Personnel Notes

ISRI board elects director at large, hires senior director of business development

The board of directors for the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Washington, has elected Mel Wright of Wright’s Scrap Metals in Beaumont, Texas, as a director at large. He was elected to serve the remainder of the term vacated by current ISRI Secretary/Treasurer Colin Kelly, which ends in 2019.

“Having served in a number of leadership roles within ISRI, Mel brings a great deal of experience to his new position,” says Robin Wiener, president of ISRI. “He is well-respected throughout the recycling community and has the skills to help shape the direction of ISRI throughout the rest of his term and beyond.”

Wright is president of Wright’s Scrap Metals, his family’s business, where he has worked since he was young. He was promoted to the post of vice president of the company following his graduation from Lamar University in Beaumont.

Prior to assuming the role of director-at-large, Wright served as ISRI Gulf Coast Chapter president. He has been active with the chapter by volunteering and fulfilling leadership roles that include scholarship chair, treasurer, vice president and president.

ISRI also hired Will Beaty to serve in the newly created position of senior director of business development. The association says Beaty will be charged with coordinating and increasing nondues-revenue-generating partnerships and programs to support the association’s mission and its membership. His responsibilities also will include managing the marketing and circulation functions for ISRI’s bimonthly magazine, Scrap.

“We are pleased to welcome Will to the ISRI team to lead our business development initiatives,” says Bob Ensinger, ISRI vice president of communications and marketing. “The support of our corporate partners is critical in helping ISRI achieve its mission and serve its membership. We are confident that Will can provide the leadership needed to grow and enhance these partnerships for the benefit of ISRI and the recycling industry.”

Prior to joining ISRI, Beaty was vice president at GABBCON, an advertising tech-focused consultancy, and he also led business and market development efforts for the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB).

“ISRI events and publications play a vital role as a trusted marketing channel for leading equipment, technology and service providers to the recycling industry,” Beaty says. “There is much opportunity to expand the ways ISRI can facilitate this marketplace for the U.S. and international recycling industry. I’m looking forward to working closely with each company to better reach their target audiences.”

Beaty holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. He brings 14 years of experience in ad sales and business development to the new position.

ACS Group announces executive leadership transition

In a planned succession, ACS Group, New Berlin, Wisconsin, appointed Bob Andress, who has been the company’s vice president of operations since 2014, to president, July 16. Andress succeeded Jim Holbrook, who retired.

Andress recently played an instrumental role in the launch of 14 new products at NPE2018, the plastics industry trade show. Prior to joining ACS, he served in executive roles at Delphi Automotive Systems, General Motors, Wabtec Corp. and other companies.

“I am excited to be taking the helm at the ACS Group,” Andress says. “Our strong team of associates is focused and committed to continued growth and leadership in the auxiliary equipment markets. We will continue to focus on our customers, investing in the products and processes to help our customers be successful.”

Holbrook served as president of ACS for more than five years. He worked previously at Emerson and other companies.

“It is with mixed emotions that I announce my planned retirement,” Holbrook says. “I have enjoyed working with the passionate and talented associates at ACS Group for the past five years and appreciate all of their efforts that contribute to the success of the company. But I’m looking forward to the freedom that retirement provides.”

ACS Group offers a comprehensive line of auxiliary equipment for the plastics processing industry, including size-reduction equipment, material conveying equipment and more.

Lakeshore Recycling Systems names new operations vice president

Morton Grove, Illinois-based Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) has named Aric Henschen as vice president of operations, a newly created position the firm says has been designed to accommodate its growth.

Henschen began his 20-year waste industry career as a driver and assumed increasing responsibility before attaining his previous position as Midwest area director of operations for Phoenix-based Republic Services Inc.

“As LRS continues to expand its Midwest presence, it’s critical we hire extremely qualified executives like Aric to lead and assist in growing our collection operations,” says LRS CEO Alan Handley. “We welcome Aric to the team and believe his impeccable background will support our operations team on the collections side of the business.”

John Larsen, LRS executive vice president of collection operations, says, “The vice president of operations is a key role to ensure the right processes and procedures are implemented safely, accurately and efficiently. I look forward to having Aric on the team and seeing how his experience and implementation of ideas accelerate and improve our overall operations.”

Mid America Paper Recycling appoints new president

Paul Pirkle has been selected for the role of president at Mid America Paper Recycling, Chicago. He replaces Don Gaines, the former president of the privately held company, who has transitioned to the position of chief executive officer.

Pirkle has spent more than 24 years in the printing industry. Most recently, he served as president and CEO of Modagrafics, a Rolling Meadows, Illinois-based graphics solutions provider to the transportation fleets of major retailers and consumer goods brands. During his tenure with that company, he grew sales with new and existing accounts, implemented production management practices, invested in new capital equipment and enterprise resource planning software, expanded the products and services portfolio and introduced mobile tracking technology that improved operations and customer satisfaction, according to a news release from Mid America Paper Recycling.

“I am thrilled to be joining Mid America Paper Recycling and look forward to hitting the ground running as president,” Pirkle says. “I am excited by the prospect of working alongside Don Gaines, our management team and Mid America’s employees to accelerate the company’s growth and realize the full potential of our team’s offering.”

Gaines says, “Building a strong culture and bringing focus and innovation all to add value to customers is what I admired most about Paul. I look forward to seeing Paul lead the company into its next phase of growth.”

Mid America Paper Recycling has locations in Chicago and in Middletown, Ohio, near Cincinnati. The company markets a variety of recyclables, including more than 50 grades of scrap paper and a number of plastics. The printing and packaging grades Mid America handles range from coated book stock and manifold white ledger to old corrugated containers (OCC) and boxboard cuttings. The range of plastics the company handles includes low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film, polstyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene terephthlate (PET).