Personnel Notes

Alter Trading Appoints New President
Jay Robinovitz has been promoted to president at Alter Trading Corp., St. Louis. Robinovitz joined Alter Trading in September 2009 as senior vice president and chief officer of operations.

“After much reflection and with the full support of the board of directors and executive leadership, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Jay Robinovitz to the position of president and chief operating officer of Alter Trading Corp., effective Jan. 1, 2013,” says Alter Trading Chairman and CEO Robert Goldstein.

Robinovitz has more than 30 years of experience in the metal recycling industry. Prior to joining Alter, he was employed by Schnitzer Steel Industries, where he held various senior management positions. Prior to that, Robinovitz was general manager of the ferrous division for Aerospace Metals Inc., Hartford, Conn.

“It is with a profound sense of appreciation and humility that I accept this position,” says Robinovitz. “I look forward to strengthening our dedication to safety and commitment to providing exceptional value to our consumers, suppliers, employees, shareholders and the communities in which we operate.”

Goldstein says, “We constantly strive to ensure that integrity and respect for all are part of the cornerstone of our company. I have the greatest confidence that Jay is the leader to foster continued appreciation of these values and to assist me and the executive team as we work to strengthen Alter’s position as a leader in the scrap metal industry for generations to come.”

Goldstein will continue to serve as chairman and CEO of Alter Trading Corp. and the Goldstein Group going forward.

Metso Recycling Adds to Staff
Metso Recycling – Texas Shredder has announced that Ken Ceurvorst has joined the company and will be heading up the rotor design and application sector for Texas Shredder.

Ceurvorst joins Metso with significant experience in rotor design and manufacturing practices. Prior to joining Metso, he worked at Bowe Machine Co. for 25 years, most recently as director of engineering. Ceurvorst was co-founder of the “Bowe Knives” division with Dennis Bowe in 1987 and the company’s rotor division in 1992. Ceurvorst also worked at Riverside Products in Iowa as a product designer for 16 years.

Metso says Ceurvorst’s experience will immediately improve Texas Shredder’s rotor design and durability, allowing the company to continue to supply its customers with the best product at the best value.

Metso Recycling, a part of Metso Corp., provides customized solutions for metal and waste recycling, covering a project from analysis and design to installation and commissioning. The company says it helps its customers improve the efficiency and productivity of their recycling operations with in-depth service support and technical expertise.

RockTenn Elects New President and COO
The paper company RockTenn, based in Norcross, Ga., has elected Steven Voorhees president and chief operating officer. He will be responsible for all of the company’s operating businesses, including corrugated packaging, consumer packaging and recycling. He joined RockTenn in 2000 as executive vice president and CFO and added the responsibilities of chief administrative officer in 2008.

Jim Rubright, RockTenn chairman and CEO, says, “Steve is an outstanding leader and has been instrumental in building RockTenn over his 12-year career as CFO. He has played key roles in structuring, financing and integrating the over $6.5 billion of acquisitions we’ve completed over that time. Steve has been the leader of the many finance and administrative initiatives that have helped support our operating businesses.”

Rubright adds, “Steve has a tremendous ability to generate ideas that change the way we transact business and execute them with passion and precision.”

TMS Names Vice President of International Trade
Pittsburgh-based TMS International Corp., the parent company of Tube City IMS Corp., a provider of outsourced industrial services to steel mills, has promoted Hideyuki Nishizawa to the position of executive vice president of international trade for the company’s raw material and optimization group. Nishizawa will be responsible for overseeing all of TMS International’s raw materials activities beyond North America.

Nishizawa joined TMS International in January 2006 and was promoted to senior vice president of international trade, based in Chicago, in 2007 and then to his most recent position of managing director of Asia, based in Singapore, in 2008.

Prior to joining the company, he was president of the Chicago branch of Sojitz Corp. of America, an international trading company, and general manager of Sojitz Mineral Resources Department, New York City.

J. David Aronson, president and COO of TMS’ raw material and optimization group, says Nishizawa “has been instrumental in driving the company’s international trading expansion over the past seven years. His more than 23 years of experience in the global trading industry is a tremendous asset to the company as we continue to expand globally.”

Kletter to Retire from ISA
Harry Kletter, founder and CEO of Industrial Services of America Inc. (ISA), a metals recycling company headquartered in Louisville, Ky., has announced that he will retire from ISA, effective with the company’s annual stockholder meeting in May. Kletter adds that he also will not stand for re-election to the company’s board of directors.

Orson Oliver, ISA chairman, says, “Harry has served ISA well since its founding. We are thankful for his service and leadership and we wish him well. ISA’s board will review all of its strategic opportunities and will work toward identifying an interim CEO to fill Harry’s role when he retires.”

Kletter says, “After spending the past 60 years in this industry, it is time for me to retire. The company has now regained its footing, and I have the utmost confidence in management to move the company forward. At this time, the industry is extremely competitive and is going through consolidation. Over the past four years ISA has enjoyed a period of expansion, growth and transition. I will leave the company with a team of dedicated and capable employees who are ready to lead the company forward.”

ISA operates four locations in Kentucky and Indiana.

Schupan Announces Promotions
Schupan & Sons, a Kalamazoo, Mich.-based recycling company, has named Mike Gildea chief executive officer of its Schupan Aluminum & Plastic Sales division. Additionally, John Barry has been promoted to Gildea’s former post as president of Schupan Aluminum & Plastic Sales.

Gildea has been employed with Schupan & Sons Inc. for nearly 35 years. According to Schupan, he is a key reason for the company’s success in the aluminum and plastics markets. Gildea has led the company’s aluminum and plastic sales division since its inception, helping to make it a major metals distributor.

Barry, who joined Schupan & Sons in 2005, was previously the company’s vice president of sales and marketing.

Schupan & Sons has 10 recycling facilities in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Aluminum & Plastic Sales is one of three divisions of Schupan & Sons Inc., a third-generation, family-owned metals and plastics business. The others divisions are: Schupan Industrial Recycling Services, which recycles aluminum, brass, copper, lead, magnesium, nickel alloys, steel, zinc and other materials; and Schupan Beverage Container Recycling, which is involved in container recycling, processing, marketing and special events.

Wastebuilt Names VP of Sales & Marketing
Wastebuilt Environmental Solutions LLC, a Chicago-based distributor and manufacturer of equipment, parts and services for the waste and recycling industry, has appointed Jerry Samson vice president of sales and marketing.

Samson joins Wastebuilt with more than 20 years of experience in the waste industry, including 12 years in senior management roles at Waste Management and as vice president of sales and marketing at Wastequip. Most recently, he led the sales group at Liberty Tire Recycling.

Greg Podell, CEO of Wastebuilt, says, “Jerry brings a wealth of experience and leadership to our sales organization and has a successful track record in the industry.”

Samson says, “I’m extremely pleased to be moving to this new, exciting role within Wastebuilt. I look forward to providing our customers with outstanding service and contributing to the company’s long-term success.”

In Memoriam: Ben Ettleman
Long-time scrap company owner and executive Benjamin Ettleman died in mid-January at the age of 91. He provided leadership at Davis Industries, Lorton, Va., for several decades, helping the company become one of the major scrap processors in northern Virginia.

Joyce Bonnett, Ettleman’s daughter, says her father donated wrecked cars to firefighters in training. The Board of Supervisors of Fairfax County recognized Davis Industries for its contribution to burn victims and the fire department.

Ettleman also was involved in the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc. (ISRI) and its predecessor organizations.

He was married to Evelyn Davidson and is survived by daughter Joyce, son Dr. Robert Ettleman, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.