Saying Goodbye to SWANA

Two members of SWANA Staff Retiring

Sue Bumpous, Technical Divisions Manager, is retired after eight years at SWANA and Michael Tomaselli, Senior Manager of Certification & Workplace Training, is retiring after eight and a half years.

Bumpous’s role at SWANA has evolved over nearly eight years but has always been a combination of conference duties and serving as the staff liaison to the technical divisions. “While I’ve been proud of my role in helping to improve the conference experience for SWANA members, it’s been the relationships I’ve made with technical division members, and especially the dedicated division leaders, that will be my fondest memories,” she said. “I am leaving with not only professional colleagues but some very good friends as well.”

Tomaselli is leaving SWANA with a better certification and training program and hoped to have created a foundation for the next generation of those programs. He enjoyed running the training centers at SWANA conferences, working with SWANA Faculty, and getting a chance to meet members face to face at those events. He also enjoyed developing the Certification Celebration at WASTECON, giving SWANA a chance to recognize those folks who were SWANA Certified and the Faculty that taught the courses.

“I will miss, of course, SWANA staff most,” Tomaselli said. “They are the best people that I’ve worked with. Always willing to help one another and go that extra mile for our members.”

“I really will miss #TeamSWANA and the creativity, energy and passion that all the staff members bring to the association, as well as the interaction I’ve had with members,” Bumpous said. “Recycling and environmental issues were passions long before I went to work in the industry via Texas state government and will remain so. I hope to keep in touch and share information via LinkedIn and other platforms.”

After leaving SWANA, Bumpous will move to Texas and hopes to volunteer in Austin’s music and environmental communities. Tomaselli plans on assisting with youth sport programs and volunteering at his local library and veterans’ home.

SWANA will greatly miss Sue Bumpous and Michael Tomaselli and wish them all the best in their next chapters!