e-Cycle congratulates the University of Washington for becoming the first educational institution to attain the status of e-Stewards® Enterprise. This designation recognizes companies, governments and institutions achieving the highest level of environmental stewardship and eliminating the export of hazardous e-Waste to developing countries.

One of the world’s fastest growing waste streams, electronic waste makes up 5 percent of the municipal solid waste worldwide. e-Waste is extremely hazardous, containing potentially toxic materials, and if not properly disposed of, these chemicals can cause serious environmental and health concerns. In addition, the U.S. EPA reports that 70 to 80 percent of electronics recycling companies directly or indirectly export electronic waste to developing countries overseas. Once in these countries, companies often use slave-like labor as well as unethical and hazardous working conditions to extract the precious metals in these electronic devices. e-Stewards Enterprises agree to use e-Stewards certified electronic recyclers to dispose of this hazardous toxic e-Waste.

The e-Stewards initiative identifies recyclers that adhere to the world’s most rigorous standards in electronics recycling. e-Stewards certified electronics recyclers adhere to the highest global standards for environmental protection and worker safety and strictly prohibit the export of e-Waste into developing countries.

In January 2012, e-Cycle became the first mobile buyback and recycling company to achieve e-Stewards certification. Helping organizations take a more responsible, secure and cost-effective approach to wireless recycling, e-Cycle collects mobile phones from businesses and major organizations, reimbursing them for mobile devices that retain value and recycling all others at no charge. The information on every phone is either deleted or destroyed through the industry’s most rigorous data security measures. Find more information at www.e-Cycle.com.

The mobile buyback and recycling company is expanding in Central Ohio to accommodate tremendous growth and better serve customers internationally and throughout the U.S.

e-Cycle LLC,  the leading U.S.-based mobile buyback and recycling company, will relocate its headquarters to New Albany, Ohio, as part of a broader initiative to increase its workforce and expand the company’s presence in Central Ohio.

e-Cycle has operated its headquarters and production and distribution center at 4105 Leap Road in Hilliard, Ohio, since 2009. Effective December 1, the company will move its headquarters and administrative functions to 7775 Walton Parkway in New Albany, retaining all other operations in Hilliard. Approximately 30 employees who now are based in Hilliard will relocate to New Albany, with nearly 70 employees remaining in Hilliard.

“We’re a rapidly growing company that has established itself as an industry leader in recycling mobile devices in the most safe, secure and environmentally responsible manner for a wide range of corporations and organizations,” said e-Cycle CEO Christopher Irion. “This initiative not only is a reflection of the successful foundation we’ve built in concert with our hard-working employees, but it also positions us for growth and provides benefits for customers who travel to our facilities in Central Ohio.”

e-Cycle plans to hire 135 employees within three years, with most being assigned to the Hilliard facility. Additionally, having the headquarters in New Albany will provide customers with easy and convenient access to Port Columbus International Airport. e-Cycle customers range from corporations to small businesses, government agencies and organizations on an international scale.

The Hilliard facility is a high-security environment where mobile devices from e-Cycle customers are wiped clean of all data. e-Cycle then determines which mobile phones can be resold to emerging markets overseas, while those that cannot be recycled have key components and materials removed for recovery.

e-Cycle does not landfill any devices, and its processing procedures for deleting data and recycling phones meet the highest standards of safety, security and environmental responsibility. e-Cycle is the first U.S. mobile buyback and recycling company to be e-Stewards® certified.

e-Cycle has achieved 959 percent business growth between 2008 and 2011 and created nearly 100 jobs. Earlier this year, e-Cycle was ranked the 21^st fastest growing business services company by Inc. magazine among privately held companies, while Forbes listed e-Cycle the 68^th most promising, privately held company in America.

About e-Cycle
e-Cycle helps organizations take a more responsible, secure and cost-effective approach to wireless recycling. The company collects wireless phones from businesses and major organizations, reimbursing them for devices that retain value and recycling all others at no charge. The information on every phone is either deleted or destroyed through the industry’s most rigorous data security measures. In 2012, Forbes ranked e-Cycle the #68 most promising, privately-held company in America, while Inc. magazine ranked e-Cycle as the 21st fastest-growing business services company in the 2012 Inc. 500 list of privately held, for-profit companies in the U.S. e-Cycle is also the first mobile buyback and recycling company in the U.S. to become e-Stewards® certified. Find more information at www.e-Cycle.com.

