NWRA announces 2022 industry leadership awards

The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA), Arlington, Virginia, has announced its 2022 Membership Award recipients across three categories for their contributions in support of the waste and recycling industry and the association.   

Members of the Year are selected based on extraordinary service to the mission and goals of NWRA and the industry over the past year. Chapter Leadership awards are presented to members whose contributions to an NWRA chapter were notable.  

Distinguished Service awards are presented to longstanding members of NWRA who render service in pursuit of the association’s mission and goals.

The association says these awards recognize the highest spirit of volunteerism, personal integrity, professionalism and performance in an honorable and ethical manner.

Service Member of the Year was awarded to Shelley Seyward of Casella Waste Systems, Rutland, Vermont, who has been involved in fighting for the association’s major issues in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and Connecticut. She helped in a successful fight to keep Vermont’s bottle bill from passing. She also stood against HB 1454 in New Hampshire, which required a buffer between landfills and bodies of water and was eventually vetoed by the governor. Seyward also was a constant in the battle taking place in Maine and helped lead the fight in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts on extended producer responsibility. She now is in her first term as the vice chair of NWRA’s Government Affairs Committee.  

Suppliers Member of the Year was awarded to Martin Mattsson, Volvo Construction Equipment North America, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, who was selected for his significant contributions to the industry through his service leading committees and volunteering on the supplier board of governors and supporting NWRA’s Future Industry Leaders Alliance.  

Indiana Chapter Chair Brad Eisenhart of Houston-based WM, was recognized with the Chapter Leadership award. He first took over the unexpired term from a chair who moved to a different state and has since been a steady hand on the wheel of the chapter. He has helped the group to navigate successfully many legislative and regulatory challenges the industry has faced over the past year.  

The Distinguished Service award was given to Pete Keller, Republic Services Inc., Phoenix, who chaired the recycling committee from its formation in 2013 until the end of 2021 when he had to step aside because of term limits. During his time as chairperson, Keller led the committee through multiple crises, starting from China’s Green Fence, National Sword and Blue Sky initiatives to COVID-19 pandemic challenges.  

The Supplier's Distinguished Service award went to Mike McLaughlin, McLaughlin Family Cos./New Way Trucks, Scranton, Iowa. McLaughlin has consistently supported the industry by volunteering on boards and committees such as the Supplier Board of Governors, NWRA says. He and McLaughlin Family Cos./New Way Trucks continue to provide financial support to NWRA and the industry.   

“Our member companies and their employees are the strength of NWRA," NWRA President and CEO Darrell Smith says. "Without these individuals’ leadership and contributions, NWRA would not be the leading association in the waste industry. I congratulate them on their achievements.” 

The association says the honorees will be recognized at NWRA’s Executive Leadership Roundtable event in October.