Home News Environmental Industry Associations Adds to Staff

Environmental Industry Associations (EIA) President and CEO Sharon Kneiss has welcomed Eric Schweitzer as the Washington, D.C.-based association’s new standards and statistics programs manager.

Schweitzer will lead the development of new safety and performance standards for the Waste Equipment Technology Association’s (WASTEC’s) ANSI (American National Standards Institute) Z245 Committee and subcommittees and further drive the acceptance of these industry standards nationally and internationally. He also expects to expand EIA’s statistics program by incorporating new technologies and equipment used in the industry and market these programs to members and nonmembers.

Schweitzer brings more than a decade of technical management experience to the EIA. Prior to joining the association, he facilitated the standards and emerging technologies programs at the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and safety programs for the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI). Schweitzer played a key role in developing an Energy Storage Council to create a new forum for the discussion of energy storage technology standards and guidelines for integration with smart grid technologies and infrastructure.

“Our standards and statistics programs are important to the association. They were identified during our recent strategic planning effort as areas where opportunities for growth exist. Eric’s background makes him the ideal hire and should enable us to grow both programs. I look forward to seeing him expand our resources for NSWMA-WASTEC members, facilitating our efforts to offer all things waste and recycling,” says Kneiss.

WASTEC serves as the secretariat for ANSI Accredited Standards Committee Z245 on Equipment Technology and Operations for Wastes and Recyclable Materials. The scope of the ANSI Z245 committee’s standards activities encompasses the requirements for the design, manufacture, installation, modification, servicing, maintenance and use of the equipment and technology systems that are used to collect, contain, transport, store, process, recycle, treat and dispose of solid wastes and recyclable materials, and includes the operations of facilities and activities in which these equipment and technologies are incorporated.

EIA’s statistics program includes Manufacturer Sales Data (MDS), consisting of manufacturers reporting production and sales data in specific product categories and economic industry and trend analysis reports.

Schweitzer is a standby ANSI Lead Assessor and Technical Expert for ISO/IEC 17065:2012 Conformity Assessment; these are requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services.

Kneiss also announced the appointment of two other staff members. The EIA has named Jonathan Sper its director of membership marketing and business development. The association also named Craig Branson communications manager.

Sper will be responsible for membership growth, recruitment and retention. In addition to working closely with EIA's regional and program teams, he will be charged with ensuring an excellent member experience for both new and returning members.

Branson, the new communications manager, will oversee media relations, member communications and public relations activities, in addition to having primary responsibility for the organization's websites and social media efforts.

Kneiss says, "We are pleased that Jon and Craig are joining our team. Each of them has a track record of measurable success and brings relevant knowledge and skill to their new positions from their previous work experiences. Their records make them excellent choices for EIA. On behalf of our entire staff, we are looking forward to working with them."

The EIA is a trade association representing the private sector solid waste and recycling services industry through its two sub-associations, the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) and the Waste Equipment Technology Association (WASTEC).