January/February 2015
The location of ISRI’s 2015 convention—Vancouver, British Columbia—isn’t the
only thing new and exciting about this sure-to-be-memorable event.
Mark your calendar and check your passport—ISRI is going international this year, moving its convention and exposition to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, April 21-25. The association expects this first convention foray outside the United States to be among its best conventions ever. And why not? Vancouver consistently ranks as one of the most beautiful and amenity-rich cities in North America. The event’s venue—the Vancouver Convention Centre—is a stunning site to rival any of ISRI’s past convention locations. And while some aspects of the ReMA convention will remain the same—it’s still the world’s largest scrap recycling industry exposition—the 2015 gathering will have a new approach to workshop programs and a few more changes in store. Given those points—and others—you won’t want to miss this historic event.
ISRI’s New, Green Home
When it comes to holding any convention, “the right city can make all the difference,” notes ReMA Convention Committee chairman Kendig Kneen of Al-jon Manufacturing (Ottumwa, Iowa). When ReMA first considered holding its convention in Vancouver, he was skeptical, he recalls, wondering if it was an “ISRI city”—on par with Orlando, Fla.; New Orleans; Los Angeles; San Diego; San Francisco; San Antonio; and members’ perennial favorite, Las Vegas. After two planning visits there, however, his skepticism evaporated, he says, as he realized that Vancouver is one of the “most ISRI” cities in North America. “It’s filled with great hotels and restaurants, and it has plenty of indoor and outdoor entertainment activities, not even counting the parties, programs, and receptions ReMA will offer during the convention,” he says.
Vancouver is very much a green city, making it an ideal home for the recycling industry’s largest gathering of the year. Part of Vancouver’s “greenness” stems from its natural beauty, which treats visitors to breathtaking views of waterways, pine-covered slopes, and snow-capped mountains. No wonder the city touts itself as being “Spectacular by Nature.” Vancouver also is green in the sustainability sense. It claims to have the smallest carbon footprint of any major city in North America, and its goal is to become the world’s greenest city by 2020. How? By pursuing initiatives such as carbon-neutral buildings, leading-edge recycling programs, new energy sources, dedicated bike lanes, a near-zero-waste culture, and a thriving green research and development sector. (For more on Vancouver’s green efforts, visit www.talkgreenvancouver.ca.)
The city’s natural beauty and green credentials are equally visible in the Vancouver Convention Centre, home base for ISRI’s 2015 convention and exhibition. The center, which covers four city blocks on the city’s downtown waterfront, offers an incomparable view across Burrard Inlet toward the Coast Mountains. Structurally, the 466,500-square-foot center consists of two connected buildings—east and west—that contain 72 meetings rooms and 311,500 square feet of expo space.
Beyond its great meeting space, state-of-the-art technology, and world-class cuisine, the center has impressive green features such as recycling, food and beverage management, an on-site water treatment plant, advanced energy management, and a 6-acre living roof on the west building—the largest in Canada, the center says. No wonder the west building received platinum certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, making it the first convention center in the world to earn that highest LEED rating. The center also was the first repeat winner—in 2002 and 2008—of the title World’s Best Convention Centre from the International Association of Congress Centres (Brussels). In short, the Vancouver Convention Centre promises to be an impressive, environmentally minded home for ISRI’s 2015 show.
A Content-Rich Experience
In addition to offering the world’s largest exposition of recycling-related equipment, technology, products, and services, the ReMA convention is famous for its rich educational content and extensive networking opportunities. ReMA is putting the finishing touches on the 2015 workshop schedule, which will offer the quality programming you expect at an ReMA convention with a few modifications to keep things interesting and ensure even greater take-home value.
This year’s convention will continue the ReMA tradition of kicking off each of the three main convention days with an informative general session. The opening session—Thursday, April 23—will feature business management guru Stan Slap of Seize the World dba Slap (San Francisco). In presentations that combine information and entertainment, Slap helps companies create commitment in their employees, managers, and customers, with the goal of rising “above the morass of mediocrity” to achieve greater success. For the ReMA audience, Slap will debunk the most common excuses for poor performance and provide the foundation for creating a “solution mentality” throughout any company.