Wireless recycling company partners with prominent financial institution to donate over $95 thousand dollars to Charlotte Hospital

The 6^th Annual Levine Children’s Hospital Golf Outing, presented by e-Cycle, was held on October 4, 2012 at The Golf Club at Ballantyne in Charlotte, North Carolina. Partnering with a prominent financial institution, e-Cycle was able to raise $95,978.97 for the Levine Children’s Hospital through a mobile recycling program.

The amount that was raised more than doubled the $44,867 mobile phone recycling donation e-Cycle made to the Levine Children’s Hospital at last year’s event. All the funds raised from this charity golf outing will be used towards the purchase of a transport islolette for the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery.

e-Cycle has assisted numerous businesses in making charitable donations from revenues generated through mobile buyback and recycling. With ever increasing budget constraints, wireless reuse and recycling offers an innovative solution to enhance corporate-caring initiatives. e-Cycle maximizes the money organizations raise through mobile asset recovery programs and writes a check on their behalf directly to the charity of their choice.

“e-Cycle was established on three founding principles – a passion for the environment, a love of technology and a devotion to charitable giving,” said Christopher Irion, e-Cycle founder and CEO, “Many of our mobile recycling clients are trying to find new ways to give back to the community through philanthropy and charitable contributions and wireless recycling allows businesses to raise money for charities while protecting the environment and their bottom line.”

To find out more about cell phone recycling for charity, visit www.e-Cycle.com.

About Levine’s Children’s Hospital
Levine Children's Hospital is a 234-bed hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina, located on the main campus of Carolinas Medical Center. Since opening in December 2007, the hospital has grown to include more than 30 pediatric specialties and has already received national distinction by U.S. News & World Report as one of Americas Best Children's Hospitals for treatment of kidney disorders.

About e-Cycle
e-Cycle helps organizations take a more responsible, secure and cost-effective approach to mobile phone and tablet recycling. The company collects wireless phones from businesses and major organizations, reimbursing them for devices that retain value and recycling all others at no charge. The information on every phone is either deleted or destroyed through the industry’s most rigorous data security measures. For more information, visit www.e-Cycle.com.

Earlier this year, the Obama administration began addressing the issue of mobility for the Federal government. Developing an extensive, new IT program, optimizing government information for mobile devices, this IT initiative will streamline government information available online and allow for increased utilization of smartphones and tablets across various departments. As federal CIOs implement this new initiative, they are developing a plan to counteract the security weaknesses that mobility introduces. Data protection and mobile security will be an essential part of this new federal IT policy.

This initiative will convert information from individual government agencies so it is readily accessible to the public and sync it with a central federal repository, providing the end user with one, main government database. Pulling data from numerous government channels into one portal, this website will increase efficiency and provide a convenient solution for end users. This program will create a unified online image across departments with centralized standards for web technology. Additionally, this program will optimize government information for smartphones and tablets.

In a digital age where mobile devices are frequently being used to accomplish everyday tasks, mobile security is central to the implementation of this policy. The new initiative recognizes the unique security threats that accompany the ease and convenience of mobility and attempts to minimize privacy concerns before the program begins. Acknowledging various mobile risks including lost and stolen devices, unsecured networks and user error, federal CIOs will develop standards that will keep certain digital services confidential. Specific protections will be created for services involving private citizen information. The initiative will also include essential user education that will cover guidelines for appropriate data sharing as well as policies that stipulate which applications can be installed on these devices. According to the policy, shutting off these security settings will be prohibited.

Streamlining this government information will create a comprehensive and well-defined user experience. With the sensitive nature of government information, mobile security will be an essential function of this initiative and comprehensive mobile security strategies will be established to keep confidential government data secure. To prevent data security breaches on end-of-life devices, this policy should also include a strategy to partner with a certified mobile buyback and recycling company that ensures complete data deletion.

Even after a phone is retired, sensitive government data can still be accessed. Certified mobile phone recycling company, e-Cycle, provides industry leading end-of-life data protection and ensures mobile security for outdated government smartphones and tablets. e-Cycle collects used cell phones and pads from businesses, including government organizations, providing reimbursement for all mobile devices that retain resale value. All other devices are recycled at no charge. Using the industry’s most rigorous data protection measures, e-Cycle ensures that the information stored on every device is completely erased.

Visit http://www.e-cycle.com/industry-experience/ to download industry specific information on wireless recycling or to learn more visit www.e-Cycle.com.

For more information, view the article New Federal Mobile IT Strategy Must Address Security by Kenneth Corbin.

In April of this year, representatives from the Forbes’ list of America’s Most Promising Companies met at the Aileron Institute in Dayton, Ohio, to discuss issues facing their businesses. Christopher Irion, CEO and founder of mobile phone recycling and buyback company, e-Cycle, joined the panel to contribute his experience of growing a successful business, including best hiring practices.

