Thank you to everyone who joined us last month at the 2026 CDRA Conference & Tradeshow at Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa—especially those who navigated unexpected flight changes and delays due to the storm. From start to finish, it was an outstanding event filled with learning, connection, and inspiration.
This year we introduced several new elements to enhance the attendee experience. Two smaller sessions—a presentation from the Recycling Certification Institute (RCI) and a Gypsum Roundtable—were held after the Board meeting on what has traditionally been a travel day. With many attendees arriving earlier, these relaxed afternoon sessions were well attended and received excellent feedback. We also featured a virtual facility tour from Coastal Waste & Recycling, allowing participants to see their equipment and operations in detail. The clarity of the format—often difficult to achieve during an in-person walkthrough—made this a highlight, and we are exploring ways to incorporate similar sessions in future conferences.
Another exciting addition was a keynote focused on professional and leadership development. David Mitchell opened the conference with an engaging and insightful presentation on The Power of Understanding People, which set up a positive tone for the week. This was followed by the CDRA Annual Member Meeting, where members voted in new Board Directors: Michael McCamley of New West Gypsum, Nelson Russom of Turner Construction, Michaela Dolman of Allied Industrial Partners, and Jerame Renteria of GreenWaste. Treasurer William Cooper also presented the 2025 year-end financial summary. After the meeting, the always-popular Technology Forum featured presentations from twelve innovative companies demonstrating how their technologies are supporting members and advancing the industry. It was inspiring to see continued investment in solutions that improve efficiency, safety, and sustainability.
As in past years, we celebrated outstanding contributions to our industry through our annual awards program. ReSource Waste Service was named Recycler of the Year, Michael McCamley was recognized as Member of the Year, and Troy Laudenbach was inducted into the Hall of Fame. This year we also introduced a new Distinguished Service Award to recognize individuals whose volunteer leadership has had a lasting impact on CDRA. Nominated by past presidents, the inaugural honorees were John Adelman, Patti Hamilton, Troy Laudenbach, Leonard Cherry, and Jason Haus. We also recognized Richard Ludt and Brock Hill for their six years of dedicated service on the CDRA Board of Directors. We are grateful to all of our volunteers who give their time and expertise to strengthen our association.
The conference program continued with a wide range of highly rated sessions, including Notes from the Jobsite: General Contractor Insights and Unlocking the Value of Recovered Materials, both of which provided practical takeaways for attendees. Throughout the event, one of the most consistent pieces of feedback we heard was how active the Exhibit Hall was. Strong exhibitor participation and attendee engagement created meaningful networking opportunities and new partnerships. One of our evening networking receptions also served as our annual I&E Fundraiser, generously sponsored by Viably, Coastal Waste & Recycling, and WM. These funds support important CDRA initiatives such as the gypsum Life Cycle Analysis and shingle recycling best practices. We were able to raise over $65,000!
Our final day featured several of the conference’s top-rated sessions, including Community Engagement: Building Relationships to Ensure Our Industry Is Understood, Preparing for Natural Disasters, Innovative Approaches to Landfill Conservation, Managing the Threat of Battery Fires, and Navigating M&A: A Practical Guide. Attendees particularly valued the practical insights shared by industry leaders and the opportunity to better understand emerging challenges and opportunities facing our industry.
The 2026 Conference set new records for both total registrations and overall revenue, but what truly made it special was the positive feedback and thoughtful suggestions we received from so many of you. Planning is already underway for the 2027 CDRA Conference at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs, Florida, and we are excited to build on this year’s success. Thank you again to our speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, volunteers, and attendees for making the 2026 Conference one of our best yet. We look forward to seeing you next year.