Gaithersburg Business Wins Recycling Award

Montgomery County recognized John Anderson III of designDATA in Gaithersburg during its 27th annual Recycling Achievement Awards, part of the county’s 2026 Recycling Awareness Week. County Executive Marc Elrich and the Department of Environmental Protection said 22 individuals and organizations were honored for waste reduction, reuse and recycling efforts. The county’s awards announcement was published May 27. Patch highlighted the Gaithersburg honoree in a local roundup on June 2. The Gaithersburg business tied to the recognition is designDATA, an IT managed services provider with its Maryland office at 610 Professional Drive, Suite 102, in Gaithersburg, according to the company’s website. The county’s recycling recognition page identifies the honoree as John Anderson III of designDATA. ### Who exactly won the county recognition from Gaithersburg? John Anderson III was the named honoree from designDATA. (montgomerycountymd.gov) Montgomery County’s recycling recognition page says Anderson “has demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to sustainability” through a recycling program tied to both his company’s suite and the larger office building. (designdata.com) MocoShow, citing the county awards, also listed “John Anderson III of designDATA in Gaithersburg” among the 2026 recipients. That independent local report matches the county’s identification of the honoree and the company. ### What did the county say designDATA’s program actually did? Montgomery County said Anderson implemented “a comprehensive recycling program” that served not only designDATA’s own office suite but the entire building. (montgomerycountymd.gov) The county description is the clearest explanation of why the Gaithersburg business stood out: the effort expanded recycling access beyond one tenant’s internal operations. (mocoshow.com) The county’s awards program recognizes businesses, organizations, government facilities, multifamily properties and individuals for “outstanding achievements in waste reduction, reuse, and recycling.” The 2026 awards announcement said honorees were chosen for “creative ideas and ongoing efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle the right way,” quoting Department of Environmental Protection Director Jennifer Macedonia. (montgomerycountymd.gov) ### How big was this year’s county awards program? Montgomery County said 22 individuals and organizations were recognized in the 2026 awards cycle. The county described the ceremony as part of Recycling Awareness Week, which it said has been celebrated annually since 1999. (www3.montgomerycountymd.gov) Marc Elrich said in the county release that the program has highlighted local recycling leaders for 27 years. He urged residents to review the winners’ work as the county pursues its stated zero-waste goal. ### Was designDATA the only business recognized? The county’s 2026 awards covered several categories, not just businesses. (montgomerycountymd.gov) The published list included multifamily properties, schools, organizations and government-related participants, alongside business honorees. The broader field matters because the county framed the awards as a countywide recognition program rather than a single-company contest. (montgomerycountymd.gov) The county release said the winners reflected efforts happening across communities and workplaces in Montgomery County. ### What is designDATA? (montgomerycountymd.gov) DesignDATA says it was established in 1979 and operates as an IT managed services provider in the Washington area. Its website lists a Gaithersburg headquarters and a Washington office, and says the company provides managed IT services, cybersecurity, training and related technology support. The company’s Gaithersburg presence is central to the local angle of the award. The county recognition attached the recycling honor to Anderson’s work at designDATA, while local coverage pointed readers to the Gaithersburg business as the county recycling “champion.” (montgomerycountymd.gov) ### Where can readers see the rest of the 2026 winners? (designdata.com) Montgomery County’s Department of Environmental Protection has posted the 2026 Recycling Achievement Recognition winners on its recycling recognition page. The county news release dated May 27 also summarizes the honorees and includes comments from Elrich and Macedonia about the awards program. The county page is the next stop for readers who want the full list of recipients and category descriptions. (montgomerycountymd.gov) It is also where the county has published the description of Anderson’s work at designDATA in Gaithersburg. (www3.montgomerycountymd.gov)