The Environmental Industry Associations (EIA) today announced that Michael Paine will take over as chairman on Jan. 1, 2007. Paine is the president of Paine’s, Inc., an East Granby, Conn. waste handling company founded in 1929 by his grandfather. A longtime member of EIA’s Board of Trustees, Paine has also served as Chairman of the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA).

“Mike’s dedication to our association and the industry make him a great choice to lead EIA,” noted Bruce J. Parker, EIA’s President and CEO in a press release. “Under Mike’s leadership, NSWMA’s membership has grown by more than 10 percent. Mike has been involved in virtually every major industry initiative over the past 20 years, and his steady, quiet leadership style has earned him respect by those within and outside the solid waste industry."