Vice-Chair Nominee

BIO:

Hello, my name is Sam Punian, and I am excited to announce my candidacy for the Vice-Chair position on the Alberta Bottle Depot Association Board. Over the past four years, I have had the privilege of serving as a director, and it has been an incredibly enriching experience. During my time as a director, I've gained valuable insights into the inner workings of our association and the challenges

Highlights of my last term include:

• Member of the Governance and Compensation Committee

• Member of the ABDA’s social media committee which introduced our Bring It Campaign.

• Lead Zoom calls to explain BCMB’s proposed depot code of conduct and its implications for depot operators

• Assisted rural depots in utilizing REPOR to make their operations easier and more streamlined.

• Assisted in getting over 200 depot’s signed to a Memorandum of Understanding which will allow the ABDA to represent our network in potential EPR opportunities

• Represented the ABDA at the annual Recycling Council of Alberta’s conferences

• Engaged with MLA’s and other industry stakeholders, highlighting the successes of our industry.

These past four years have allowed me to develop a deep understanding of the issues that affect our industry. I've worked collaboratively with our team to address these challenges, helping to develop and implement strategies that benefit our members.

If I am elected, I am dedicated to continue my work in the following areas:

● Working with rural depots to help optimize their systems with cost-effective solutions. As a rural depot operator myself (Container World - Wainwright), I know first-hand the challenges of implementing change, technology, and innovation on tight budgets.

● Working with operators to fully understand our UCA filings. There is much work to be done to ensure we are fully maximizing our potential to increase handling commissions.

● Be at the forefront of EPR discussions. This will ensure we as an association are in the driver's seat for any potential changes to our system.

I am eager to continue serving our association because I believe there is still much more that we can achieve. I am committed to fostering innovation and finding new ways to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations. I am grateful for the trust and support I have received from our members, and I am excited about the opportunity to serve as your vice-chair. Thank you for considering me, and I look forward to working with you all to achieve our shared goals.