March/April 2012
ISRI isn’t letting the U.S. presidential election hoopla distract it from the important business of electing new national officers. This year’s contest includes a hotly contested race for secretary/treasurer.
The U.S. presidential race is exciting, sure, but ReMA has its own election excitement this year. In April, the association will elect its next slate of national officers, filling the positions of chair, chair-elect, vice chair, and secretary/treasurer. Current ReMA Chair John Sacco of Sierra Recycling & Demolition (Bakersfield, Calif.) will wrap up his two-year term April 19, the final day of ISRI’s 2012 convention in Las Vegas. Per tradition, each of the three remaining national officers—Jerry Simms of Atlas Metal & Iron Corp. (Denver), chair-elect; Doug Kramer of Kramer Metals (Los Angeles), vice chair; and Mark Lewon of Utah Metal Works (Salt Lake City), secretary/treasurer—is running unopposed for the next higher leadership position, with Simms in line to become chair; Kramer, chair-elect; and Lewon, vice chair. ReMA members could nominate additional candidates from the floor at the April 19 election meeting of the ReMA board of directors, but if history is any guide, the three top ReMA leadership posts will go to the next officers in line.
The secretary/treasurer race will offer much more excitement, however, with three nominees competing in a contested election. The nominees—Howard Glick of Tri-State Iron & Metal Co. (Texarkana, Ark.), Brian Shine of Manitoba Corp. (Lancaster, N.Y.), and Lois Young of Calbag Metals (Tacoma, Wash.)—are all experienced scrap recycling professionals as well as longtime ReMA supporters and volunteer leaders. They have climbed the leadership ladders in their respective geographic chapters, and all have served on ISRI’s national board of directors and several association committees. In short, their qualifications are equally stellar, which will make it difficult for ReMA board members to select a single winner at its election meeting April 19. As with the higher ReMA officer positions, the secretary/treasurer nomination process will remain open until just before the election, which means other worthy candidates could join the race at the last minute. In the meantime, the following profiles give you a chance to learn more about these three nominees.
Howard Glick
President, Tri-State Iron & Metal Co. (Texarkana, Ark.)
Current ReMA positions: Director-at-large and member of the finance and audit committees.
Past ReMA positions (highlights): Gulf Coast Chapter president; chair of the government sales committee; and various other chapter and national roles in the past 31 years. Recipient of the Gulf Coast Chapter’s Israel Proler Award for service to the recycling industry.
In my view, the biggest challenges facing U.S. scrap recycling companies are… state and federal regulations and controls that can adversely affect the recycling industry.
In the next two years, ReMA must focus on… education and training at the chapter level to ensure that members comply with all rules and laws concerning the operation of their yards.
ISRI’s greatest benefits to members include… giving the industry a unified voice. When we speak with one voice as a trade association, we are much more effective in representing the needs and concerns of our industry to legislators. Also, there are numerous programs that are cost-prohibitive for a single company, but ReMA allows members to jointly benefit by sharing the cost of such programs.
I personally value ReMA for… the knowledge I have gained and the many friendships and experiences I have enjoyed throughout the years.
If elected as national ReMA secretary/treasurer, I’d like to help ISRI… build a stronger trade association by using my knowledge and experiences as a scrap processor to articulate issues and concerns facing our membership.
My strengths as a leader are… I am organized, decisive, and can make a cogent case. I enjoy working as a team player and am inclined to listen and think before I give my opinion.
I’d like to improve my… ability to remember people’s names.
My greatest professional achievement has been… the success our family business has accomplished in the last 65 years. My father, founder of Tri-State, could never have envisioned how modern and efficient our yard has become.
If I ran the world, I would… want to take measures toward lasting world peace.
In my free time, I like to… play golf and spend time at the lake with family and friends. My wife and I also enjoy travel, now that our three children are grown.
Brian Shine
President, Manitoba Corp. (Lancaster, N.Y.)
Current ReMA positions: Director-at-large and chair of the audit committee.
Past ReMA positions (highlights): Chair of the membership committee; member of the audit committee for six years; Empire Chapter president; co-chair of the copper/brass committee; and moderator of the copper spotlight at two ReMA annual conventions.
In my view, the biggest challenges facing U.S. scrap recycling companies are… protecting free and fair trade policies and addressing stormwater regulations, metals theft, and the U.S. EPA’s proposed change to the definition of solid waste.
In the next two years, ReMA must focus on… enhancing the image and performance of our industry, which includes improving our safety record.
ISRI’s greatest benefits to members include… serving as the voice of our industry, especially in this time of so many issues and challenges. For ReMA to most effectively represent its members, it needs to hear from every company through active participation.
I personally value ReMA for… the opportunity to participate in a vibrant, active, and effective trade association with enthusiastic, energetic, and hardworking peers.
If elected as national ReMA secretary/treasurer, I’d like to help ISRI… focus on continuous improvement in all areas on behalf of every member we serve.
My strengths as a leader are… I am optimistic, dedicated, a good listener, and decisive.
I’d like to improve my… knowledge of the various industry segments ReMA serves.
My greatest professional achievement has been… continuing the superior professional reputation of our family business that three previous generations established.
If I ran the world, I would… always encourage people to be engaged and enthusiastic and to approach life positively.
In my free time, I like to… spend time with my family, read, and snow or water ski.
Lois Young
Office Manager, Calbag Metals Co. (Tacoma, Wash.)
Current ReMA positions: Board member of the Recycling Research Foundation and member of various committees.
Past ReMA positions (highlights): Director-at-large; Pacific Northwest Chapter president; chair of the membership committee, education and training committee, and RRF silent auction; and co-chair of the women’s council.
In my view, the biggest challenges facing U.S. scrap recycling companies are… government regulations and escalating soft costs.
In the next two years, ReMA must focus on…working with individual members to benchmark industry standards and the industry’s image.
ISRI’s greatest benefits to members include…practical opportunities to enhance their businesses.
I personally value ReMA for… the professional friendships, collective knowledge, and resources that have enriched both my professional and my personal growth.
If elected as national ReMA secretary/treasurer, I’d like to help ISRI… be more accessible to recyclers who work at different layers below top management.
My strengths as a leader are… being able to appreciate both sides of an issue and using that information to make decisions.
I’d like to improve my… reactionary nature, and learn to hear instead of just listen.
My greatest professional achievement has been… planting ideas and watching those ideas develop and grow a new generation of recyclers.
If I ran the world, I would… discourage greed and encourage honor.
In my free time, I like to… unleash my creative spirit and do projects.