MATT EDWARDS Director of Business Development

Matt Edwards serves as the Director of Business Development at Material Return. He graduated from Hampden-Sydney College and brings a diverse background in sales, key account management, and product development across multiple industries including sporting goods and most recently the pet industry.

Matt is originally from Morganton and returned to the area after spending over a decade in Colorado. In his free time, he can usually be found tending his farm and walking his dogs, coaching his daughter's soccer team, or in the mountains on a trout stream or trail. He's probably also the only person in Burke County who taps his maple trees to make his own maple syrup!

HERRON HARPER Logistics Team Lead

Herron began with Material Return in September of 2020. Graduating from Freedom High School in 2002, he has worked in furniture manufacturing for over 14 years. In his free time, he enjoys spending time outdoors with his family and friends, watching sports and having cookouts.

XAVIER GARCIA Warehouse Team Lead

Xavier began with Material Return in May of 2020, with 15 years of experience in furniture and textile manufacturing. Serving as the Hispanic Liaison at St. Charles Catholic Church for the past 20 years, Xavier plays a key role in serving the Guatemalan community. In his free time, Xavier also enjoys playing and watching soccer (and occasionally basketball) with his friends and family.

BOLEK STRZELECKI Director of Operations

Bolek serves as the Director of Operations for Material Return.  As a New Yorker, his epicurious background forms the foundation of his work ethos: Project and program management at the periphery — people, experience, design, and service at the core.

With 7 years of experience in the ground-up development of business and company operations for two different Seattle-based startups committed to transparency and sustainability in both food and tech product sectors, Bolek now views North Carolina as his new frontier. He joined Material Return with the determination to push the region’s textile industry into the next phase of growth within Circularity — where they turn textile waste into gold like a modern-day alchemist.

CHUCK COSTNER Technical Yarn Production Manager

Chuck is MR’s Yarn Production Expert! Chuck has over 40 years of experience in the textile industry, including Trützschler and Rieter. Chuck’s career has taken him around the world, including 2 years in Shanghai. In his free time, Chuck enjoys fishing any time he can.

LENNIE WILLIAMS Transportation Coordinator

Lennie has over 30 years of professional driving experience and is excited to be a part of the Material Return team. In his past, he played for the NBA! He usually goes by his nickname, 'Slim'.

ANA ACOSTA Spinning Operator

Ana serves as a Spinning Operator with the Material Return team. Ana has over 4 years of experience working with cotton machines to create threads, and she loves the craft of her work. At home, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her family.