Is He Superman or Indiana Jones? And How Does He Do It All?
The Polymeric Exterior Products Association (PEPA) is grateful to have Eric Cotterman of Cornerstone Building Brands play an active role in our committee work and with his contributions to the broader vinyl and sustainability industries.
Eric chairs PEPA’s Sustainability Committee and is also on the leadership team for the Vinyl Institute (VI), where he chairs its Vinyl Sustainability Council. In addition, Eric is active on The Sustainability Conference Board, where he collaborates with top sustainability leaders from several different industries to address regulations and their impact on businesses proactively.
When he’s not busy helping build a healthier planet for future generations, Eric is Cornerstone’s Senior Product/Installation/Sustainability Manager in Sidney, Ohio.
It might sound like a Clark Kent-Superman scenario (he also earned a second bachelor's degree in marketing and a master’s while immersed in his more than full-time work), but Cornerstone has encouraged Eric to participate in these various trade association committees and boards actively because the work he does – and the knowledge he gains – makes the company more profitable in many ways well beyond the balance sheet.
“My journey is unique compared to other professionals in sustainability,” Eric said. “I have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and marketing, a master’s in digital marketing and a strong sales background. Cornerstone asked me to support PEPA and other opportunities because of my background. Internally, I am their sustainability lead in surfaces.”
A Snowball Effect
His work with the PEPA Sustainability Committee caught the attention of other association influencers and led to what Eric calls the “snowball effect” of distinguished assignments.
“When we started the Sustainability Committee, I connected with Jay Thomas, Executive Director of Sustainability at the VI,” Eric said. "He attended our meetings and asked me to chair their Vinyl Sustainability Council.”
In his current role at Cornerstone, Eric focuses on surface solutions, working with sales and engineering and leading a seven-person training team. He also heads up the company’s training department. He was placed in his position thanks to his unique ability to take complex subjects and break them down into teachable concepts.
Eric is well-rounded and has a keen understanding of the entire pipeline or supply chain. This allows him to communicate effectively with co-workers in different groups of the company because he knows how to 'speak their language.' These prolific skill sets make him a valuable asset to PEPA and other trade organizations.
Learning From Other Sustainability Groups
But the question remains: how does he do it all?
“It’s added more time and responsibility to my plate, but everything I’ve learned has been beneficial,” Eric said. “Many manufacturers are so ‘siloed’ in their sustainability efforts as they are only managed by operations. They are not incorporating sales or marketing teams to focus on telling the story. Even with the VI, I’m learning about vinyl in healthcare and the record industry that could potentially have applications for polymeric exterior products.”
Eric explained that the group’s work involving proposed PVC regulations among several countries has influenced his work with PEPA.
“About 60-70% of our environmental effects come from raw material producers, so we’re looking at downstream impact, tracking labor and other data points to understand Scope 3 emissions better,” he said. “This work will provide us with helpful ideas for improving sustainability in our polymeric building materials sector.”
According to Eric, all the work that the Vinyl Sustainability Council does in Kenya and other projects is akin to the science-based work being done by PEPA’s Sustainability Committee. He’s proud of this work and grateful to introduce these best practices to the polymeric exteriors industry.
PEPA and the Importance of Trade Association Work
Eric is thrilled with the progress of the Revinylize Recycling Collaborative, which began as a brainchild in PEPA’s Sustainability Committee. “Vinyl siding recycling has resulted from PEPA stepping in to get enough recyclers on board to create an infrastructure and then a scalable model for Revinylize,” he said. “The program is growing, and we now have interest in Louisville, Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and New England.”
Eric indicated that 35% of his work week is association work and other internal sustainability priorities. “People have a hard time understanding what associations do for their companies,” he noted. “I can make the business argument for why our association work is essential to Cornerstone. You could analyze our annual membership fees versus the millions more it would cost us for product certification, sustainability, code regulation and advocacy if we did not have PEPA.”
Looking Ahead
According to Eric, the PEPA Sustainability Committee is currently focused on three key areas:
- Revinylize program growth and expansion, including a commitment to recycle 5 million pounds of post-consumer vinyl by 2025
- The next round of lifecycle analysis (conducted every five years) starting in 2025
- Developing new Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) in 2026
Cornerstone, PEPA and VI are fortunate to have Eric on their combined industry team. But again, the question remains: how does he do it all?
“It’s challenging sometimes. I have a very understanding wife. I’m one of those people who, if I commit myself to something, I make sure it’s 100%. I don’t care about titles or accolades, but I want to be the best I can be. I get bored if I don’t continue to learn. I do play a lot of golf and Texas Hold ‘em. My wife and I have been on 50 cruises since 2012, and I just turned 42. I’m seasoned like Indiana Jones – ‘It’s not the age, it’s the mileage.’”
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Don Browne is a writer, entrepreneur and local legislator who believes that the power of words can change the world. He provides unique writing services for clients in the construction, health care, IT and hospitality sectors. He has a passion for small business and start-ups, as well as writing about Irish history, family and corporate biographies. As a homeowner and father of four who is passionate about community development, Don looks forward to writing more about the exciting possibilities of creating traditional neighborhoods and more sustainable communities using modern materials.
