Page 55 from: May 2013
55May 2013
Elizabeth Wilmot
Founder of Turtle Wings
W O M E N I N R E C Y C L I N G
In establishing Turtle
Wings/Data Killers back
in 2005, Elizabeth Wilmot
gladly dropped a long and
successful career in mar-
keting to pursue an idea
involving e-scrap recy-
cling and data destruc-
tion. In hindsight, her
instincts have proved to
be faultless given that her
company has developed a
considerable reputation
throughout the USA.
What first made you decide
to get involved in recycling?
‘I grew up in a house where absolute-
ly everything was reused and recycled,
from Christmas wrapping paper and tin
foil to string. So, it’s always been my
mindset to not throw something out
that might have another purpose. Then,
a couple of years ago when I was still
running the international marketing
division at CitiGroup, I found that it
was nearly impossible to get rid of my
old computer in a responsible way. I
tried donating it to a local school and
a church, but they didn’t want it. The
message was that I should either take
it to landfi ll or wait for a regional recy-
cling event – which would be held six
months later. I remember my frustration
at this and thinking to myself, “I would
pay someone to take care of my PC
responsibly and wipe all the data off”.
I immediately figured that I could
not be the only one who felt this way
and that is basically how my concept
was born.’
What is the story behind the
name ‘Turtle Wings’?
‘People often remark that it is an exotic
name for a recycling business, but we
are a Maryland-based company and the
University of Maryland’s mascot is a
turtle. I thought picking this for our logo
would be a great way to symbolise our
commitment to the earth. We put yellow
wings on our turtle so he could angeli-
cally swoop down and save the world
from e-scrap. To promote recycling, we
even have someone dressed up in full
mascot costume from time to time –
which has helped build a strong sense
of recognition in our community. Kids
love it! And, best of all, it has led them
to think more actively about recycling.’
What is your impression of
the US e-scrap sector?
‘The market has seen a lot of changes
lately. PC shipments are down and I am
sure that this development will have a
long-term effect on the nation’s recy-
cling industry. Also, there remains a
shocking lack of education on recycling
in general and especially regarding the
recycling of alkaline batteries.’
What has been your most
memorable recycling experi-
ence so far?
‘We are often amazed by how old the
equipment is that comes in sometimes
and we are convinced, I am not kidding,
that we have handled the first-ever
computer made that was apparently
still sitting in someone’s basement. In
this industry, every day may hold a sur-
prise. What I’ve learned is to expect the
unexpected.’
What’s it like being a woman
in a market dominated by
men?
‘Sure, there are differences between the
way things are at Turtle Wings com-
pared to most recycling companies. First
of all, I think that my company comes
across as more friendly and customer-
oriented while being accessible to
everyone. Secondly, I insist that all of
the guys who work for me tuck in their
shirts and wear a belt, that they are
patient and polite and that their trucks
are really clean. Looking at many com-
petitors, I know that we expect different
things from our staff and our equip-
ment.’
Your work must keep you
very busy, but what do you
like to do to relax in your
spare time?
‘More than anything, I am a big athlete.
I have swum 4.4 miles in the Chesa-
peake Bay Bridge swim and also love
to ski, bike, run and work out. At the
same time, I am an avid reader. I try to
read at least one book every ten days
or so. I also cook and like to garden
and grow my own vegetables.’
Do you have a personal
motto?
‘When I initially started the company, I
told myself: “Whatever happens, try to
do one thing every day – however big
or small – that allows you to go for-
ward.” Apart from that, I am a strong
believer in “people, planet, profit”.
In my case, and the same goes for
Turtle Wings as a company, the people
come fi rst.’
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