For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Ron Pecora
Chief Marketing Officer
407-937-2653
rpecora@wasteprousa.com
LONGWOOD, FL – January 15, 2020 – Waste Pro’s Vice President of Recycling, Will Howard, and Jackson, MS Division Manager, Stormy Lewis, have received the prestigious Waste360 40 Under 40 Award. The national award honors the next generation of leaders who are shaping the future of the waste and recycling industry.
Howard, a graduate of the University of South Carolina, began his career with Waste Pro in 2015 as Production Manager of Waste Pro’s Ocala Material Recovery Facility (MRF). The 65,000-square-foot facility processes more than 2,500 tons of recyclables per month from residential and commercial sources within a 70-mile radius of the facility, including Marion, Levy, Citrus, Lake, Putnam and Alachua Counties.
During his time with Waste Pro, Howard has led many local recycling efforts, including budgeting and installing equipment to cleanly and efficiently process recyclables for the Central Florida region. Howard was promoted to Vice President of Recycling in 2019 and has become a frequent industry speaker.
Lewis joined Waste Pro’s Hattiesburg, MS Division as a customer service representative in 2013 while earning her degree from the University of Southern Mississippi. Upon graduating, she transitioned into operational duties as the Hattiesburg Division’s first female route supervisor. During her time in this role, she earned her commercial driver’s license (CDL) through Waste Pro’s Co-Heart Program. In early 2019, she was promoted to Operations Manager, a title she held until she earned another promotion in November to Division Manager in Jackson, MS. She is Waste Pro’s youngest Division Manager at 27 years old.
Both Howard and Lewis are members of Waste Pro’s Leadership Initiative, a mentorship program designed to develop a vibrant second generation of young leaders.
Three other members of the program have won the 40 Under 40 Award in previous years: Southern Mississippi Regional Vice President Chris Lockwood in 2019, President Sean Jennings in 2018, and West Coast Region Municipal Marketing Manager Tracy Meehan in 2016.
Howard and Lewis will formally accept their awards in New Orleans in May during Waste Expo, the annual waste industry conference.
About Waste Pro USA
Waste Pro USA, Inc. is one of the country’s fastest-growing privately-owned waste collection, recycling, processing, and disposal companies, operating in ten southeastern states. Waste Pro, with revenues exceeding $700 million, serves more than two million residential and 40,000 commercial customers from over 75 operating locations. Waste Pro is headquartered in Longwood, Florida, and maintains approximately 300 exclusive municipal contracts and franchises.