SAN DIEGO – SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 – Battery Council International (BCI) is pleased to present the BCI 2021 Distinguished Service Award to Howard Meyers, chairman and CEO, Quexco, Inc., and the BCI 2020 Distinguished Service Award to David Weinberg, Wiley. The BCI Distinguished Service Award is presented by the BCI Board of Directors to individuals who have made a sustained, long-term, and meaningful contribution to the advancement of the association and the industry.
Howard Meyers started building his lead recycling business in the 1970s. Over the next five decades, Howard has remained a mainstay in the industry, building what eventually became the largest battery recycling business in the world. His business acumen has been widely recognized by his colleagues and competitors alike, and his efforts have gone on to shape the industry.
“Howard is an amazing businessman. He has shown dogged determination his entire career back to a very young age to succeed in the difficult recycling business…He is always thinking about the complexities of the business on multiple levels,” said Dave Shaffer, president and CEO of EnerSys, a global leader in stored energy solutions for industrial applications. “Howard’s contributions to the industry and the world go well beyond the businesses he created. His service to the industry has been demonstrated by his commitment and engagement with BCI and other trade associations throughout his tenure.”
Howard also has shared his success to support worthy causes and organizations around the world. While much of his philanthropy was given anonymously, Howard and his late wife Rory demonstrated their care and devotion to children’s education by making significant donations to the Dallas Arboretum to create the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden, a seven-acre outdoor laboratory that opened in late 2013, and to NYU Paths to Peace program, which brings together students of different faiths and backgrounds from Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza to study and live together at NYU.
Howard Meyers was presented with the BCI 2021 BCI Distinguished Service Award on Friday, September 24 at the BCI Convention + Power Mart Expo.
David Weinberg first joined the BCI team in 1989 when the BCI Board of Directors brought on his law firm to help the association engage in the legislative challenges of that time. David and BCI’s first big effort was the roll out of the “BCI Model” law for lead battery collection. Launching BCI’s first Recycling Rate Report in 1990 and lobbying across the nation to get the BCI model adopted, today it is in place in more than 40 states and viewed as a model for closed-loop manufacturing.
Through the 1990s, David led BCI’s efforts to work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the first major Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) review of lead, convincing the EPA that no new regulations were needed in light of the industry’s significant commitments to safety and lead control. That also directly set the groundwork for the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and HazMat transportation exemptions lead batteries are able to use to this day. David also spearheaded the successful effort to obtain revisions on behalf of the lead battery industry to the Superfund law that provides protections to companies that legitimately send materials to recycling sites for processing – a critical component in ensuring the success of the recycling system.
David and his legal team have represented the industry in responding to efforts from state and federal regulators and legislators to impose additional unnecessary restrictions on workplaces. David’s tireless and effective advocacy has ensured that regulations and government action have been based on sound science and best practices. His work has been critical to preserving the U.S. battery manufacturing industry’s ability to remain competitive in a global market while complying with government regulations and keeping workers safe.
“On behalf of the BCI Board of Directors, I’m pleased to present one of the industry’s leading advocates over the last 30 years, David Weinberg, with the BCI 2020 Distinguished Service Award,” said Roger Miksad, executive vice president of BCI. “Today, we recognize David’s commitment to the industry and his tireless leadership that has guided BCI and the lead battery industry to where we are today.”
David Weinberg was presented with the BCI 2020 Distinguished Service Award on Thursday, September 23 at the BCI Convention + Power Mart Expo.
Battery Council International is the North American trade association representing the lead-based battery manufacturing, supply, recycling and distribution companies.