The second main convention day—Friday, April 24—reprises the popular spotlight on the economy, an always-intriguing session that offers insights from economic experts and commodity analysts. The discussion can help you navigate your business through the uncertainties that lie ahead.
ISRI is saving the biggest guest speaker for the final convention morning—Saturday, April 25—when it invites former U.S. secretary of defense Robert Gates to the stage. In addition to serving two presidents—George W. Bush and Barack Obama—as secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011, Gates worked for 27 years for the Central Intelligence Agency (Langley, Va.) and was director of central intelligence under President George H.W. Bush. He also has served as president of Texas A&M University (College Station, Texas), chancellor of the College of WilÂliam & Mary (WilliamsÂburg, Va.), and on several corporate boards. Gates currently is a partner with two other members of the George W. Bush administration—former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice and former U.S. national security adviser Stephen Hadley—in the consulting firm RiceHadleyGates, based in Washington, D.C., and Menlo Park, Calif. He also serves on the board and executive committee of the American Council on Education (Washington, D.C.) and as the volunteer president of the Boy Scouts of America (Irving, Texas).
As attendees have come to expect, ReMA plans to bookend the 2015 show with memorable opening and closing events. After two days of association governance meetings April 21-22, ReMA officially will kick off the convention the evening of April 22 with a gala opening reception in the expo hall. These affairs are legendary for their lavish food and beverage offerings as well as the awe-inspiring debut of the expo, with an expected 300-plus exhibitors and displays of the latest scrap-processing equipment. If you always wish you had more time to spend in the expo hall, you’re in luck: This year, the ReMA east hall will open for a sneak preview on April 22. (See the preliminary schedule of events at right for details.)
Only the final-night party of an ReMA convention can come close to matching the grandeur of the gala opening. In previous years, ReMA has wrapped up its convention in various creative—and always fun—ways, from last year’s beach party to hit musical acts to VIP theme park access. This year ReMA will hold its closing event April 25 at the Vancouver Convention Centre in a drop-dead-gorgeous space, with gourmet food and beverages as well as memorable touches such as music, dragons, fireworks, and more. You need to be there to experience it, so don’t hesitate—make your plans now to attend ReMA 2015.
Partaking in the Fun
Registration. As usual, the fastest and easiest way to register for the ReMA convention is online at www.isriconvention.org, and the earlier you sign up, the more you can take advantage of early-bird savings. For ReMA members, member exhibitors, and their spouses/partners, a full registration is $775 through Jan. 31, $875 from Feb. 1 to March 16, and $975 from March 17 onward. Trade-show-only passes for April 23 and 24 are $450 through Jan. 31, $500 from Feb. 1 to March 16, and $550 from March 17 onward. ReMA members also can buy full registrations for children (ages 2 to 16) and single tickets for the closing event for children and adults.
Full registration fees for nonmember attendees, exhibitors, and their spouses/partners are $1,300 through Jan. 31, $1,400 from Feb. 1 to March 16, and $1,500 from March 17 onward. Trade-show-only passes for nonmembers are $700 through Jan. 31, $750 from Feb. 1 to March 16, and $800 March 17 onward. Nonmembers also can purchase full registrations for children (ages 2 to 16), but they cannot buy single tickets to the final-night event.
If you prefer to register by mail, you must fill out a registration form and send it with a check or credit card payment information to ISRI, P.O. Box 75245, Baltimore, MD 21275-5245. To register by fax, send your completed registration form and credit card information to 202/624-9257. For your financial protection, do not e-mail your registration form containing credit card information.
ISRI’s goal is to process properly completed registrations and send confirmations within two weeks of receipt. Contact ReMA at convention@isri.org if you do not receive a confirmation in that time period. ReMA will process all registrations received after March 31 as on-site registrations.
