Last month, representatives from the waste and recycling industry gathered in North Carolina for some fun, golf and fundraising.

Kristy Pickurel

 

On Thursday, October 2, more than 150 members of the waste industry gathered at the Pinehurst resort in North Carolina for the 2014 EREF Fall Classic and Networking Event, co-sponsored by Waste Industries and Progressive Waste Solutions. The pine-covered grounds of Pinehurst are rich with tradition and home to many historic events—and the EREF tournament was no exception. The 2014 event raised more than $318,000 to support EREF’s mission to fund and direct scientific research and educational initiatives for waste management practices. “The EREF Fall Classic has become a must-attend event,” said Ven Poole, Chief Executive Officer of Waste Industries. “Participants from across the industry come together to enjoy networking, friendly competition and the chance to give back to the industry by supporting EREF’s mission.”

 

The tournament kicked off on the evening of October 1 with a Welcome Reception sponsored by New Way and Rehrig Pacific where attendees greeted old friends and mingled with new associates. The next morning they enjoyed a buffet breakfast sponsored by Caterpillar that included a Bloody Mary Bar sponsored by Big Truck Rental, before heading out to their shotgun start on Pinehurst No. 1. Following the tournament players were treated to a traditional southern lunch at the Awards Luncheon, complete with barbeque and collard greens, courtesy of Sonrai Systems.

 

Since the EREF Golf Tournament began in 1993, the event has raised more than $2.5 million for

EREF’s research and educational initiatives. Attending this year’s tournament were EREF scholar Megan Jaunich and EREF Intern Kristofer Blanco. A Ph.D. student at North Carolina State University, Megan is the first recipient of the Lonnie C. Poole Jr./Waste Industries Scholarship and is working on a project entitled “Developing an LCA Model for Residential/Commercial MSW Collection.” Also a student at NC State, Kris is working to estimate national waste generation by accounting for tonnage at Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfills, composting operations that manage MSW materials, Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plants and recycling facilities. The results of this project will estimate both the total tonnage of waste generation and the composition of the waste streams.

 

“EREF provides the fact-based information our industry needs to succeed,” said Kevin Walbridge, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Progressive Waste Solutions. “Funding projects such as the ones Megan and Kris are working on is imperative to keeping up with changing times and technologies.”

 

Kristy Pickurel is Director of Development and Communications for the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) (Raleigh, NC). A 501(c)3 class charity that funds and directs scientific research and education initiatives for waste management practices to benefit industry participants and the communities they serve. For more information, visit www.erefcontinuingeducation.org.

 

Tournament Winners

 

Scratch-Off Fantasy Golf

3rd Place – Scott Downer, Cascade Engineering

2nd Place – Mike Cecere, Clean Energy

1st Place – Tommy McGhee, Rush Refuse Systems

 

Nite Lite Putting Contest

Dennis Reed, Caterpillar

 

Longest Drive

Women – Sharon Kneiss, National Waste & Recycling Association

Men – Sean O’Brian, O’Brian Tarping Systems

 

Closest to the Pin

Scott Dols, Big Truck Rental

 

Longest Putt

Gary Sova, Republic Services

 

Putting Contest

Troy Hintze, Progressive Waste Solutions

 

50/50 Raffle

Mark Evans, Meritor – who very generously donated his winnings back to EREF!

 

Tournament 2nd Place

David Crockett and Brian Cunningham of Bridgestone Commercial Solutions, Don Lowery of Waste Management and Logan Jackson of Parrish Tire

 

Tournament 1st Place

Scott Dols, Mike Zukusky and Jeanie Dubinksi of Big Truck Rental and Blake Hamilton of Trucks & Parts of Tampa

 

Tournament Sponsors

 

Tournament Co-Sponsors

Waste Industries

Progressive Waste Solutions

 

Welcome Reception

New Way

Rehrig Pacific

 

Golf Shoes Giveaway

Wastequip

 

Shirts

Volvo Construction Equipment

 

Breakfast

Caterpillar

 

Awards Luncheon Food

Sonrai Systems

 

Golf Carts

Environmental Solutions Group

 

Beverage Carts

WasteExpo/Waste360

Environmental Specialties International, Inc./Agru America

Environmental Solutions Group/TruStar Energy

 

Pin Flags

Advanced Disposal

 

Golf Towels

Rush Refuse Systems/Peterbilt

 

Golf Balls

TrueBlue

 

Golf Shoe Bags

KRD Trucking

 

50/50 Raffle

Joyce Engineering

 

Putting Contest

Machinex

 

Nite Lite Putting Contest

Comerica Bank

 

Welcome Bags

Golder Associates

 

Cigars

Otto Environmental Systems North America

 

Mulligans

O’Brian Tarping Systems

 

Hole-in-One Insurance & Goody Bags

McNeilus

 

Bloody Mary Bar

Big Truck Rental

 

Driving Range

Waste Management

 

Holes

Cascade Cart Solutions

Chesapeake Containment Systems, Inc.

Cummins

Mack Trucks

Meritor

Labrie Enviroquip Group

The Pete Store

PTR Baler & Compactor Co.

SCS Engineers

Waste Advantage Magazine

Weaver Boos Consultants

ReceptionSecond Place Team  Burke First Place Team Gardner

Sponsor