For more than 30 years in a career in which he began as a waste collector and worked his way up to management, David McCary has demonstrated servant leadership, encouraging and inspiring others while setting an incomparable example of what a solid waste professional is and should be. In employment stops including Houston, TX; Durham, NC; Tampa, FL; and San Antonio, TX, he has overseen program improvements and modernization while maintaining focus on safety and innovation. In 2020, Mr. McCary was instrumental in executing a collaborative “Return to Work Plan” strategy for the City of San Antonio that accommodated and protected all 13,000 municipal employees while ensuring the continuation of critical City services. His work with the City Solid Waste Management Department led to the implementation of automated refuse collection with no employee layoffs and significant employee safety improvements and his emphasis on safety led the City to become the first municipality in the world to obtain the ISO 45001 Safety Certification. The City of San Antonio‘s Solid Waste Management Department became first responders providing post-disaster recovery relief following flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey in Houston in 2017.

Mr. McCary is currently serving as the Region 3 Director on SWANA’s Board of Directors. He formerly served as an officer and member of the Texas SWANA (TxSWANA) Chapter. He is also a member of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, serving as the San Antonio’s Past Chapter President; and the United Negro College Fund, serving on the San Antonio Advisory Board of Directors.