The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) mourns the loss of industry veteran Seymour Padnos.
“In the weeks before I became President of ISRI, I spent several days at Padnos, and remember Seymour giving me a tour of his office,” said Robin Wiener. “With enormous enthusiasm, pride and a contagious smile, he shared his extensive wall of black and white photographs and news clippings of the industry, his company and, of course, his family. Seymour will be missed by many.”
Seymour was a true leader of the recycling industry and visionary who understood the importance and value of advancing the industry and all its contributions, as well as its values. In 2004 he was honored as the first recipient of ISRI’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Seymour regularly promoted involvement in ISRI and our predecessor associations.
Seymour was an early promoter of the need to invest in educating the next generation on recycling and the principles of Design for Recycling®. The Padnos Hall of Science and the Padnos College of Engineering and Science at Grand Valley State University are both named in his honor.
Through the Esther and Seymour Padnos Foundation, he and his wife supported a large number of community and philanthropic activities. Seymour also served a Trustee of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation.
ISRI sends our condolences to the family and friends of Seymour Padnos. He will be greatly missed.