All of the panelists agreed that hiring is not only one of the most important tasks an entrepreneur faces while building a business, it is also the most difficult.

e-Cycle, is facing a classic dilemma that many of America’s Most Promising Companies are also experiencing. Growing rapidly, the business is on track to double the company’s number of employees in 2012. Irion explained that when adding a large number of new employees, companies should develop an infrastructure to support these new recruits. To respond to the overwhelming need for new employees, Irion developed a logistical framework to hire a high volume of workers effectively. This framework, however, takes time to put in place – the earlier, the better.

Irion’s wireless buyback company collects used mobile devices from businesses and major organizations, reimbursing them for devices that retain value and recycling all others at no charge. The information on every phone is either deleted or destroyed through the industry’s most rigorous data security measures.

To read more, view the article, The Art Of Hiring: Three Secrets From America's Most Promising Companies by J.J. Colao. To learn more about e-Cycle, visit www.e-Cycle.com.

e-Cycle achieves finalist status in both Entrepreneur of the Year and Company of the Year categories

e-Cycle was named a Finalist in the 9th annual Stevie^® Awards for Women in Business. Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners will be announced at a gala event at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City on Friday, November 9, 2012.

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honor women executives, entrepreneurs, and the companies they run – worldwide. The Stevie Awards have been hailed as the world’s premier business awards.

e-Cycle purchases mobile phones and devices from businesses and major organizations and recycles all devices that do not have resale value in accordance with the highest environmental and safety standards. Using rigorous mobile data deletion processes, e-Cycle ensures all confidential enterprise information is removed from the devices.

This year judges reviewed over 1,200 submissions for consideration in more than 90 categories, including Executive of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Women Helping Women, and Communications Campaign of the Year. e-Cycle was chosen as a finalist in the categories of Entrepreneur of the Year and Company of the Year categories.

“We are truly honored to be included among such a prestigious group of businesses,” said Tonia Irion, Stevie nominee and e-Cycle CCO and founder, “At e-Cycle, we have worked diligently to become the industry’s leading wireless mobile phone buyback and recycling company and we sincerely appreciate this recognition for our efforts.”

“We’re very excited about this year’s Finalists in the Stevie Awards for Women in Business,” said Michael Gallagher, founder and president of the Stevie Awards.  “The judges have told me that they think this is the best and most inspiring crop of nominees we’ve ever had.  We look forward to seeing the judges’ final decisions.”

To find out more about the Stevie Awards for Women in Business and to view the full list of Finalists in all categories visit www.StevieAwards.com/Women.

About e-Cycle
e-Cycle helps organizations take a more responsible, secure and cost-effective approach to wireless recycling. The company collects wireless phones from businesses and major organizations, reimbursing them for devices that retain value and recycling all others at no charge. The information on every phone is either deleted or destroyed through the industry’s most rigorous data security measures. In 2012, the Inc. 500 list ranked e-Cycle the #21 fastest growing business-services company in the U.S. and Forbes ranked e-Cycle the #68 most promising, privately-held company in America. e-Cycle is also the first mobile buyback and recycling company in the U.S. to become e-Stewards® certified. Find more information at http://www.e-Cycle.com.

About The Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in four programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service.  Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide.  Learn more about the Stevie Awards at www.StevieAwards.com.

Central Ohio mobile buyback, data protection and recycling company recognized after achieving nearly 1000 percent revenue growth and cr­­­eating more than 100 green jobs.

e-Cycle has been named the 4th fastest-growing company in Central Ohio by Columbus Business First in the publication’s annual Fast 50 list which recognizes top performing businesses over the last three years. This is the third year e-Cycle has achieved a ranking in the Fast Fifty.

A leading provider of wireless asset recovery, data protection and recycling, Columbus-based e-Cycle was named to the list after growing its revenue by nearly 1000 percent since 2008. This year’s winners and final rankings were revealed at the 17^th Annual Fast 50 Luncheon and Awards ceremony on October 9, 2012. Fast 50 nominees must be headquartered in Central Ohio and be privately held, for-profit companies that have accrued at least $1 million in revenue per year over the last three years.

“It is truly overwhelming and an honor to be recognized along with these outstanding private businesses in Central Ohio,” said Christopher Irion, founder and CEO of e-Cycle. “It has been an exciting and challenging time and e-Cycle’s growth is due largely to our outstanding enterprise clients and our wireless carrier and OEM partners who recognize the importance of protecting the environment in the most responsible way possible, while safeguarding the sensitive information of their organizations and customers. Our continued success is due to the hard-working, passionate e-Cycle team that continues to innovate and find new ways to improve our processes to make us more efficient so that we can better serve our clients. We still have a lot of work to do and we look forward to expanding our operations and creating more green jobs in 2013.”

