Dean Buntrock
Dean Buntrock began his waste industry career in 1956 at Ace Scavenger Service, his family’s business. In 1968, he combined his company to form Waste Management, Inc. (WMI) with annual revenues of $5 million. In 1971, with Buntrock as the Chairman and CEO, WMI went public with revenue at $10 million. By the 1980s, WMI’s revenue was $800 million and by the mid-1990s, revenue was over $10 billion and the company was operating in 21 countries. He was named Outstanding CEO in the Pollution Control Industry by Financial World Magazine and Wall Street Transcript. Buntrock retired in 1997. He is a founder of the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA), serving as its first President in the mid-1960s and remaining its Secretary/Treasurer and Director for nearly 20 years. Buntrock’s community service includes support of the arts on the Boards of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Terra Foundation, education serving as Chairman and a director for 20 years on the Board of St. Olaf College, and the environment through wetlands sponsorship at Ducks Unlimited and as a Director of the National Wildlife Association. Buntrock said, “I love business and found an industry where I couldn’t wait to go to work in the morning. Work is hard so you need to find a career where you can always enjoy your job and make best use of your talents. To be included in the Hall of Fame is very special and gratifying.”