WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Vinyl Institute (VI), the U.S. trade association representing manufacturers of vinyl, vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), additives, and modifiers, announced today that Jay Thomas has joined the organization as Vice President of Sustainability.
"Over the last year, the vinyl industry has made significant strides in our sustainability journey," said Ned Monroe, VI President and CEO. "We launched and piloted the first industry-wide sustainability initiative, +Vantage Vinyl, we successfully surveyed the industry for sustainability benchmarking, and we recognized the first Vinyl Recycler of the Year at our annual meeting. Jay's sustainability expertise and decades of experience in the vinyl industry will help us continue to grow the reach and positive impact of our sustainability initiative."
In addition to serving as Vice President of Sustainability for the VI, Thomas will lead the Vinyl Sustainability Council (VSC) as Executive Director. The VSC, which was founded in partnership with the VI in 2016, was created to advance the vinyl industry's efforts in addressing and improving sustainability. The VSC is open for membership to any company within the U.S. vinyl value chain from resin manufacturers to end-product retailers. Currently 48 companies in the vinyl value chain are members of the VSC.
"It's an exciting time to be joining the Vinyl Institute," Thomas said. "We're committed to improving the industry's sustainability footprint, and showcasing that vinyl is a more sustainable product of choice. I'm looking forward to sharing the sustainability story of vinyl and growing +Vantage Vinyl now that it has completed its pilot phase."
Thomas has more than 20 years' experience in the vinyl industry, working for wire & cable, flooring and roofing product manufacturers in a variety of roles. He is a certified Green Globes Professional with more than 10 years' sustainability experience and is a Director of the Green Building Initiative. Thomas is a certified Six Sigma Lean Black Belt Professional and was the Founder and President of Decision Driven Marketing, a consulting firm specializing in sales and marketing process improvement. Additionally, he served as a Senior Contributing Building Technology Editor for commARCH, a commercial architecture trade publication.
In his new role, Thomas will be responsible for leading the VI's ongoing sustainability campaign and implementing +Vantage Vinyl. Additionally, he will continue to develop and implement strategies and tactics that support the sustainability mission and policies of the VI through alliances with priority companies, organizations, and coalitions. He will advance the efforts of the vinyl industry as it addresses sustainability and related advocacy, communication, and technical issues in the United States, and will work with leaders in the vinyl value chain to grow greater participation and support for our sustainability guiding principles and the industry's continuous improvement.
About the Vinyl Institute
The Vinyl Institute (VI), founded in 1982, is a U.S. trade association representing the leading manufacturers of vinyl, vinyl chloride monomer, vinyl additives, and modifiers. The VI works on behalf of its members to promote the benefits of the world's most versatile plastic, used to make everything from PVC piping to flooring, roofing and vinyl siding. The vinyl industry in the United States employs over 350,000 highly skilled employees at nearly 3,000 facilities and generates an economic value of $54 billion. For more information, visit vinylinfo.org.
SOURCE Vinyl Institute
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