NWRA announces 2022 hall of fame inductees

The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA), Arlington, Virginia, has announced its Hall of Fame inductees for the Class of 2022: Willie K. Goode, founder and CEO of Goode Companies, Washington D.C., and WB Waste Solutions LLC, Hyattsville, Maryland; Don Slager, former CEO of Republic Services, Phoenix; and the late Joe Winters, former chairman and CEO of Winters Bros. Waste Systems of Long Island, New York.  

According to a news release from the NWRA, the NWRA’s board of trustees chose the inductees from a list of finalists compiled by the association’s awards committee.  

“This year was especially difficult for the board of trustees and the awards committee with so many distinguished nominations submitted to them,” says Darrell Smith, NWRA president and CEO. “Ultimately, the leadership and contributions exhibited by Willie, Don and Joe were deemed to have reached the iconic status required to be a member of the Hall of Fame. I congratulate the class of 2022 inductees on this prestigious recognition of their lifetime works.”  

Hall of Fame inductees are selected based on scores in various categories, including recognition in the industry as a founder, pioneer, visionary or icon; enduring legacy; and impact of contributions to the industry for a minimum of 25 years. An inductee must also exhibit integrity, respect, courage, mentorship, volunteerism and inclusiveness. Finally, inductees are judged on leadership at an NWRA service provider or supplier and on issues important to NWRA. All inductees must have an active association engagement and service as an ambassador of the industry.  

The 2022 Hall of Fame inductees will be recognized at WasteExpo 2022 during the NWRA Awards Breakfast alongside inductees from the classes of 2020 and 2021.  

Goode started out working in the industry for his uncle at the age of 13. In 1991, he bought his first truck and started Goode Cos. with three trucks. Over the past 30 years, Goode continued acquiring assets in Washington; Richmond, Virginia; Norfolk, Virginia; and West Palm Beach, Florida, markets, eventually merging them into WB Waste Solutions. He says he is passionate about helping small haulers share in the success and also enjoys promoting and providing opportunities for small minority businesses by assisting them when bidding contracts, purchasing equipment and securing loans.  

Slager rose from being a young welder with a part-time job to president and CEO of Republic Services, a Fortune 300 company. He started out in the industry as a driver before working his way up to managing schedules, maintaining fleets and training employees. As CEO, the NWRA says he took Republic Services from being an amalgamation of smaller brands to a nationally recognized and respected brand in the industry with 35,000 employees. Today, the NWRA says it is the second-largest company in the industry in North America by revenue.  

Winters was the chairman and CEO of Winters Bros. Waste Systems. His time in the industry dated back to working for his family’s waste company, E&R Carting, where he did everything from washing trucks to driving routes. In 1998, he cofounded Winters Bros. Waste Systems with his four brothers. Today, Winters Bros. is the largest independent waste services company in the northeastern U.S. Winters died from complications of COVID-19 in 2021.