Opportunities Abound for All at ISRI2015

New educational tracks available for all in the recycling industry

(Washington, DC) – With the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) 2015 Convention and Exposition just weeks away, additional details were released on some of the high-quality, exciting programing being offered this year. In addition to the recycling and commodity focused workshops, this year’s convention will feature educational opportunities on sales, human resources, and management and leadership.

“Effective human resources, sales, and management are all important aspects of successfully operating a recycling business,” said Chuck Carr, vice president of member services for ISRI. “While the same superior programming offered in the past will still be available, this year’s convention will also include new tracks with these professions in mind. There will truly be something for everyone in Vancouver.”

Attendees to the 2015 ISRI Convention & Exposition will join workshops, sessions and interactive panels that examine today’s biggest issues. Workshops are designed to help companies operate smarter, safer and more profitable businesses. The three-days of workshop programming also include commodity-specific “spotlights” that feature expert analysts giving opinions on local and global commodity markets. New to the structure this year is that all workshops for each individual commodity are scheduled on a single day. This allows attendees usually interested in one particular commodity to explore opportunities in handling other commodities. It also provides more time to spend on the exhibit floor, network, and engage in other business activities.

Highlights this year include:

Thursday, April 23, 2015
Building a Better Manager: The Top 5 Ways To Improve Your Leadership Skills
The key to a successful and productive team start with a great manager. In fact, many project failures can be directly attributed to common mistakes managers make while they try to lead their team. In this workshop, learn how to be a better manager by focusing on the key aspects of leading a team.

What Is Your Company Worth Today?
In the ever changing scrap industry, company valuations can change substantially from year to year. This session will focus on current scrap company valuations and how they compare to historical trends. The session will also explore the current merger & acquisitions market as well as real world transaction structures.

Buying Military Scrap
The United States Government dispenses with millions of tons of scrap material every year. This material is often sold at auction and can provide a great commodity stream for those recyclers interested in participating in the auctions. But to the uninitiated, auction process can be intimidating. Where do you start? How do you participate? In this workshop, you'll hear from experts that discuss the process, how to participate and why you should consider making this a part of your procurement process.

Friday, April 24, 2015
International Trade 101: How to protect the value of your scrap
This panel of experts will discuss hot issues in international trade that could limit the value of your commodity shipments. Key topics will include: the conclusions of ISRI Suspected Cargo Theft Survey Report that addresses recent and ongoing cargo thefts in certain Chinese ports, the top ten common sense practices for traders and exporters, and how to insure and contractually protect your shipments. If your company trades internationally or is interested in selling outside of the U.S., this is a must attend workshop.

The Changing Face of Recycling and the Role of MRFs in Today's Marketplace
The recycling industry is a continual and ever changing industry that has had to keep pace with the global market's demand for a diverse array of scrap materials. At the center of many of these materials is the Materials Recovery Facility. These facilities have evolved from small one conveyor systems to multi-conveyor systems recovering dozens of separate materials. Come to this workshop and learn how the MRF has not only changed the way material is recovered but the types of materials that are being collected today and in the future!

The Scrap Whisperer
If you like participating or watching improv, this interactive session is for you. This workshop will prove how high level listening and questioning skills will increase communication in your company, shorten the sales cycle for the sales team and help management develop better relationships with their teams.

Saturday, April 25, 2015
Human Resource 101: Understanding Your Role as A Human Resources Professional
The role of human resources administrator is a vital and important position in any organization. As an HR professional your roles and responsibilities may stem from compliance issues to resolving inter-personal conflict. Come to this workshop and learn what HR professionals do and where they can turn for resource to help them do their job.

Using the Sales Trifecta to Increase Your Customer Base
At the heart of every successful venture is the ability to sell your product. Understanding sales techniques and the language of sales, is key if you are to maximize the profits your company makes. Learn how Prospecting, Warm Calling & Networking are the three most important components in obtaining new business and the significance of each component as it pertains to buying and selling materials.

FMLA, ADA, HIPAA, FSLA: Understanding the Alphabet Soup of HR Regulations
The amount of regulations that HR professionals must know and understand can be dizzying. Keeping your company in compliance and understanding the role these and other regulations play in the operation of a scrap yard is of paramount importance if you are to keep your company on the right side of the law. Come to this workshop and learn what these regulations mean and how they can impact your facility.

For more detailed information, including full schedule and registration information, visit www.isriconvention.org.

Members of the media should contact Rachel Bookman for information on how to obtain press credentials.

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