Waste Pro makes family ownership list

Longwood, Florida-based Waste Pro has been named the fourth largest family-owned company in Central Florida, according to rankings compiled by regional publication the Orlando Business Journal.

John Jennings, board chair of Waste Pro, founded the company in 2001. The company describes him as “the son of an Irish immigrant who worked as a garbage man on Long Island, New York.”

Under John’s leadership, Waste Pro became a growing company, with its revenue expected to reach $900 million in 2022. Waste Pro currently operates in 11 Southeastern states and says it serves more than 2 million customers in that region while employing more than 4,000 people with a fleet of more than 3,000 trucks operating from 80 locations.

John Jennings’ son Sean Jennings followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps. “He grew up in the garbage business and, upon graduating from the University of Alabama, began his career working in collection and landfill disposal in Costa Rica for a year before returning to the United States,” says the company.

Sean continued to work in operations and landfill construction in Georgia and Mississippi before officially joining Waste Pro in 2014 as a division manager in the Tampa/Clearwater, Florida region, and later in Sarasota, Florida. He now serves as president and CEO.

In 2018, the Orlando Business Journal recognized Sean Jennings in its annual “40 Under 40” list.

“I’m proud to be recognized as a strong, family-owned company,” comments Sean Jennings. “We want our team to feel like they are more than just a cog in a machine. We want to recognize and reward our employees who get involved in their communities or practice safe habits – support them in a way that family does.”

The Orlando Business Journal also recognized Waste Pro as the third-largest privately owned company in Central Florida in 2021. That same year, Waste Today listed Waste Pro as the nation’s 12th largest waste hauler.