(Washington, DC) - The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) recognized Brandi Harleaux as the recipient of its first-ever Young Executive of the Year Award. The Award celebrates the dedication, accomplishments, and business and community leadership of young professionals who work for ISRI member companies. Brandi was recognized for her commitment to advancing recycling and her work in her local community.
“Young executives are both the present and future of our industry,” said ISRI President Robin Wiener. “Brandi represents the best of ISRI and the recycling industry. She brings a plethora of professional and volunteer experience, a passion for the recycling industry, and a desire to leave a lasting impact on everything she touches. ISRI is thrilled to recognize her as our inaugural Young Executive of the Year Award recipient.”
Harleaux is chief operations officer of South Post Oak Recycling Center, a nonferrous and ferrous recycler with two facilities in Houston. She manages the company’s strategy, finances and leads a team who oversees operations, marketing, sales, and customer relations achieving up to 25 percent growth in the last two years. Brandi holds multiple ISRI volunteer leadership roles, including an Executive Committee member, At-large member of the ISRI Board of Directors, Co-Chair of the Challenges & Opportunities Committee, and is the marketing & communications chair of ISRI’s Gulf Coast Chapter. She and her company have received numerous business awards in the Houston area, where she is on the board of the City of Houston Office of Business Opportunity, the Houston Metal Air Pollution Community Advisory Board, and the Recycling Council of Texas.
“I truly feel honored and privileged to represent the young executives as the first award recipient,” said Brandi Harleaux. “My Dad said when I joined our company and the trade association that the best way to learn about the industry was to get involved. That’s what I plan to continue doing – one day at a time. Connecting with both young executives & women in recycling to share perspective about my experience in this vast industry and learn about others is invaluable! I look forward to continuing to serve where I can, learn, grow and have an impact.”
In addition to her extensive activity with ISRI and with multiple business, leadership, and entrepreneurship groups, Harleaux volunteers with the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and Lakewood Business Ministry Life Groups. Before becoming the second generation of family leadership at South Post Oak seven years ago, Harleaux was head of talent management and organizational development at Disney Interactive & Media Group. Brandi is a member of the Women’s Presidents Organization (WPO), Alum of the Goldman Sach’s 10,000 Small Businesses Program and a Leadership Fellow at St. George’s House Windsor Castle. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston, a master’s degree from California State University, and an MBA from Pepperdine University.
ISRI’s Young Executive of the Year Award was created to promote the accomplishments of successful young professionals in the recycling industry by highlighting their contributions and dedication, along with a high degree of demonstrated leadership potential.
The Award was presented to Ms. Harleaux during ISRI’s 2020 Virtual Awards Ceremony on October 21.
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The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI) is the "Voice of the Recycling Industry™." ISRI represents 1,300 companies in 20 chapters in the U.S. and more than 40 countries that process, broker, and consume scrap commodities, including metals, paper, plastics, glass, rubber, electronics, and textiles. With headquarters in Washington, DC, the Institute provides education, advocacy, safety 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. Generating nearly $110 billion annually in U.S. economic activity, the scrap recycling industry provides more than 500,000 Americans with good jobs.