EREF elects new officers, will focus on scholarships

Waste management foundation says it will expand its scholarship and internship activities.

January 28, 2016
Solid Waste Report Staff
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The board of directors of the Environmental Research and Education Foundation (EREF), Raleigh, North Carolina, has announced the election of its 2016 officers and also has issued a statement saying it plans to focus more of its resources “to substantially increase the amount given in grants, scholarships and internships annually.”

The EREF board officers for 2016 are:

  • Chairman: Leonard “Butch” Joyce, who is president and CEO of consulting, engineering and training firm Joyce Engineering , Richmond, Virginia;
  • Vice Chairman: Patrick Carroll, who is president and CEO of Dover Environmental Solutions Group, a Chattanooga, Tennessee-based manufacturer of equipment lines that include Heil Environmental, Marathon Equipment Company, Curotto-Can Company and Bayne Machine Works; and
  • Secretary/Treasurer: Ven Poole, who is chairman and CEO of Waste Industries, a waste collection services provider based in Raleigh.


“We are confident that this new leadership will continue to help grow EREF’s scientific research and educational initiatives,” says Bryan Staley, EREF’s president and CEO.

In its accompanying statement, EREF says its board of directors “has determined a new and expanded strategic direction for the next five years. As a part of this direction, the board has established the goal of the foundation during this period is to substantially increase the amount given in grants, scholarships and internships annually.”

The organization also says it is crafting an initiative to “seek substantial revenue growth.” In its statement, the EREF says, “This will be done via two primary avenues for revenue growth. First, by expanding EREF’s donor base to peripheral industries such as manufacturing and utilities, as well as identifying major donors (corporate and individual) with philanthropic interests that parallel EREF’s mission. Second, to maintain and increase fund raising revenue from existing events and programs such as the EREF Annual Charitable Auction, Fall Classic and Networking Event, Poker Tournament, Continuing Education and Internal Research Program.”

EREF says two staff additions will help in these goals: a communications coordinator, who will be responsible for executing all communications supporting brand awareness, programs, partnerships, fund raising and marketing campaigns; and a program manager for research and scholarships, who will manage the research and scholarships programs. “As part of these changes, Kristy Pickurel is now the vice president of development and communications, and has primary responsibility of all communications and fund raising staff,” according to EREF.