Fred Schmitt Award for Outstanding Corporate Leadership: Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies, Inc. (AERT) (Springdale, AR)

            AERT has been awarded a series of patents relating to the technology for manufacturing wood and polyethylene composites.  Founded in 1989, AERT develops, manufactures and markets composite building materials made from recycled polyethylene plastic and wood.  These advanced composites can be used as an alternative to traditional wood products for exterior applications such as decking, trim, fencing, and door and window components. AERT’s decking products are distributed, sold, and used by many national companies such as the Weyerhaeuser, Lowe's Companies, Inc. and Therma-Tru Corporation, and are marketed under the trade names MoistureShield®, Weyerhaeuser ChoiceDek®, and LifeCycle®.