Working alongside his father in Long Island, New York, John Jennings learned a simple philosophy when it came to customer service: work hard, respect your employees and treat your customers right. What he didn’t realize was that this philosophy would help him lead two successful private businesses in the solid waste industry.
From 1992 to 1996, Jennings was CEO of Jennings Environmental Services, the largest private waste disposal company in central Florida. In 1996, the company merged with USA Waste Services Inc., now Waste Management Inc., and Jennings was named regional vice president for the combined operations in Florida and the Caribbean.
However, the public company mindset of analyst targets and one-size-fits-all customer policies didn’t fit well for Jennings since getting to know and care for your employees and customers was not a top priority. He left and formed Waste Pro USA Inc. in 2001 based on his independence and determination to do it his way.
As CEO, Jennings instilled a unique culture at Waste Pro that has spread throughout the entire organization based on his core philosophy. Jennings realized employees wanted to be respected and recognized for their hard work. This promotes loyalty, a sense of family belonging and a drive to serve customers.
Drivers hand-paint their names on their trucks and make sure they are in pristine condition before going on every route. Employees receive bonuses every year based on years of service as well as for being safe drivers. Jennings also created Waste Pro University, a training facility for employees to advance both professionally and personally.
For more than 20 years, Jennings has been a key figure in Florida’s environmental waste collection industry. His experience qualifies him as one of the most accomplished and knowledgeable professionals in the field. As CEO of Waste Pro, he has been instrumental in achieving quality and specialized service all while growing the business to remarkable levels.
HOW TO REACH: Waste Pro USA Inc., (407) 869-8800 or www.wasteprousa.com
