Richard “Dick” Gust, a former Tire Industry Association (TIA) president and current chair of the association’s Environmental Advisory Council (EAC), has been appointed to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee. 

Gust, president national account sales and director of government affairs for Liberty Tire Recycling LLC, will serve as a representative of TIA and of the Waste Management & Recycling segment of the U.S. environmental technology industry.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo informed him of his appointment, which took effect immediately, in a letter dated May 7, 2021. The appointment will run through Aug. 16, 2022, when the committee’s current charter expires.

The committee’s role will be to provide consensus advice on the development and administration of programs to expand U.S. exports of environmental technologies, goods and services, and products that comply with U.S. environmental, safety and related requirements, Raimondo wrote in her letter.  

Gust served as TIA president in 2005 and is a former long-time board member. He currently chairs the EAC, whose mission is to identify recycled manufactured products and environmentally sustainable practices within the tire and rubber industry and promote them through outreach (community, industry, stakeholder) and education. 

“Dick’s appointment recognizes his distinguished work and leadership in the domestic and international waste tire recycling and reuse segments,” TIA CEO Roy Littlefield said. “We are honored to have such a well-respected and knowledgeable person as Dick representing the tire recycling industry and TIA on this important advisory committee.”