Travel. U.S. citizens traveling by air between the United States and Canada must have a valid passport or NEXUS identification card (which allows expedited processing of pre-screened travelers). Travelers entering by land or sea can travel with a U.S. Passport Card, which is available through the U.S. Department of State’s passport office.
If you are a U.S. citizen planning to attend the ReMA show and you do not have a passport, or you need to renew an expired passport, visit travel.state.gov/passport for information. To prevent potential problems at Canadian passport control, ReMA encourages convention registrants to make sure their passports will not expire within six months of the convention dates (April 21-25).
For more information on Canadian entry requirements, visit www.cic.gc.ca. Please note that Canada might deny entry to some travelers due to criminal convictions. Those who have been convicted of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, however, might be able to gain entry by using a temporary resident permit. Get further details at www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/apply-who.asp.
Most visitors will arrive for the ReMA convention at the Vancouver International Airport (www.yvr.ca), which is about 10 miles from the convention center. From the airport, you can take a taxi to your destination or take the SkyTrain, Vancouver’s rapid transit light rail link. The SkyTrain’s Canada Line can get you downtown in 26 minutes.
Lodging. In a change from previous conventions, ReMA does not have a designated headquarters hotel for the Vancouver convention. Instead, find information on hotel options at www.isriconvention.org. You can make reservations at the property that best fits your preferred price point, amenities, and distance from the convention center. With more than 180 hotels in the Vancouver area—roughly 20 of which are within walking distance of the Vancouver Convention Centre—there’s no shortage of choices. Three hotels—the Fairmont Pacific Rim, Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, and Pan Pacific Vancouver—are connected to the convention center.
Letter From the Convention Chair
In the past two issues of Scrap, I’ve told you about the terrific city of Vancouver and the exciting educational programs we have planned for ISRI2015. We’ve loaded you up with stories about the city’s fantastic views, the great entertainment options, and even greater restaurants. We’ve talked about changes we’re making to help you get more out of the spotlights, workshops, and general sessions to ensure you’ll get more than your money’s worth in take-home value. And, in case you missed it, we’ve given you a gentle reminder: Get your passports!
This time, I’m going to let you in on what all the really excellent companies in this industry already know: You can’t afford NOT to be at the ReMA convention.
Whether you’re a veteran who has never missed a convention or someone totally new to this industry, know this: ReMA conventions are more about whom you meet than what you learn.
Networking is the No. 1 reason for attending an ReMA convention. It always has been and always will be. The right people will always be there.
It might be that person you meet in the hallway outside a general session, or you might find them in a commodity spotlight, or it could even be an introduction in the lobby bar when the day is done. Meeting that one new contact who opens a door to a new component of your business—or seeing in the trade show a new process that leads to the expansion of an existing market segment—could make your year. Someone you meet might have an idea that you can capitalize on or provide the missing piece of a puzzle you had been trying to put together.
More than 5,000 people will be at ISRI2015. They will have the chance to make that new trade connection. They’ll get a hands-on demonstration of new technology. They will learn about the regulator fights ahead.
Your colleagues among that 5,000 will be up to date on the latest news on environmental issues. Your competitors in that 5,000 will bring back to their businesses valuable safety lessons. What about you? Can you afford to miss it? Success waits for no one.
I’ll leave you with words from an unknown author. My grandfather, Ralph Smutz, is the foundation for my strong beliefs in an active trade association. He shared this with me when I landed my first job out of college:
Are you an active member, the kind who would be missed?
Or are you quite contented that your name is on the list?
Do you attend the meetings and mingle with the flock?
Or do you stay at home to criticize and knock?
Do you take an active part to help the work along?
Or are you quite well satisfied to only just belong?
Do you take a stand for things you think are right?
Or leave the work to just a few and talk instead of fight?
Think it over, member. You know what’s right and wrong.
Are you an active member, or do you just belong?
I look forward to seeing you in Vancouver.
Kendig Kneen, 2015 Convention Chair