Waste360 is excited to announce the winners of its fifth annual 40 Under 40 awards program, which honors the next generation of leaders who are shaping the future of the waste and recycling industry. Over the past five years, Waste360 has honored some of the industry’s brightest and most talented leaders, and we can’t wait to recognize the waste, recycling and organics leaders of the future for years to come.
“The young professionals in the waste, recycling and organics industry never cease to amaze us. This year’s class is remarkable, and they’ve accomplished a great deal so early on in their careers,” says Waste360 Vice President Mark Hickey. “You’ll be inspired, impressed and proud of what they’ve done and what it means for the industry and our planet now and into the future. Congrats to the 2020 class of Waste360 40 Under 40 award winners! We look forward to celebrating you at WasteExpo.”
The Waste360 40 Under 40 awards program recognizes inspiring and innovative professionals under the age of 40 whose work in waste, recycling and organics has made a significant contribution to the industry. The winners are involved in every part of the waste and recycling industry, including haulers, municipalities, composters, recycling professionals, policymakers and product suppliers.
The 2020 40 Under 40 award winners:
- Frank M. Antonacci, Chief Operating Officer, USA Hauling & Recycling
- Michelle Balz, Solid Waste Manager, Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District
- Blake Brannon, President, Brannon Industrial Group
- Thomas Brooks, Director of Technology and Product Development, Bulk Handling Systems
- Alex Cano, President, Pro Disposal
- Alexandria Coari, Director, Capital and Innovation, ReFED
- Domenic Di Mondo, Vice President of Technology, GreenMantra Technologies
- Randy Everett Jr., O&M Director of Operations, Tetra Tech
- Felipe Garcia, Vice President, Sales, Republic Services
- Richie Getter, Vice President of Strategy and Commodities, Balcones Resources Inc.
- William Brent Howard, Vice President of Recycling, Waste Pro USA
- Andrea Ivanovs, Advisor, Waste Collection, Region of Peel
- Danielle Elizabeth Joseph, Executive Director, Closed Loop Partners
- Chris Kaasmann, Product Stewardship Manager, Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
- Rich Kang, Area President, Republic Services
- Debra Lee Kantner, Sustainability Director, Environmental Research & Education Foundation
- Madeline Keating, City Strategist, Healthy People and Thriving Communities Program, Natural Resources Defense Council
- Tyler Kennedy, Region Controller, Waste Connections
- David Krasnow, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operations Officer, Used Cardboard Boxes, Inc.
- Stormy Lewis, Division Manager, Waste Pro of Mississippi
- Steve Linehan, Senior Project Manager, SCS Engineers
- Amanda Mancuso-Laird, President, Waste Equipment Rentals & Sales
- Joshua Mann, Public Sector Solutions Manager, Waste Management
- James F. Mazza, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer, Mazza Recycling Services
- Jason Mead, Director of Finance, Casella Waste Systems, Inc.
- Vu Nguyen, Senior Manager, Corporate Development and Innovation, Waste Management
- Beau Peck, Director of Sales and Marketing, Interwest Paper, Inc./The Pro Recycling Group
- Jordan Rechenmacher, Sanitation Superintendent, City of Idaho Falls
- James Regan, Director, Corporate Communications, Covanta
- Conor Riffle, Vice President of Smart Cities, Rubicon Global
- Paul M. Ross, Vice President, American Waste Control, Inc.
- Michael Schmidt, President and Chief Executive Officer, Whitetail Disposal Inc.
- Marissa Segundo, Communications Consultant and Managing Consultant, the Glass Recycling Coalition, Resource Recycling Systems
- Ashish Sharma, Senior Manager, Digital, Waste Management
- Rody Taylor, Owner, KC Dumpster Company
- Hana Uman, Program Director, Special Programs and Projects, 412 Food Rescue
- Becca M. Walkinshaw, Sustainability Specialist, Gallegos Sanitation, Inc.
- Brian Walls, Senior Vice President of Operations, Keter Environmental Services
- Amanda Weeks, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Ambrosia
- Turner Wyatt, Chief Executive Officer, Upcycled Food Association
Additionally, Michael R. Schmidt, executive vice president of strategic growth and development at BioHiTech Global, has been honored with the Waste360 Innovator Award, which recognizes innovators and forward thinkers who often use technology to better the industry. Schmidt helps BioHiTech provide a technology-based system to manage food waste consumption, and he’s been hands-on with the operations of the first high-efficiency biological treatment (HEBioT) mechanical biological treatment (MBT) facility in North America—Entsorga West Virginia.
New to the Waste360 40 Under 40 awards program this year is the Waste360 Changemaker Award, which recognizes leaders who are creating real, meaningful, positive change for the waste, recycling and organics industry. Ryan James Hickman, president of Ryan’s Recycling Company, has been honored with the first-ever Waste360 Changemaker Award. At just 10 years old, Ryan has recycled more than half a million cans and bottles, led cleanups across the nation, inspired others to recycle and reduce waste, donated about $9,000 to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, Calif., won a number of awards and so much more.
A panel of expert judges from Waste360 evaluated the nominations and consulted with an external advisor to select the finalists and winners.
The winners will be honored during an awards ceremony at WasteExpo, North America's largest solid waste, recycling and organics industry event, in New Orleans.
View past classes of Waste360 40 Under 40 awards winners: