Personnel notes

In memoriam: Terry Ward

Impact Air Systems, with U.S. offices in San Diego, has announced that the company’s Terry Ward has died at the age of 53 from cancer.

Ward’s career in air system design began with Airmat. He then moved on to Impact Air Systems and had a short stint at Ensys Technologies.

The company says Ward “has played a huge role in Impact Air Systems’ success, and we would like to acknowledge Terry’s significant contribution to Impact Air Systems over the last 20 years, heading up sales in the southern region of the U.K.”

More recently, Ward had been traveling in the United States, setting up Impact Air Systems’ U.S. office in California.

Impact Air Systems says Ward’s engineering knowledge and experience in the paper, print, board, corrugated, label foil and film sectors and in the recycling industry made him well-known.

“Terry’s love of life and fun was evident to all who knew him as he brought much humor to his work,” the company says. “His ability to hold an audience with his stories and clever analogies will be sadly missed.”

Ward is said to have been a loving family man who, despite the amount of traveling he undertook, was happiest at home with his wife, Nicki, his four grown children and grandchildren.

Schupan & Sons adds materials trading president

Schupan & Sons Inc., Kalamazoo, Michigan, has announced the addition of Andy McKee as president of materials trading.

McKee began his career in the recycling industry for Cincinnati-based David J. Joseph Co. (DJJ). In this role, he was responsible for scrap sales and purchasing from DJJ-owned yards, as well as from third-party accounts.

In 2009, McKee joined Evermore Recycling, a joint venture between Novelis, Atlanta, and Alcoa, Pittsburgh, as a senior buyer based in Nashville, Tennessee. As a member of Evermore Recycling, McKee procured used beverage containers (UBC) from U.S. and international accounts. He transitioned into a full-time role with Novelis in 2012 and moved to Atlanta to work from the company’s corporate office. In 2013, he assumed the role of recycling manager.

“Andy brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will help Schupan & Sons’ continued growth in the recycling arena,” says Marc Schupan, CEO of the family-owned business. “I have known Andy for a number of years and have developed a great deal of respect for him. He will be a strong cultural fit for our company.”

Sims Metal Management sees sudden executive departures

Sydney- and New York-based scrap recycling firm Sims Metal Management has a new CEO and a new acting chief financial officer (CFO), following what media reports are calling the sudden departure of the two people formerly holding those posts.

An online article posted by The Australian says former Sims CEO Galdino Claro and CFO Fred Knechtel departed suddenly in early August, as announced in a company statement that “gave no detailed explanation behind the exit and did not say whether the pair had resigned or been [asked to leave].”

The value of shares in the publicly traded company fell by about 12 percent in early August, says The Australian, “even as the company released earnings guidance that appeared to come in ahead of analyst expectations.”

Claro was appointed in November 2013, and Knechtel had been the CFO since November 2014.

A Citibank analyst quoted by The Australian remarks that “the timing and lack of clarity around the reasons for the management departure is of concern to us” and that the appointment of an acting CFO (rather than a permanent one), created an “unhelpful impression of a rather hurried exit.”

As of Sept. 21, 2017, the company’s website lists Alistair Field as its CEO and managing director and Amit Patel as acting group CFO. Field had previously been managing director of Australia and New Zealand Metals for the company, while Patel had been group chief accounting officer.

In the statement released by Sims Metal Management, the company’s board Chairman Geoff Brunsdon comments, “I would like to acknowledge the contribution Galdino has made through his leadership over the past four years to the development and implementation of the transformation strategy. Under his leadership, the company has made substantial progress.”

The news release also announced John Glyde as the successor to Field in the role of managing director of Australia and New Zealand Metals.

Sims, www.simsmm.com, bills itself as one of the world’s largest metal recyclers, with more than 200 facilities, operations in 20 countries and more than 4,500 employees globally. Sims says its core businesses are metal recycling and electronics recycling, with about 50 percent of its revenue stemming from operations in North America.

Karl W. Schmidt announces his retirement

Karl W. Schmidt, founder of Karl W. Schmidt (KWS) & Associates, Commerce City, Colorado, has announced his upcoming retirement and the sale of his business, which provides consulting, engineering and manufacturing of custom recycling systems. He will stay on with the company, which now will be known as Karl Schmidt Manufacturing, to consult.

“I don’t have children; KWS & Associates Inc. is my legacy, and I am excited to pass it on and happy that my conveyors and business will continue to serve others,” Schmidt says.

Chad TeBeest has purchased KWS & Associates. He is an experienced manufacturing business owner, according to a news release from the company. TeBeest earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in engineering technology management. He currently owns Protocast Inc., a foundry and machine shop in Denver. Since being hired by Protocast in 2005, TeBeest has worked his way up from machinist to owner and has grown the company from 12 employees to 30. Innovation and creativity that is focused on clean, efficient manufacturing has led to Protocast’s success and will benefit Karl Schmidt Manufacturing, the company says.

“We are excited about the business and look forward to serving our clients’ needs,” TeBeest says.

Schmidt will continue to work with the company that he founded 38 years ago, passing on his knowledge and customer relationships. He says he is looking forward to being able to relax somewhat and to see the legacy of excellence that he has built over the past 38 years continue.

KWS & Associates, http://karlschmidt.com, has clients in more than 35 countries.

WestRock executive joins ISRI board

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Washington, has named Linda Leone to its board of directors. Leone will serve as a board member on behalf of ISRI’s Paper Division. She also serves as the Paper Division’s second vice president.

Leone replaces Crawford Carpenter on the ISRI board, who has retired from Caraustar Industries.

“ISRI is proud to welcome Linda to the board of directors,” says Robin Wiener, ISRI president. “I look forward to Linda playing a key role in the further advancement of both the Paper Division and the recycling industry as a whole.”

Leone has been regional vice president of recycling for the northeast U.S. and eastern Canada at WestRock, formerly RockTenn Co., since 2014. Her regional responsibility includes the management of recyclables for WestRock’s internal mills as well as for domestic and export partners. Leone previously served as vice president of mill supply and vice president of recovered fiber procurement, containerboard mills, for RockTenn. She joined RockTenn with the Southern Container acquisition in 2008 and had served as fiber procurement manager for Solvay Paperboard LLC from 1995 to 2008.

“ISRI has been the voice of the recycling industry and a long-time partner with WestRock for many years, and I feel very privileged to be asked to serve on the board,” Leone says. “I look forward to supporting the great work that ISRI brings to its members and recycling and, on behalf of WestRock and WestRock Recycling, I thank you for the opportunity.”