YP Spotlight

The SWANA Young Professionals (YP) group continues to grow and expand across the country and provides outstanding networking opportunities for SWANA members that are age 35 or younger. This group is passionate about the environment and the industry and represents the future of the solid waste and recycling industry. SWANA YP members have been busy this past year speaking at SWANA events, leading teams, mentoring students and making strides in every aspect of the industry. With more than 1,000 YPs, their accomplishments are certainly something to be very proud of. 

Meet Alan Bean, US Landfill Division Manager with Lorentz - Leachate Pumping Systems

Alan Bean has been in business development and sales for over a decade, mostly in the utility industry (oil/gas), before transitioning to the waste industry. He says, “I find there to be many parallels to the waste industry. The traditional natural resources found in the energy sector have long been proven, but what I’m learning about in the waste industry is the largely untapped potential for renewable energy via LFG”. Alan then started with Lorentz in their Landfill Division where he took part in installing the first remotely monitored and controlled solar powered progressive cavity pump system in a LFG well field in North America.

Alan continues to share his expertise as part of SWANA’s LFG Technical Division where he serves on both the Rules/Regs and Extraction/Control committees. In addition, he looks forward to serving as part of the Young Professionals Group in the future.

When asked about his YP membership experience he shares, “As a new YP member I can attest first hand to the positive impact this organization has already had on my introduction into the waste industry. Nicole Burkhardt was my introduction and she was very gracious with her time in discussing both the benefits of SWANA and more specifically the opportunities as a YP member. Following our discussion, I dove deeper into the various divisions and found a natural fit in the Landfill Gas Division as my experience is in pumping leachate and de-watering LFG wells. Within that division, Matt Stutz has been incredibly supportive in meeting and discussion of opportunities to serve within his committee on Rules/Regs which I'm looking forward to focusing on to educate myself and serve those within our industry. I would highly encourage anyone joining the waste industry to consider the value SWANA membership provides as I've had nothing but positive interactions with those in SWANA and will be paying it forward to the next generation of SWANA and YP members.”

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