Niagara Falls, Ontario — Eric Wilbert of Wilbert Family Enterprises–who was recently named president of the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA)–will deliver the keynote industry address at the 2025 Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA) Convention.
Wilbert was born and raised in Western New York working for the family business that was founded in 1952. Today, Wilbert’s has over 230 employees working at four full-service locations and three self-service locations. In addition, the company operates a full-service retail tire facility as well as the largest Christmas tree farm in the Rochester area.
Wilbert grew up across the street from the family’s original location and would often be found assisting his family after getting off the school bus. He began working for the family full-time after college, gathering experience in a variety of positions within the operation. While overseeing shipping and dispatch, he eventually transferred to the family’s third location in Williamson where he began to manage their third location as well as their first self-serve location.
Today, Wilbert is the Director of Self-Service Operations overseeing the company’s three self-service yards in Western New York.
In addition to his duties and responsibilities with the ARA, Eric currently serves as a board member for the Automotive Recyclers Association of New York (ARANY). He served as president of ARANY from 2019 to 2022 where he began to show interest in working for associations that have supported his family and the industry for nearly a century.
Scheduled for Thursday, March 27, 2025, through Saturday, March 29, 2025, at the Hilton Niagara/Fallsview Hotel, Wilbert will take the stage for his keynote address on Friday, March 28 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
“The Wilbert family has an extraordinary record in the New York auto recycling sector,” wrote Steve Fletcher, outgoing executive director of OARA, in a note to OARA members. “Eric Wilbert is carrying on the tradition of making this a better industry for everyone.”
