ISRI member Craig Boswell, co-founder and president of HOBI International, has been awarded the Electronics Reuse Conference (ERC) Hall of Fame: Jim Lynch Award. Named after the co-founder of what would eventually become the ERC, the award is given to an individual who sets an example for the e-reuse community. Since 2010, this award has recognized members in the reuse and repair industry who have worked to create a better community and industry.
Boswell was surprised and flattered when he heard about the award. “I wanted to thank the academy at first,” he jokes. “[The electronics] community is great and full of many wonderful people, and as much as possible I try to participate whether it’s speaking at events or sharing knowledge with those who might be new to the industry.”
The newest member to ERC’s Hall of Fame has participated in an impressive array of public speaking engagements. Most recently he spoke on battery safety and management at the 2021 Electronics Reuse Conference. He served as the electronics panel moderator at ISRI’s 2021 Commodity Roundtables Forum in Chicago and moderated the Electronics Spotlight at ISRI2021.
Seeing an opportunity in the electronics recycling space, Boswell and his sister, Cathy Hill, formed HOBI International in 1992. The company focuses on repair, reuse, and recycling of mobile devices. Working from the company’s Dallas facility, Boswell has been involved in the design, development, and deployment of electronics de-manufacturing and recycling techniques.
“I’ve been around the industry for so long,” he says. “Whether or not I’ve gained wisdom in all these years, when I have the opportunity to share that wisdom, I always try to do so.”
Boswell’s desire to share information with others in the industry is one of the qualities that made him a fitting choice for the award, says Darrell Kendall, executive director of RIOS™. “Craig is one of those people who just understands everything about the industry and doesn’t believe in propriety secrets, particularly when they involve sustainability and health and safety.”
Kendall adds Boswell is willing and happy to share what he knows. If there’s something he doesn’t know he’s quick to share any helpful resources. “He’s the current chair of ISRI’s electronics division, and just one of those guys that people respect,” he adds.
Boswell is appreciative and thankful for the support his family has given him throughout the years, particularly their understanding of the travel he’s had to do for the industry. He’s also grateful for his sister, the fellow co-founder of HOBI. “She’s my business partner and in a lot of ways is the example for me for helping others in the industry because that’s been her way from the very beginning.”
Photos courtesy of Electronics Reuse Conference. Body image caption: Craig Boswell with Kelley Keogh, a co-founder of Greeneye Partners and 2020 recipient of the Jim Lynch Award.
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