• Mitch Hecht

    Mitch Hecht

    Founder, Chairman and CEO

    Former Chief Financial Officer of International Steel Group, a start up steel company that within 12 months of formation became the second largest integrated steel manufacturer in North America with sales of $5 billion. Within 18 months of funding, the company executed a $2.7 billion IPO, and within 12 months of its IPO was sold for $4.5 billion. Responsible for three major acquisitions and a $5 billion P&L. Previously 15 years on Wall Street, much of that time covering the metals and mining sector as Managing Director, investment banking, for Deutsche Bank and PaineWebber Inc. BA, MBA in Finance from New York University; Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law. Member of the New York State Bar. Past Board Member of the National Association of Manufacturers.

  • Doug Schrader

    Doug Schrader (1949 — 2021)

    Co-Founder and Vice-Chairman In Memoriam

    More than 40 years of legislative, environmental, fiscal, and public relations in the steel, energy, security and mining industries. Past President of the US Iron Mining Association. Mr. Schrader has been employed by many steel producers in the US in production, management and government relations. He most recently served as Vice President of Government Relations for steel producer Severstal North America, a division of OAO Severstal, the largest steel company in Russia. From 2002 until 2005, Mr. Schrader was a founding partner in Public Affairs Associates, a government relations consultancy. BS in Earth Science from Ball State University.

  • Manuel (Manolo) Jiménez Román

    Manuel (Manolo) Jiménez Román

    VP, Technology - Plastics

    Over 25 years in polymer engineering and recycling production. Designed, built and successfully managed Coca-Cola’s first and largest recycling plant in Latin America-- Industria Mexicana de Reciclaje (IMER), in Toluca, State de México. Previously 11 years with Arteva Specialties (now Indorama Ventures Polymers de México) in production and engineering of PET products. Diploma in chemical engineering from Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, Mexico City.

  • Dale Heinz

    Dale Heinz

    VP, Technology - Steel

    46 years of steel industry experience, including 35 years in charge of blast furnace and steelmaking operations for ArcelorMittal and its predecessor North American operations, International Steel Group and LTV Steel. He was also manager of furnace operations for USS/Kobe Steel and started his career with Republic Steel Corporation. Past President of the Board of Trustees of the Association for Iron and Steel Technology Foundation and Past Chairman Midwest Chapter Board of Directors of AIST. Past President of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers. Past Chairman of the American Heart Association Midwest. BS in Education from Bowling Green State University and MBA from Baldwin Wallace University.

  • Lee Clayton

    Lee Clayton

    VP, Engineering

    Experienced senior manager in the Polymer Recycling industry with approximately 28 years continuous experience at all levels, including Chief Executive Officer, General Manager, Operations Director, and Project Management. Lee has been required to manage both domestic and international teams of mixed competencies including line operatives, technical laboratory staff, with a full complement of managers including marketing, sales, operational and technical staff. He is widely known in the industry and has been called to give presentations to industry bodies and several times to BBC and recently gave an interview for SKY contributing to their Oceans from waste series. s here

  • Stuart Kershaw

    VP, Sales

    Stuart is a Plastics Recycling Industry specialist with 34 years’ experience in the sector. During his career Stuart has undertaken a range of technical, managerial and consultancy roles, covering a range of material streams but predominantly rigid packaging. Recently Stuart was CEO of large PE & PP reprocessor Regain Polymers and managed the restructuring & sale of the business to global minerals company Imerys. Prior to this Stuart managed the Sales and Business Development of all Plastics Recycling activities at Waste Management Co Viridor. This role involved the business development of food and non-food recyclate to blue chip clients and the business case and sales management for the largest plastic sorting plant in the UK. During the early part of his career Stuart studied Polymer Technology at Manchester Metropolitan University.

  • Mitch Willis

    Mitch Willis

    CFO

    Mitch is a CPA with over two decades of CFO experience in basic industry, having worked for the Erie-based machining and machine services company Modern Industries from 1999 to 2019. Prior to that, Mitch was controller for over a decade at a leading food snacks company. He has over five years of audit experience at a public accounting firm. He graduated with a degree in Accounting and Finance from Penn State University.

  • Bill Jackson

    Bill Jackson

    Controller

    Forty-one years directing various financial, marketing and community building functions, including significant experience in planning and budgeting, developing and implementing strategic plans, and working with human service systems. Bill earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Business Administration from Gannon University.

  • Chris Nshimyumuremyi

    Chris Nshimyumuremyi

    Community Development Director

    Experienced in campaign organizing, data analytics, strategic planning, and climate advocacy. Chris has a degree in Business Management and Administration from Hiram College.

  • Paul Savage

    Business Development

    Paul Savage is both a former CEO of Nextek Power Systems, Inc., a power technology innovator as well as CEO of Native Nations Securities, the first broker/dealer dedicated to financing capital projects in Indian Country. His experience spans Investment Advisory work, and carbon offset development strategies key to the current energy transition while on the board of the American Carbon Registry. He graduated from Haverford College, and is a co-founder of the EMerge Alliance, the global standards-making body.

  • Raymond Pierce

    Raymond Pierce

    Director

    President and CEO of the Southern Education Foundation. For seven years Pierce was employed by the LTV Corporation, a Fortune 50 Aerospace, Steel and Energy company. Pierce was an attorney in the company's law department where he managed transportation, construction and raw materials purchasing matters. Pierce served in the administration of President Bill Clinton as a senior education official and served on the White House Domestic Policy Council task force for economic and workforce development initiatives. Pierce was Dean of the School of Law at North Carolina Central University and has been a partner at two law firms representing clients in the steel, energy, and construction businesses. Pierce earned a Bachelors degree from Syracuse University, a Juris Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and a Masters degree from the Divinity School at Duke University.

  • Andrew Reddyhoff

    Andrew Reddyhoff

    Director

    Chairman of the Board of CelluComp, a U.K. company involved in producing nano-cellular fibers from waste vegetable and fruit processing streams. Previously, he founded and ran Canada-based Finproject NA, Inc., a manufacturer of plastic injection-molded products where he developed the “Croc” shoe, using a foamed, cross-linked, polyolefin resin he had developed. He served as President of Crocs Canada. Andy graduated with honors in metallurgy from the University of Sheffield.