The Future Industry Leaders Alliance (FILA) hosted its annual Deal Me In competition in San Diego, coinciding with the National Waste & Recycling Association’s (NWRA) Industry Conference. Sponsored by longtime supporter Stifel, the competition challenged participants to develop a competitive bid in an MBA-style case study format.
Five teams were given a day and a half to strategize, analyze, and prepare their presentations before facing a panel of esteemed industry judges, including Brian Butler of Casella Waste Systems, Jim Keefe of Waste Today, and Davey Mirshra of the Clairvest Group.
Winners were announced during the conference, with the first-place team to be recognized again at the Investor Summit during the Waste Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., this June. The winning team’s success supported a charitable contribution to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Winning Teams
First Place – From Bin to Beyond
Team Members:
- Sylvain Auger, Machinex Technologies
- Shannon Gay, WM
- Stephen Mullis, Rehrig Pacific Company
- Adiv Sulaiman, GreenWaste Recovery, LLC
Second Place – Prestige Waste Worldwide
Team Members:
- Kevin Atkinson, Texas Pride Disposal
- Kevin Duffy, LRS
- Adam Isenberg, GreenWaste Recovery, LLC
- Eric Phillips, Republic Services, Inc.
- Haley Russell, Environmental Solutions
Third Place – Barone Sanitation
Team Members:
- Abel Cota, Troiano Waste Services, Inc.
- Conner McCallie, Atomic Transport, LLC
- Kemrey Kidd, Rehrig Pacific Company
- Mike Thomson, Republic Services
- Mitchell Thompson, Machinex Technologies
“Deal Me In showcases the strategic thinking, creativity, and collaboration of the next generation of leaders in our industry,” said Michael E. Hoffman, president and CEO of NWRA. “Watching participants work under pressure to develop thoughtful solutions and deliver strong presentations shows the future of waste and recycling is in good hands.”
Marking its fifth year, Deal Me In continues to serve as a cornerstone program for leadership development and professional growth within the waste and recycling industry. “Partnering with NWRA on Deal Me In has been incredibly rewarding,” said John M. McNamara, head of environmental services at Stifel. “The competition continues to grow and challenge participants in new ways each year.”