PORT ANGELES — A Carlsborg company that aims to reduce, through recycling, the amount of electronic equipment headed to landfills won the top award of $5,000 in the Entrepreneur Challenge.
The $5,000 award and two $1,000 awards were presented Thursday at The Incubator @ Lincoln Center, 905 W. Ninth St., Port Angeles, by its director, Jim Haguewood.
Dan Tharp, owner of EcycleNW of Carlsborg, aims to become a leader in the electronics recycling industry in Western Washington.
“I’m absolutely speechless,” Tharp said after the award was announced.
“Without my family I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing,” Tharp said, motioning to his wife, Marbella Brown, and children, 10-year-old Marshall, nine-year-old Mark John and five-year-old Katilyn.
Katilyn cheered with a loud “Yeah!” following the award announcement.
“The judges thought it was a very exciting business plan with a lot of potential,” Haguewood said, “including his ability to understand the market as it’s changing through regulation, and people’s desire not to dispose of electronics in the traditional fashion.”
The company already has expanded into recycling electronic materials from Clallam County Public Utility District and other utilities, Haguewood said.
