Global Recycling leaders converge on Vancouver for industry’s largest gathering

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), the Voice of the Recycling Industry™, will host its 2015 Convention and Exposition April 21-25 at the Vancouver Convention Centre in British Columbia, Canada. This annual event has become the largest convention of its kind, bringing together thousands of scrap recycling professionals, industry experts and manufacturers from all 50 states and more than 40 countries to discuss the latest in the global scrap recycling business.

Attendees at the 2015 ISRI Convention & Exposition will take part in workshops, sessions and interactive panels that will examine today’s recycling opportunities and challenges. Programming will focus on helping companies operate smarter, safer and more profitable businesses. In addition, the convention will celebrate Vancouver’s cultures and traditions as well as have a special outdoor exhibit in honor of Earth Day on April 22.

“The ISRI Convention is the one place, every year, that brings together the industry experts, top equipment manufacturers, world-class speakers and more, all with the goal of bettering the industry,” said ISRI President Robin K. Wiener. “This is extremely critical time for the industry and the high-quality programming at the convention this year will reflect today’s realities. In addition to the many business and networking opportunities, each of the attendees will walk away with new knowledge and skills to improve their competitiveness.”

Highlights this year include former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series taking place on Saturday, April 25 at 8:00 a.m. Secretary Gates served as the 22nd secretary of defense (2006-2011) and is the only secretary of defense in U.S. history to be asked to remain in that office by a newly elected President. Prior to his appointment a secretary of defense, Gates served 27 years as an intelligence professional with the Central Intelligence Agency, with nine years at the National Security Council serving four presidents of both political parties. Secretary Gates speech will be preceded by the presentation of the Design for Recycling® Award to LG Electronics, Inc. for prioritizing recyclability in the design and manufacture of its products. The DFR Award is ISRI’s highest award given annually to the most outstanding contribution to products designed with recycling in mind.

The Opening Session on Thursday, April 23, at 8:00 a.m. will feature entrepreneur, strategist, and motivator Stan Slap, whose talk “Tough Times: Tougher Teams” will focus on how companies can improve performance and be successful even during tough times. The session will feature the award presentation for the ISRI-JASON Learning National Student Poster and Video Contest winners. The contest, part of the partnership between ISRI and JASON Learning to promote recycling as part of the K-12 STEM curriculum, called on students to design a poster or video to build awareness around the different commodities that can be recycled from cars at the end of their lifespan.

The full schedule for the 2014 ISRI Convention & Expo, is available at www.isriconvention.org. For additional information about attending the 2014 Convention & Expo, and for media credentials, please contact Mark Carpenter.