NWRA Announces 2018 Drivers and Operator of the Year
Awards Recognize Talented Drivers and Operators from Companies of Every Size
Who Put Safety First
Arlington, VA – Today, the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) announced its 2018 Drivers of the Year and Operator of the Year winners. The awards recognize the drivers and an operator from member companies who put safety as their top priority.
“Safety is a core value at NWRA and for our members. Our members and their employees are dedicated to keeping our communities clean and safe on a daily basis. Therefore, it is important that we recognize the drivers and operators who make safety a priority. I congratulate them on their achievement,” said NWRA President and CEO Darrell Smith.
The Operator of the Year award is for employees working in post-collection for a materials recovery facility, landfill or transfer station who safely operate heavy equipment, including bulldozers, front-end loaders and compactors.
The Driver of the Year awards are for those drivers who operate their trucks in a safe and responsible manner, have outstanding performance records and whose contributions have enhanced the overall safety and image of the solid waste industry.
The finalists were determined by a computerized scoring system. Independent judges selected the winners based on letters of recommendation and, for drivers, the difficulty of the route. During judging, operators were also judged on difficulty of their equipment to operate.
The award winners will be officially recognized at WasteExpo 2018 during the Awards Breakfast on Tuesday, April 24.
The 2018 Driver of the Year Awardees:
Large Commercial – Mike Lawrence, Waste Connections, Inc.
Large Industrial – Toribio Gonzalez, Republic Services, Inc.
Large Residential – Chuck Thorpe, Republic Services, Inc.
Regional Commercial – Mark Tumulty, Rumpke Waste & Recycling
Regional Industrial – Calvin Smith, WCA Waste Corporation
Regional Residential – Dean Koch, Recology
Medium – Joseph Lallier, All Waste, Inc.
Small – Bryan Rasmussen, Interwest Paper Pro Recycling Group
Public Sector – Roger Bronner, City of San Diego
The 2018 Operator of the Year Awardee:
Scott Russell, E.L. Harvey & Sons
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ABOUT NWRA
The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) represents the private sector waste and recycling services industry. Association members conduct business in all 50 states and include companies that manage waste, recycling and medical waste, equipment manufacturers and distributors, and a variety of other service providers. For more information about NWRA, please visit www.wasterecycling.org.
Contact
Brandon Wright
National Waste and Recycling Association
bwright@wasterecycling.org
202-364-3706
