SWANA names interim executive director

The Solid Waste Association of North America, Silver Spring, Maryland, has named Richard Yep as interim executive director, effective April 6.

Yep founded Virginia-based Ocean Vista Advisors LLC in 2022, where he helps to develop collaborations and provide training and advice on communication and leadership. Prior to founding Ocean Vista, he spent almost 30 years as CEO of the American Counseling Association (ACA), a large association for counselors with more than 60,000 members and 60 staff members that is based in Alexandria, Virginia. Under his leadership, the ACA became a profitable association with strong board-staff partnerships. At ACA, Yep led a financial and organizational turnaround where he reversed financial losses through cost-cutting and product and service enhancements, improving member retention and rebuilding the brand.

“Using SWANA’s new strategic plan as a guide, I look forward to collaborating with our staff and leaders to achieve the plan’s goals and continue to support the incredible work our members do each and every day on behalf of their communities,” Yep says.

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In addition, Yep’s volunteer activities include leadership positions with the American Society of Association Executives; a member of the United Nations, Global Nongovernmental Organizations Executive Committee; a committee member with the Human Rights Campaign; an advisory council member of Digital Now Advisory Group; and a board of trustees member of Excelsior University, Albany, New York.

“With more than 30 years as an association CEO, and as a leader in the association community, Richard is an exceptional choice to serve as SWANA’s interim [executive director]. I look forward to working with him to achieve SWANA’s strategic plan goals,” says Tim Flanagan, SWANA president and a project director at SCS Engineers, Long Beach, California.

SWANA also has retained the services of executive recruitment firm Vetted Solutions, Washington. Yep is a client partner at Vetted Solutions.