The Associated Recyclers of Wisconsin (AROW) held their annual awards ceremony at the 2023 Wisconsin Integrated Resource Management Conference. The ceremony, held on February 23rd, recognized individuals and organizations for outstanding work in the field of recycling and waste reduction. This year AROW gave out a total of three awards. “AROW always looks forward to honoring those working hard in our industry. This year’s recipients clearly demonstrate the strength of recycling in Wisconsin with achievements in public and private industry as well as education,” said Betsy Powers, AROW’s Vice President. “AROW is the voice for recycling and waste reduction in Wisconsin and we are proud to recognize these individuals and groups.”
The prestigious Christy Dixon Recycler of the Year Award was awarded to Analiese Smith, Workforce Development Board Director formerly the Waukesha County Recycling Supervisor and AROW President, located in Waukesha, WI. This recognition is given to an individual whose career demonstrates the highest professional standards. Analiese has been a leader in the waste and recycling industry for over 10 years. Some of Analiese’s highlights over the years include; leading the development of a sustainable MRF fund, which includes a dividend payment to partner communities and a fee structure when needed; served as a major contributor to the development of the Waukesha County’s planning initiatives and executing various objectives; and identified a continuous improvement opportunity to partner/collaborate with others to develop and launch a new recycling app specifically designed to target recycling contamination. Despite being incredibly busy with her ‘day job,’ Analiese has consistently made time for AROW. She has served in a leadership capacity as Committee Chair, Vice President and most recently, as President of AROW.
The Outstanding Achievement in Waste Reduction and Recycling Award for an organization was awarded to Waukesha County Recycling. This recognition is given to an individual or group that has excelled in their recycling program. The Waukesha County Recycling team created an innovative program designed to have a sustainable financial partnership that is built to share the benefits of good markets and disperse the impacts of less profitable markets. The new system also incentivizes the municipal partners to offer additional residential services and partner with the County on education and outreach which also promotes engagement.