For the awards ceremony, the top 10 winners were asked to share their 5-ingredient recipe for success. e-Cycle CCO, Tonia Irion's response was “Passion, Passion, Passion, Passion, Passion!” View the video at https://vimeo.com/51084780.

About e-Cycle

Ranked the #21 fastest growing business-services company in the U.S. by Inc. 500 and the #68 Most Promising, Privately-Held Company in America by Forbes, e-Cycle helps organizations take a more responsible, secure and profitable approach to wireless recycling. In January 2012, e-Cycle became the only mobile buyback and recycling company in the world to become e-Stewards®, ISO 14001, and R2 certified.

e-Cycle collects mobile phones and tablets from businesses and major organizations, reimbursing them for devices that retain value and recycling all others at no charge through an e-Stewards® certified facility. The company has a zero landfill policy. The information on every phone is either deleted or destroyed through the industry’s most rigorous data security measures. e-Cycle’s clients include more than 75 percent of the Fortune 500 and 17 of the Fortune 20.

As businesses and organizations upgrade to the new Apple iPhone 5 or iPad, everyday thousands of used mobile devices will be replaced. What happens to these outdated iPhones and iPads? Many will end up collecting dust in desk drawers, storage closets or even worse, local landfills. However, these used devices still retain a significant portion of their original value, even after 18 to 24 months of use. Wireless asset recovery and recycling companies purchase these used iPhones from businesses to help them greatly offset the cost of upgrading to the latest iOS technologies. In addition, certified mobile buyback companies protect the sensitive business data contained on these devices and ensure the hazardous chemicals inside do not end up in landfills.

Choosing the right iPhone buyback and recycling company is an important business decision that should not be taken lightly and there are several factors that organizations should consider when selling their used iPhones.

1. Don't be a victim of bait-and-switch iPhone or iPad pricing.  Make sure the company doesn't grade on the condition of your device.
When selling used enterprise iPhones and iPads, businesses should be skeptical of iPhone asset recovery companies offering extremely high buyback pricing. Research the pricing deductions and find out if payments are reduced for cosmetic flaws. Many consumer-driven buyback companies sell used iPhones on eBay and take substantial price reductions for scratches, cracks in the housing, scuff marks, water-damage indicators and other aesthetic flaws on the device. e-Cycle purchases used Apple iPhones and iPads based solely on the functionality of the device.

2. Read the terms and conditions and ensure your mobile recycling company takes responsibility for complete data removal. 
Many iPhone buyback and recycling companies claim “complete mobile data deletion and protection,”however, the fine print in their terms and conditions will state that they take no responsibility for deleting the private data contained on the devices. Be sure to sell your iPhone to a certified company that guarantees specific mobile data wiping processes, quality assurance practices, facility security, employee screening policies and liability insurance. e-Cycle provides the industry’s highest standards and practices for deleting and protecting your private mobile data.

3. Make sure they offer free recycling of broken iPhones and other used cell phones and that they are e-Stewards® certified. 
Before selling used iPhones and iPads, businesses need to investigate every aspect of data security and recycling processes of their recycling partners. Certified cell phone recyclers should conduct business in an environmentally responsible manner and offer transparent business practices to their clients, partners and the community. When shipping phones, batteries and accessories to downstream vendors, these partners will maintain similar green processes. Partnering with an e-Stewards Certified mobile buyback and recycling company ensures your recycler maintains the highest standards for environmental responsibility, worker safety and data security. e-Cycle is the first mobile buyback and recycling company to achieve e-Stewards Certification. Maintaining a zero landfill policy, e-Cycle offers free iPhone cell phone recycling for any device that is nonfunctional or does not have resale value.

When selling used iPhones, businesses should not make decisions based exclusively on price. If not properly processed, the private company data contained on these devices could be exposed. Companies need to implement a strategic and secure method for recycling outdated iPhones and iPads that will not only protect their telecom budgets but also their sensitive information. e-Cycle offers the safest way for businesses to sell their used iPhones and upgrade the new Apple iPhone 5. Helping organizations take a more responsible, secure and profitable approach to wireless mobile phone recycling, e-Cycle buys used iPhones, iPads and other mobile devices from businesses, reimbursing them for devices that retain value and recycling all others at no charge. The information on every phone is either deleted or destroyed using the industry’s most rigorous data security measures. To find out more about e-Cycle’s iPhone buyback process, view our video http://vimeo.com/49853112 or visit www.e-Cycle.com to sell your iPhone.

