At the Illinois Recycling Association’s 34th annual conference and trade show in Tinley Park June 3-4, the IRA Board of Directors elected Wynne Coplea to Board President for a one year term. As president of the IRA Board, Coplea leads a team of volunteer industry professionals with several hundred years’ collective experience in recycling, providing direction for the 200+ members of the state’s premier recycling association.

Coplea’s experience in the waste reduction and recycling industry has included serving as a public program manager for more than twenty years for county, state and city government in the Springfield area. Her service with IRA began with five years as a director on the board from 2002-2007 and has continued from 2010 to present, including past terms as Board Secretary and Vice President. Chairmanship of IRA’s Communication, Conference and Education/Certification Committees has provided experience that will be put to good use during Coplea’s IRA presidency, as will her experience both as adjunct professor at the University of Illinois Springfield and environmental education consultant for the Springfield Park District.

Near future goals for the Illinois Recycling Association include ongoing participation in the legislatively appointed Task Force on the Advancement of Recycling in Illinois and working to provide an update to a statewide research study on the content of Illinois’ landfill materials. Coplea stated, “It is an honor to serve as President of IRA’s Board and a position which has a long history of service from effective Illinois industry professionals. Our members come from a wide variety of recycling businesses and IRA anticipates ever greater engagement with other like-minded organizations and communities.”