour in Iraq, where he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. He graduated from West Point, where he studied general engineering, and received a master’s degree from Texas A&M University in construction management and graduated from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.