John Paglia III

As the president of Florida Express Waste and Recycling, Ocala, Florida, John Paglia III calls himself “a fourth-generation garbage man.”

Paglia's grandfather first pursued a career in the waste industry in upstate New York, which is where his father and uncle got their starts in the industry as well. Paglia’s earliest memories are of being on or around a collection truck and of watching his father and uncle skillfully helm the company where he would one day take the lead himself.

His family’s passion for service was instilled in Paglia from a young age.

“Those early ages, I was in the maintenance shop,” he says. “I was buffing out steel wheels by hand and then repainting them with a spray can, making our trucks look good. I started then greasing rollers and cleaning the shop and being around the mechanics. I touched everything.”

In the following interview with Waste Today, Paglia speaks on his experience running the family business and his advice for young professionals.

"If you take care of the basics and the little things that are very important, the bigger picture becomes easier to achieve.”

Waste Today (WT): What are some of the accomplishments you’ve been most proud of during your time heading Florida Express?

John Paglia III (JP): Any private [company] would definitely understand, but it’s the balancing of a private business with so many family members in it and creating a culture that is defined and is sustainable. It’s one thing to have a great month or a great six months or a great couple of years, but to do that consistently, you have to be consistent within your leadership development programs. I know the industry is very high on it, but we’ve always done that. We’ve always treated people how they want to be treated.

It’s something I’m very proud of—seeing and creating opportunities for our team members. We have a lot of men and women in our team that started at entry-level positions that are now supervisors and managers.

To be able to grow my business—family-owned and -operated, privately funded, just traditional bank financing for any debt we do have—is something I’m proud of, especially today when it’s highly attractive to have outside money. To be able to compete with that, we have to have different opportunities to be successful.

There’s a lot we do [differently].

WT: Do you have any advice for professionals looking to get into the solid waste industry?

JP: I’m a big believer in writing down your goals and achieving them. I’m a hunter. If I’m not in the garbage or with my family, I enjoy the outdoors. One of those things I try to always relate, whether it’s sports analogies or hunting, [is] ... “How can I be successful on a hunt or target shooting if I don’t aim at something?”

You have to believe in yourself, No. 1. No. 2, it does help in today’s world to have a team of like-minded people that can help you. Set your goals, set them realistically. Set them a year out, three years out, five years out. To try to set anything outside of that is unrealistic.

Don’t be disappointed if your plans change. Be flexible. Set goals. Write them down and achieve them.

If you start doing that, you’ve got opportunities to be successful financially and whatever you set out to pursue if you decide to enter this industry.