In recent weeks the industry has lost two leading figures in the growth of our industry and association.
Jake Farber (President Emeritus, Alpert & Alpert in Los Angeles) passed away yesterday at age 94. Jake was one of the recipients of ISRI’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011, recognizing his lifelong commitment and leadership within ReMA and its predecessor organizations, as well as his generous dedication and philanthropy within the various communities that were so important to both him and his family. Jake served a two year term (1978-1980) as President of NARI (the National Association of Recycling Industries, one of the two predecessor organizations to ISRI), and soon after served two terms (1987-1991) as the President of the BIR (Bureau of International Recycling Industries). Jake Farber will be missed by many throughout the industry and around the world, and all of us at ReMA are thankful for the role he played in the growth of our industry and the evolution of ISRI.
David Reichert passed away on February 18th in Cincinnati. David Reichert was a partner at the law firm of Porter Wright Morris & Arthur and served as General Counsel of ReMA and the Institute of Scrap Iron & Steel (ISIS –one of ISRI’s predecessor organizations along with NARI) for more than 40 years. David was honored in 1998 by ReMA for his over four decades of service to the industry and its associations. Among his accomplishments, David helped prevent recyclers from having to pay sales tax on equipment purchases, preserved the industry’s manufacturers’ sales tax exemption, and helped with the merger that created ISRI. As then ReMA President, Jim Fisher, said when honoring David Reichert in 1998 “His accomplishments have literally left their mark on our predecessor associations, on ISRI, on our industry, and on each company involved in scrap commerce.”
Our thoughts and prayers go out to both Jake and David’s families, as well as all their colleagues and friends.