CEO Column

By: David Biderman, CEO and Executive Director

Last week was my 24^th anniversary in the solid waste industry. To note the occasion, I posted a short note about it on LinkedIn.

To quote Sally Field’s famous 1980’s speech at the Oscars: “you like me, you really like me.”

Hundreds of SWANA members and other solid waste professionals reacted positively to the post and nearly 100 people wrote very nice comments about me and SWANA. It was very nice, and a bit overwhelming. Thank you.

It has made me reflect on my career in the solid waste industry, and how I went from being “Association Counsel” at the Environmental Industry Associations (EIA) in 1997 to Executive Director/CEO at SWANA in 2021. I have been very fortunate in my career, and I think there are some lessons learned that others may find useful.

First and foremost, do the work. It is important to show up every day, focus, and work hard. There are a lot of distractions; block them out when you are working, whether at the office or from home. Your supervisor and employer want you to be productive. Don’t play around on social media at work. There is plenty of time for that in the evenings and on the weekends.

Second, always be organized and prepared. When you attend a meeting, don’t glance at the agenda on your way into the meeting. Prepare for the meeting by reviewing the agenda, considering your role and what you can contribute. When you have a call scheduled, take a few minutes in advance to prepare for the call to make it more productive for you and others. I often say that I’m rarely the smartest person in the room, but I’m often the best prepared. There are many smart people in the world, but far fewer smart, organized, and prepared people. Strive to be one of them.

Third, be curious. Read articles about the industry, even in areas outside the scope of your responsibilities. It might provide an opportunity for advancement. In the late 1990’s, after I joined EIA, I learned about the many safety and OSHA compliance issues that exist in the solid waste industry. It wasn’t in my job description, but I read and wrote some articles about it. A few years later, EIA made me their first Safety Director, which was a significant stepping stone beyond my “legal” work, and led to more speaking and leadership opportunities.

Fourth, meet other industry professionals wherever and whenever you can. When you attend WASTECON® or some other SWANA event, please don’t stand in the corner with a co-worker. Introduce yourself to other attendees. Ask them about their work (people love to talk about themselves). Get their contact info and give them your business card, and follow up via email with your new industry contacts within 48 hours.

Fifth, don’t be afraid to take chances. The safe approach is to just do your job, do it adequately, and go home. But how satisfying is that? Instead, volunteer to speak at an event, take lead on a new project, or serve on a SWANA committee or board at the chapter, Technical Division, or International level. Stretch your skill set and demonstrate leadership qualities. Senior management will notice.

Finally, find a good mentor who can provide you with useful career guidance. I was exceptionally lucky to have Bruce Parker, EIA’s long-time CEO, as my informal mentor for 15 years. I watched how Bruce interacted with staff, board members, the media, association committees and members, former SWANA CEO John Skinner, partners, vendors, and others. I learned both what to do, and at times, what not to do. After I joined SWANA in April 2015, on more than one occasion, I’ve considered what Bruce would do in a certain situation. SWANA’s mentoring program is a terrific way for you to find someone who can mentor you as you advance in your career.

As I mentioned on LinkedIn, the solid waste industry is an absolutely wonderful and rewarding career path. It provides a rare opportunity to “do good” and be financially rewarded at the same time. You get to work with some really interesting and colorful people, who love nothing more than to “talk trash” with their fellow solid waste colleagues. I still get a little thrill every time I see a garbage truck on the road, and my kids still remember how we once had to stop at a landfill while on a family vacation, and that I took a lot of pictures of dumpsters in Greece (hey, they were cool!).

We have a fascinating and never-ending variety of issues and topics to work on, and because waste is pervasive, growing, and global, there are job opportunities everywhere. Garbage and recycling aren’t going away any time soon. In fact, as we seek to divert more material away from disposal, the need for hard-working and organized consultants/engineers/planners/haulers/recyclers/sustainability experts/innovators will only increase. Take advantage of this trend. We must all focus on moving toward better management of our resources.

I feel very blessed that I joined SWANA in 2015, and very much enjoy working on behalf of you, our members. When you love what you do, it often doesn’t feel like work, and the days go by very quickly. I hope you feel the same way.