We are proud to announce the 2024

New York State Assoc. of Reduction, Reuse and Recycling Leadership Awardees

"True leaders don't seek recognition, but the Leadership Awards celebrate those whose vision and dedication elevate others and create lasting impact."

Lifetime Achievement Award - Sally Rowland, NYS DEC

Sally is NY’s humble leader when it comes to all forms of organic waste reduction and recycling. With 39 years at NYSDEC, she grew the 1980's Residuals section into a comprehensive, mature Organics Reduction and Recycling program worthy of the “main stage” of materials management. She pioneered NY’s first organics regulations and tirelessly advocated to improve them for not only environmental and public health, but for the success and resiliency of the industry overall. 

These interests go far – she published two engineering thesis's around organics recycling practices, taught college courses on the subject, and served on several Ph.D. student advisory boards. She is an inspiring mentor, shaping many careers, and has never stopped educating herself or appreciating new perspectives.  

Sally does what’s right, not what’s easy, selflessly defending the science, safety, and value of organics recycling.  Her commitment to uplifting the industry is evident in everything she does. She turns her thorough understanding of complex ideas into practical, effective strategies that benefit the needs of today’s organics industry while anticipating and planning for the growth of tomorrow. As Sally transitions into retirement soon, she will be greatly missed!

Educational Institution Leadership Award - SUNY Oneonta

SUNY Oneonta uses freshman and "transfer/move-in" as an annual opportunity to illustrate the campus' core value of sustainability by collecting cardboard, polystyrene and plastic film for recycling. This initiative, in its fifth year, is a collaboration between the SUNY Oneonta Office of Sustainability and Custodial Office. It was established to streamline the collection and diversion of packaging material from the landfill.  Previously, recycling dumpsters were contaminated and residence hall recycling rooms and dumpsters were overflowing with packaging material.  Through this program, students hired as Recycling Ambassadors: 1. Communicate about waste reduction and recycling with freshman, transfers and their families, 2. Support the custodial staff in collecting cardboard as an uncontaminated recycling stream in addition to polystyrene and plastic film to be recycled locally in partnership with the Otsego ReUse Center, a project of The Arc Otsego.

Private Sector Leadership Award - Santino Love, Generate Upcycle

Santino Love has demonstrated grace, resilience and professionalism in the food waste recycling industry. With little relevant experience in waste recycling and heavy equipment, Santino was hired nearly a decade ago at an anaerobic digester facility as a junior equipment operator at a plant that he now manages. He demonstrated rather quickly a keen ability to learn and work with others, and within a year was managing a facility. 

Over the years, he has weathered management/ownership challenges and changes but has always been focused on improvement. Today, he is an exceptional site manager of two facilities in Western NY overseeing five employees and millions of dollars in asset infrastructure dedicated to food waste recycling and renewable energy generation. From managing the balance sheet to fixing equipment with his own hands, Santino has proven to be an exceptional manager with unparalleled dedication.  

“I’ve never met someone in the industry over the past decade who has had as much on their shoulders. He has an incredible ability to overcome adversity and lead.” - Nate Carr – Generate Upcycle Environmental, Community & Compliance Manager 

The facilities under Santino’s management together divert more than 80,000 tons of food waste annually from landfills producing carbon negative clean energy and nutrient-rich fertilizers. 

Public Sector Leadership Award - Jennifer Kruman, NYS DEC

Jen started her career at the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation close to 37 years ago and has been leading the Bottle Bill program, for 20 years. During this time, Jen has sought to ensure the regulated community and consumers seeking redemption of their deposit containers understand the Bottle Bill program and their questions are answered, and voices are heard. Using her amazing listening skills, compassion, and knowledge of the program, Jen resolves differences and provides solutions to ensure that the cans and bottles are properly redeemed and ultimately recycled. Between the complex nature of the Bottle Bill, the number of regulated entities, and callers that are less than pleased with a variety of Bottle Bill issues outside of Jen’s control, it would be enough to make anyone run for the hills – but not Jen. Jen brings her positive attitude to every interaction. 

Jen has applied this positive attitude in her involvement in countless waste reduction and recycling outreach events for Earth Day and New York Recycles Day as well as her integral role in the NYSAR³ and Federation conferences. 

ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP AWARDS COMMITTEE:

Each year, the NYS Association of Reduction, Reuse & Recycling Leadership Awards committee convenes each August to review nominations, considering both the individuals and the organizations they represent.  The committee remains active through October and then prepares to announce the Awardees at the NYSAR³ Annual Meeting & Awards lunch, held in November.  If you are interested in working with this committee, please reach out to Info@NYSAR3.org.  

New this year, we changed the name of the award from "Recycling Leadership Award" to "New York State Assoc. of Reduction, Reuse and Recycling Leadership Award"  to better describe the intent of the Leadership award and to be more encompassing of the industry. 

The Committee members include: Terry Laibach (Chair), Dianne Woske, Gary Feinland, Lynn Leopold, Kate Kitchener, Gary Carrel, Oscar Pinzon & Lori Whittington

To submit a nomination, watch for future newsletters, emails or updates on the website, in late Spring that will announce the nomination process.