FADRA was granted incorporation in the state of Florida on January 8, 1975, and held its first convention in February of that year. Its founders were Hayden Haskins from Ocala, Ronnie Copher from Tampa, Vernon Mellette from Daytona Beach, Randall Spivey from Winter Haven, Joe Mora from Jacksonville, and Elliot Sharon from Bonifay. Vernon Mellette served as the organization's first President, and First Association Management Company provided the first management staff. J.B. Rogers, Jr., served as its first counsel and lobbyist. He served until 1985, when Jerry Foster became FADRA lobbyist. A year later, IntraCom began managing FADRA, with Robert Schweiger as Executive Director. An 11-member Board of Directors was elected on January 31, 1976. FADRA presented a Salvage Dealer Licensing Bill to the Florida Legislature. It did not pass but initiated the FADRA legislative programs that is still active today. Ron Copher began as FADRA's first representative to the auto recycling industry's national organization, ADRA (Automotive Dismantlers & Recyclers Association, and now, since 19,93 ARA, the American Recyclers Association), in 1976. FADRA accepted the ADRA Code of Ethics in 1977.

Code of Ethics:

As a condition of membership in the Association of the Florida Auto Dismantlers and Recyclers Association, we agree: To promote the conservation of energy and the total utilization of our resources, both natural and manufactured.To determine, within all practical limits, the quality and condition of each automotive part offered for direct recycling and to represent same accurately.To accept the social responsibility for good community relations, improved environment, integration of minority personnel into the industry, and for assisting local charitable and civic organizations.To be compatible business neighbors.To maintain a clean and non-polluted environment in our places of business.To operate according to the ordinances, statutes, and laws of the various jurisdictions.Not to reduce a reuseable automotive part to scrap as long as we believe there remains a reasonable potential of saving the energy it represents by negating the need to manufacture a similar replacement part,To provide the best possible product at the lowest possible cost.