CDRA Fall Board Meeting a Success

by Executive Director/CEO, Terri Ward

Thank you to the dozens of members, board members, and committee chairs for attending our fall board meeting in Portland, Oregon. Besides being my home state, it’s fitting that Oregon boasts the nation’s first bottle bill (1971) and the highest recycling rates in the country. It was a great backdrop to build on this year’s momentum. We’ve made significant accomplishments so far, including the record-setting C&D World, highly attended committee meetings, increased industry recognition, and membership growth. For those of you that could not attend, please read on for a recap of our meetings.

The Fall Board of Directors meeting took place in Portland, Oregon from September 23-25. Board President John Thomas (Mount Materials) kicked off the meeting by thanking the group for studying the 134-page board book and reading Gino Wickman’s Traction to set the foundation for the morning’s strategic planning workshop. Member-at-large Brandon Lapsys (Viably) then expertly led a 4-hour session to revise CDRA’s Vision/Traction Organizer, based on the book’s Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) principles.

After a short lunch break, a dozen members from around the country joined the business meeting. The board approved the selection of Chad Abell (Coastal Waste & Recycling) and Amanda Kaminsky (Consigli, formerly Lendlease) as new directors, noting the need for more horsepower. The expertise and strong records of both individuals will serve the association well, and their commitment is greatly appreciated.
Terri Ward, CDRA Executive Director/CEO, updated the group on a media partnership opportunity with Semco, publisher of three aggregates-related magazines, to better serve this segment of CDRA’s membership. A modest dues increase was approved for the 2025 fiscal year, and Treasurer William Cooper outlined the association’s strong financial position. This is important as the 2025 budget process begins, with ambitious goals and initiatives to deliver value to members.

Staff and chairs discussed the progress of each committee, prompting discussions about revising the End Markets charter, the favorable preliminary LCA results for recycled gypsum, and policies to increase drywall recycling.
Key topics that wrapped up the afternoon session included the upcoming shingle recycling forum, C&D World 2025, and third-party verification of recycling rates.

The following morning, attendees enjoyed breakfast and a tour of member GreenWay Recycling’s ‘dry waste’ facility (C&D MRF), which sits on a steeply sloped 2-acre site and boasts some of the highest recovery rates in the region. The facility uses a variety of technology, including a pre-shredder, ballistic separator, multiple screens, magnets, and wet and dry separation. A smaller group toured WM’s Tualatin Valley Waste Recovery facility, which also processes C&D. In addition to a traditional A and B-line, an optical sorter has been installed to increase and automate wood recovery from the B-line.

Throughout the meeting sessions, tours, and networking receptions, members had ample opportunities to collaborate and build relationships. The shared problems and opportunities highlighted the value of information exchanged both formally and informally at CDRA meetings and events. If anyone has questions about the meetings or would like to provide input, please feel free to reach out to Terri Ward at [email protected] or (202) 712-9020.