Women of Waste Pro: Linda Madernini

Linda Madernini is the definition of committed – in her 17 years with Waste Pro, she has never called out sick.

“Waste Pro is my life,” she said.

Since she started with the company in 2004, Linda has dipped her toe in a little bit of everything – she’s been office manager, Regional Administrator for multiple regions, has worked in human resources for the Ft. Pierce, FL Division, and has been part of 50 startups and acquisitions across the footprint from Florida to North Carolina to Louisiana. She now manages dispatch for Ft. Pierce.

Linda has known Waste Pro COO Keith Banasiak and CFO Cort Sabina for over a decade. In fact, Sabina hired her at a previous company in 2001.

“He made the garbage industry sound like it was the best job in the world, and I don’t think I could do anything else now,” she said. “It just gets in your blood.”

Being with the company for so long, Linda has seen a lot of change. When she started, Ft. Pierce was only the third division – there are now over 80 operating locations across 11 states.

“It’s totally exploded into this massive company,” she said.

Throughout all that time and growth, Linda has made lifelong friends through Waste Pro. As a widow with adult children who live on their own, Waste Pro has become her family.

“I would never leave, I just love working with everyone here,” she said. “I’ve made friends that I’m sure will be with me for the rest of my life.”

But even more than the friendships, Linda said the best part of her job is watching others grow. One of her favorite things to do is train new hires.

“I’ve been able to bring some people on board, even ones who didn’t think they were going to like the industry, and teach them and watch them become successful,” she said.

The way to success, she has found – and she shares it with anyone who is just beginning their career – is to come to work ready to work hard and soak up everything you can.

Linda also prides herself on being the go-to person for dealing with customer issues.

“I have always been able to take a negative issue with a customer, diffuse it, and turn it into a great experience for them,” she said.

Though Linda loves her life at Waste Pro, that’s not to say the job hasn’t come with its challenges. Aside from the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting labor shortages felt across the industry, Linda said the job can get hectic.

“But we always get through it because we work really well as a group.”

Linda is a proud mother of three, one of whom is currently serving in the United States Air Force, and grandmother of eleven. When she’s not at work, Linda volunteers every Saturday by bringing food to Plant a Seed Ministry in Ft. Pierce. She also loves spending time with her friends going to casinos, the beach, or out to dinner.

“It’s just nice that some of the people I’ve known for so long are still here and we enjoy each other’s company,” she said. “It makes working so much easier when you work with people who you really love.”