John Jennings

John J. Jennings is the founder and visionary behind Waste Pro’s mission to create more sustainable, cost-effective waste and recycling solutions. As Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, he has transformed Waste Pro into one of the fastest growing solid waste companies in the United States, receiving national recognition for his strategic direction and development of innovative initiatives.

Prior to launching Waste Pro USA, Inc. in 2001, Jennings had an established reputation as a prominent leader in the recycling and waste disposal industry. From 1992 to 1995, Jennings served as chief executive officer of Jennings Environmental Services, the largest, privately-owned waste disposal company in central Florida. Upon merging with USA Waste Services, Inc. in 1996, Jennings Environmental Services became a subsidiary and Jennings was named Regional Vice President for the Florida and Caribbean division. Commanding a management team composed of many of Waste Pro’s current leaders, Jennings oversaw more than 160 municipal contracts that served 1.8 million residencies and 20,000 commercial enterprises.

Today, Waste Pro provides unparalleled collection and processing services from more than 75 local and regional operating facilities in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee. By adhering to the Jennings’ Philosophy—a customer-centric approach that maintains the highest level of service and operational capacity—Waste Pro has grown into one of the largest, full-service, vertically integrated waste management companies. In 2015, our revenue exceeded $536 million, our staff consisted of 2,900 highly skilled professionals, and our mobile fleet contained over 2,400 heavy trucks. Yet, our success is not merely reflected in numbers. Under the direction of Jennings, Waste Pro has earned recognition as an environmentally-friendly, industry-leading company dedicated to protecting local, regional, and global ecosystems. Jennings serves on industry regulatory panels, government committees, and has been a featured speaker on environmental issues and policies at both the national and international level. In 2011, he was unanimously elected to the National Solid Waste Management Association Hall of Fame, became a finalist for the Ernest & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and was the honorary keynote speaker of the 2011 Executive Roundtable for America’s Solid Waste Leaders.

Although Jennings’ vision and insight has landed Waste Pro on a national stage, it is his loyalty to his humble beginnings and core values that has made Waste Pro the company of customer-choice. His father, Michael Jennings, was an Irish immigrant who worked as a garbage man in Long Island. Putting in long hours each day, Michael Jennings taught his son the importance of a diligent work ethic, telling him that the quality of work you deliver is the reflection of who you are as a person. Jennings attended Holy Cross High School in Queens, New York, where he was later elected into the school’s Hall of Fame for his Waste Pro accomplishments. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree in Management and an MBA in Finance from St. Johns University, in addition to the Chartered Investment Analysis degree from New York Institute of Finance. Early in his career, Jennings developed astute business savvy by working as a trader/analyst on the New York Stock Exchange.