October 27, 2011 – During the association’s recent annual meeting held in Portland, Ore., PEARL (The Professional Electrical Apparatus Recyclers League) members elected a new Board of Directors and voted to expand membership to electrical service organizations. The newly elected Board includes:

• President – Malcom Fredrick, Coastal Switchgear, Division of Shermco
• Vice President – Stephen Reames, Oregon Breakers Inc.
• Treasurer – Mike Pennell, P&F Supply
• Secretary – Michael Habeeb, North American Switchgear, Inc.
• Director – Stuart Jackson, Instel Power Products
• Director – David Rosenfield, ROMAC
• Past President – Brian Corekin, Monster Fuses
• Alternate Director – Al Ulinskas, Satin American
• Alternate Director – Greg Plowman, Voyten Electric    

The Board serves 1-year terms with elections held each year at the annual meeting.

PEARL members also voted to expand membership to include a new Service Organization member category, which will apply to all electrical service companies that have a permanent facility for electrical reconditioning. In addition to a permanent reconditioning facility, Service Organization members must meet all other PEARL member requirements, such as a minimum of $1 million in annual sales, adhere to PEARL standards and Codes of Business Practice, it added.

“This new category is designed for electrical field service companies, such as those that belong to NETA, as well as motor and transformer repair shops, such as those that belong to EASA, assuming they also have a permanent facility for electrical apparatus reconditioning and meet the other criteria,” explained Rosenfield.

Members also approved changes to the Associate Member category. From now on, all new members will apply as Associate Members until such time as they request site inspection and certification by PEARL. Following a successful site certification, the Associate Member can become a full Voting Member with full association privileges.

PEARL member companies also agreed during the official business meeting to accept the Board of Director’s recommendation that PEARL pursue SDO status through ANSI with the intent of adding PEARL’s reconditioning standards to the ANSI body of U.S. technical standards, it adds.

Founded in 1997, PEARL creates, collects, and disseminates information, policies, procedures, and standards to ensure the proper recycling and reuse of electrical power equipment.