Andy Golding: ‘In my heart, I am still a promoter’

Incoming chair of the US Recycled Materials Association (ReMA), Andy Golding, is chief strategy officer at metal recycler Kripke Enterprises. He is very active on social media, regularly posting from a breakfast table at his favourite diner in home base Toledo, Ohio. ‘Everyone relates to breakfast. It’s early, it’s affordable and it’s grounding. I’ve posted for years but nothing resonated like the Waffle House.’

HOW DOES A GUY WHOSE CAREER STARTED AT THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME END UP IN RECYCLING?

‘When I graduated from Ohio State University, I was convinced I was headed toward a career as an event promoter. I was fortunate to join the opening team at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. It was an amazing job. I loved being part of something iconic. But I also learned quickly that exciting industries don’t always pay the bills.

I eventually pivoted to join my family’s auto glass business. It was a move focused on family and entrepreneurship. I left that business just two months before it closed. I had two-week-old twins and no job. It was a sobering and scary moment.

A longtime friend, Matt Kripke, happened to be looking for someone. What started as a practical survival decision quickly turned into a calling. I discovered an industry that is relationship driven, entrepreneurial and essential. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions of my life.’

WHEN DID YOU REALISE THIS WAS THE RIGHT JOB?

‘I knew this was home when the relationships became personal. It wasn’t just about trading metal; it was about being invited to weddings, bar mitzvahs, and even funerals. I realised this wasn’t just a job focused on markets or a trade. It was a community. I liked the people and they liked me.

This industry runs on trust and long-term relationships. As our company has grown, I have developed strong bonds with my colleagues as well. We have shared laughter and tears, success and setbacks. Those shared experiences create something far deeper than a workplace.

On a broader level, I love how we contribute in a tangible way to making the world better. Recycling is practical but it is also purposeful.

In my heart, I am still a promoter. I love telling stories. When I entered the industry, it needed stronger storytelling and clearer visibility. I feel fortunate that I found a place where relationships, purpose and promotion intersect naturally.’

YOU’VE BEEN WITH KRIPKE FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS. WHAT MADE YOU STAY?

‘When I started, we were a team of six. Today, we are 70. That kind of growth only happens on a rock-solid foundation. Our founder, Larry Kripke, built this company on integrity and reputation. He lived through every market cycle imaginable and taught us these core principles: we do what we say, relationships are the backbone of our business, and we provide solutions. Those weren’t his slogans; they were his operational principles. When Matt became ceo, he doubled down on those values, codified them as our core values to use as a lens for all our decisions. Then, in January 2023, I was asked to become a partner alongside Matt’s cousin Chad, Eric Phillips and Scott Chaffee. It’s a profound honour to be a steward of a multi-generational legacy. What makes Kripke great is not simply growth. It is clarity of values and the discipline to live by them.’

WHAT HAVE THESE TWO DECADES AT KRIPKE TAUGHT YOU?

‘I have learned that trust compounds. Doing what you say builds a reputation and your reputation becomes your most valuable asset. I have learned that markets will rise and fall, sometimes dramatically. Discipline and integrity must remain constant even when prices fluctuate wildly.

I have also learned that education and preparation matter more than ever. Understanding global flows, material composition, working capital management and risk is no longer optional. As markets reach historic highs, the margin for error narrows.’

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