Stanley Kramer, Howard Meyers & Sandy Shapiro receive industry’s top honor
Las Vegas – The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), the Voice of the Recycling Industry, today presented the ISRI Lifetime Achievement Award to three gentleman who demonstrated great dedication to the success of the association and the industry: Stanley Kramer, Kramer Metals; Howard Meyers, Quexco; and Sandy Shapiro, Cambridge Iron & Metal. The award was presented during the organization’s annual convention being held in Las Vegas.
“This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award winners helped lay the foundation for ISRI and establish the recycling industry as a powerful force in today’s economy. Stanley Kramer, Howard Meyers, and Sandy Shapiro all demonstrated unparalleled service commitment to not only this industry and association, but also to their country and communities,” said ISRI President Robin Wiener. “We are proud to present Stanley, Howard, and Sandy with ISRI’s Lifetime Achievement Award for all they have and continue to accomplish for our industry and his community.”
In the early 1950s, Stanley Kramer left school to join his brother, Howard, in operating the family’s scrap business to support the family. In the late 50’s following Stanley’s return from military service as a ship’s baker in the South Pacific, Stanley and Howard slowly transformed the business into a full service scrap yard. The business grew and the materials diversified enabling the brothers in 1967 to invest in their first yard. Stanley soon became very active in ISRI and one of its predecessors, the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel (ISIS). He served all leadership positions in the Southwest Chapter, vice chair of the ISRI Convention Committee, chair of the ISRI Chapter Presidents’ Council along with numerous committee positions.
Howard Meyers started working at age 13 doing yard work and other hourly jobs. While attending college he worked at Revere Smelting and Refining and began his education in the metals business. By 1970, Howard purchased the company and became its president and CEO. Throughout the decade, Howard transformed his initial purchase of Revere into a highly successful holding company, Quexco. Today, Quexco operates 17 non-ferrous smelting and refining facilities, three anode and flat roll producing facilities, and a variety of plastic-related and mining businesses around the globe. One of the company’s affiliates it is the largest lead producer in the world. Howard was committed to the industry through his association activities and was instrumental in forging the merger between the National Association of Recycling Industries (NARI) and ISIS in 1987 to form ISRI. He has the unique distinction of being NARI’s last President and ISRI’s first.
Sandy Shapiro got his start in the industry when he entered the family scrap business, Cambridge Iron & Metal. As the business grew, Sandy became actively involved in association work, first with ISIS where he served as Chapter President and later Public Relations Committee Chair. In 1982, Sandy was elected as first Vice President of ISIS and then in 1984 became ISIS President. It was during this time that Sandy was involved in secret negotiations with representatives of the NARI to merge and form a single, stronger association. Later that year, Sandy was one of the leaders who negotiated the purchase of Scrap Age Magazine to become the new association’s magazine. Now called Scrap magazine, it has a circulation of more than 10,000 global readers.
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The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI)
The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI) is the Voice of the Recycling Industry™. ISRI represents more than 1,600 companies in 21 chapters nationwide that process, broker and industrially consume scrap commodities, including metals, paper, plastics, glass, rubber, electronics and textiles. With headquarters in Washington, DC, the Institute provides safety, education, advocacy, and compliance training, and promotes public awareness of the vital role recycling plays in the U.S. economy, global trade, the environment and sustainable development.