Our History

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	Our History – A Foundation for the Future
Lonnie C. Poole, Jr. Founder
Lonnie C. Poole, Jr. Founder	If you were to pick an ideal time to start-up a garbage company it probably would not have been in December of 1970. It was a time of economic uncertainty which would result in high interest rates and low optimism. But under these circumstances Lonnie Poole, Jr. had a vision of what could be and introduced his plan to J. Gregory Poole who would become the company’s first outside investor. And as fate would have it a young man, Jim Perry, fresh out of the Air Force would become the company’s first employee. The early years were filled with setbacks and struggles but the company established a track record for performance in a very demanding business. It constructed sanitary landfills and opened collection operations in towns and counties in Eastern North Carolina and still enjoys many business relationships established in the 70’s. By the mid 80’s the company’s revenues reached $10 million and the company had created a culture that would sustain its growth. A culture built around people, principles, practices and performance. And by the end of the 90’s Waste Industries reached a milestone of $100 million in revenues and became a public company with its stock traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol WWIN. After 11 years as a public company circumstances guided us back to private ownership and in 2008 Waste Industries with the support of two prominent investment firms, Macquarie and Goldman Sachs, completed a take-private transaction. Throughout our history our goal has always been to make a positive difference in the communities where we live and work, to enrich the lives of our employees, and to forge meaningful relationships with our vendors and suppliers. By living up to these ideals we believe we will continue to find more customers to serve and to continue the successful story that grew from humble beginnings nearly four decades ago. Whether you are a new customer, a fellow employee, a supplier or a friend you are part of our story and we are grateful for your support.