News & Notes Discover commercial vehicle market trends, forecasts and insights at 2021 Executive Leadership Summit FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH. — NTEA’s Executive Leadership Summit will be hosted in a new location at Hilton Columbus Downtown in Columbus, Ohio. This year’s program features a convenient one-day format on Oct. 12, 2021, with an Oct. 11 welcome reception. During this event, business leaders in any capacity can gain targeted information and data from economists, thought leaders and strategists. Subject matter experts will explore the most important trends influencing the work truck industry — from their unique perspectives. From global implications to individual company strategies, content is geared toward furthering industry knowledge, growth and profitability. “The Summit serves as a forum for business leaders to voice their challenges, get input from well-known visionaries and engage peers,” said Steve Carey, NTEA president and CEO. “It confronts the timely issues most pressing to the commercial vehicle community and delivers effective strategies to elevate performance.” Topics addressed • North American macroeconomic forecast. • Commercial vehicle market outlook. • Leadership development. • Change management. • Geopolitical changes. Speakers • Keynote address: Peter Zeihan, President and Founder, Zeihan on Geopolitics. • Robert Fry Jr., PhD, Chief Economist, Robert Fry Economics LLC. • Steve Latin-Kasper, Senior Director of Market Data and Research, NTEA. • Elise Mitchell, Founder, Velocity Collective. • Erik Meier, President & CEO, Sandler Training by EAM Consulting. Advance pricing ($399 NTEA members/$599 nonmembers) is available when registering by Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021. After this date, rates increase to $499 NTEA member/$699 nonmembers. Visit ntea.com/ executivesummit for event details, including a full schedule, speaker bios and registration information.
Curbtender introduces new automated side loading refuse truck CEDAR FALLS, IOWA — Curbtender Inc., a leading manufacturer of refuse collection vehicles based in Cedar Falls, Iowa, announced the launch of a new automated side loader platform called the Fuzion. The first production unit was delivered to Green Waste Palo Alto on June 25: a 27-cubic yard model featuring a split body chamber for dual waste stream collection, mounted on a natural gas powered Peterbilt 520 truck chassis. The Fuzion was designed as a highly configurable platform to meet a wide variety of needs. Customers can choose between Curbtender’s famous heavy-duty “PowerArm” or its long reach “Xtender” arm. Its body is tapered, can be equipped for single stream or dual stream waste collection and features a tip-to-dump ejection method. Trash and recycling is quickly processed thanks to a deeper well hopper, accelerated packer panel speeds and a pre-crusher panel capable of pressing down bulky items like cardboard boxes. Meanwhile, 72 THE MUNICIPAL | AUGUST 2021
corrosive liquids are contained in the body and protected from the packing cylinders as a result of the hopper being raised above the body floor. The company helped pioneer the automated side loader industry over 40 years ago with the introduction of the Curbtender automated side loader — now called the PowerPak. With its newest introduction, Curbtender now maintains four distinct automated side loader platforms: AutoCat, Fuzion, HammerPak and PowerPak. This is one of the most complete OEM lineups of automated side loaders in the world, with each possessing unique innovations ideal for different routes and trash streams. For more information on Curbtender or the Fuzion, visit www.curbtender.com.
NRPA recognizes excellence in parks and recreation with the Innovation and Spotlight Awards ASHBURN, VA. — The National Recreation and Park Association announced the recipients of this year’s NRPA Innovation Awards and NRPA Spotlight Awards. The awards will be presented during the 2021 NRPA Annual Conference, in September 2021, when NRPA will announce the winner of its Best in Innovation Award, which recognizes the best of the best in park and recreation innovation. The NRPA Innovation Awards recognize park and recreation agencies nationwide that have improved and strengthened their communities through innovative practices in park design, health and wellness, conservation and social equity. The recipients of this year’s awards are as follows: Innovation in Conservation Award Ocala Wetland Recharge Park, city of Ocala, Ocala, Fla. Innovation in Health Award Healthy U: A Series of Conversations, Port St. Lucie Parks and Recreation, Port St. Lucie, Fla. Innovation in Park Design Award Westwood Hills Nature Center Interpretive Center Building Project, city of St. Louis Park, Operations and Recreation, Westwood Hills Nature Center, St. Louis Park, Minn. Innovation in Social Equity Award Re-Connecting Cleveland: Pathways to Opportunity TIGER Grant Project, Cleveland Metroparks, Cleveland, Ohio One of the Innovation Award winners will be selected by the NRPA National Awards and Scholarship Committee to receive the 2021 Best in Innovation Award. The winner of Best in Innovation will be announced during the virtual portion of the 2021 NRPA Conference in September. NRPA Spotlight Awards are presented to individuals to honor their efforts — both professional and personal — in the field of parks and recreation. For a full listing of individuals being recognized with NRPA Spotlight Awards, visit https://bit.ly/3iOSHLQ. “NRPA is proud to recognize innovative projects and programs at park and recreation agencies, as well as the incredible work by these dedicated individuals,” said Kristine Stratton, NRPA president and CEO. “Congratulations to this year’s winners who have demonstrated their commitment to building communities through parks and recreation.”