With Apple’s September 12 announcement of its faster, lighter and thinner iPhone 5, many businesses are expected to upgrade their fleet of corporate mobile devices. But when it is time to upgrade to a newer technology, one of the biggest problems organizations will face is what to do with their used mobile devices.

These devices that were once so critical to the workforce are quickly cast aside as obsolete. This happens to thousands of mobile phones every day. However, nearly 100 percent of Apple devices still retain a significant resale value, even after 24 to 36 months of use, and can be reused in developing countries overseas where the technologies are highly valued and desperately needed.

In fact, organizations can recoup 75 to 90 percent of their initial investment in their Apple technologies by implementing a timely and responsible mobile reuse and recycling program. Mobile buyback revenues equate to tens-of-thousands of dollars for e-Cycle’s enterprise clients annually.

There is one more important thing for businesses to consider when reselling and recycling used mobile devices, and that is data security. Organizations should not base their mobile recycling decision solely on price and hand over their outdated devices to just anybody. Data security does not end when a phone is retired. Mobile devices are archives of confidential data and if a device is discarded, donated or reused improperly, private data can be accessed. Often, sensitive information remains even after the phone has been brought back to factory settings.

Be certain your mobile buyback company has rigorous processes in place to permanently remove the data on every device, as well as secondary quality assurance testing. If you depend solely upon individual employees to clear data on the devices, you are taking a serious risk of your sensitive corporate information ending up in the wrong hands.

A recent audit from e-Cycle’s internal operations department found that 27% of devices from enterprise clients who claim to have pre-wiped their mobile phones prior to sending them for recycling still contained sensitive information, including key customer contact information, personal photos and videos, and pin numbers.

e-Cycle, the first mobile buyback and recycling company to become e-Stewards certified, provides industry leading end-of-life data protection and ensures mobile security for outdated iPhones and other smartphones. e-Cycle collects used cell phones from businesses, providing reimbursement for all devices that retain resale value. All other devices are recycled at no charge. Using rigorous data protection measures, e-Cycle ensures that the information stored on every device is completely erased. To find out more on e-Cycle’s cell phone buyback, recycling and data deletion services, visit www.e-Cycle.com.

e-Cycle congratulates the city of Placentia, California for becoming the first city in Southern California to achieve status of e-Stewards Enterprise by the Basel Action Network. The distinction recognizes cities, counties and companies for taking significant strides to eliminate the export of hazardous electronic waste to developing countries by using certified e-Stewards® recyclers.

San Francisco and San Jose as well as King County in the State of Washington have already joined the BAN program and pledged to uphold the most globally responsible management of electronic waste.

Electronic waste is the world’s fastest growing waste stream. According to Time Magazine, Americans throw away more than 350,000 cell phones and 130,000 computers every day. If not properly disposed of, the toxic materials contained in these devices can pollute groundwater, harm the environment and endanger our communities. Additionally, the EPA estimates that 70 to 80 percent of electronics recycling companies in this country either directly or indirectly export electronic waste into “toxic wastelands” in developing countries.

“Leaders lead, and Placentia, and other e-Stewards Enterprises, have demonstrated that the status quo where 80% of electronic waste is routinely dumped in developing countries or our local landfills is just not acceptable anymore,” said Jim Puckett, Executive Director of BAN. “To shrink our toxic footprint and our carbon footprint, and to ensure a safe future for our children, every city, county and business in the nation needs to join the e-Stewards campaign for safe and sane management of our growing mountains of e-waste.”

e-Stewards Enterprises agree to use e-Stewards certified recyclers to dispose of toxic e-Waste. BAN created e-Stewards®, the world’s most rigorous standard for electronics recycling, to ensure certified recyclers consistently conform to the highest standards for responsible recycling and reuse of electronic equipment, worker safety and data security. This globally recognized certification program is the only certification that strictly prohibits the export of toxic e-waste into developing countries and bans the use of child and prison labor.

e-Cycle is the First e-Stewards Certified Mobile Buyback and Recycling Company in the World
In January 2012, e-Cycle became the first mobile buyback and recycling company to achieve e-Stewards certification. e-Cycle helps organizations take a more responsible, secure and cost-effective approach to wireless recycling. The company collects wireless phones from businesses and major organizations, reimbursing them for devices that retain value and recycling all others at no charge. The information on every phone is either deleted or destroyed through the industry’s most rigorous data security measures. In 2012, e-Cycle was ranked the #68 most promising company in America by Forbes and the #21 fastest growing, private business services company in the U.S. on the Inc. 500 list. Find more information at www.e-Cycle.com.