Progressive Restructures Operations; Hulligan to Retire

Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. has merged its U.S. and Canadian operations, created two operation groups and revamped its senior management structure, which includes the retirement of William Hulligan as president Jan. 1.

The Vaughan, Ontario-based Progressive said in a news release it is aligning the company into two groups: Operations and Strategy, and Business Development.

The Operations group will be responsible for execution, including the sales and delivery of waste, recycling and disposal products and services, improving operational efficiency and ongoing customer care. The group will encompass Progressive’s operating regions in Canada and the U.S. South and Northeast.

The Strategy and Business Development group will work with the Operations group and be responsible for driving the company's long-term growth opportunities, including acquisitions and internal capital investments, with a commitment to improving the company's return on invested capital.

The two groups will be based in Vaughan.

"Progressive Waste Solutions has evolved to the point where we can merge our U.S. and Canadian operations into a single leadership structure that will allow us to better leverage our size and scale to improve our strategic and operational execution," said Joseph Quarin, Progressive vice chairman and CEO.

The company also plans the following personnel changes to reflect the structural moves and its executive succession plan:

·      Tom Brown, senior vice president and CEO, U.S. Operations, will retire Nov. 30. Hulligan, president and chief operating officer, and Quarin will assume responsibility for U.S. operations until January 1;

·      Dan Pio was appointed to the newly created position of executive vice president, Strategy and Business Development, effective immediately. He previously was vice president and chief operating officer, Canada.

·      Kevin Walbridge, vice president, Canadian operations, will assume responsibility for the Canadian region, effective immediately. In January Walbridge's role will expand and he will assume the role of executive vice president and chief operating officer for Progressive’s consolidated U.S. and Canadian operations;

·      Hulligan will retire as president and chief operating officer and become a senior advisor to the company effective January 1;

·      Quarin will become president and CEO effective January 1;

·      Ian Kidson will become executive vice president in addition to continuing his role as chief financial officer Jan. 1.

 "At the same time, we are wishing two members of our team many happy and healthy years ahead - Bill Hulligan and Tom Brown - both of whom played significant leadership roles within our organization and the waste industry, and are now preparing for retirement,” Quarin said. “Their outstanding contributions are appreciated by the entire Progressive Waste Solutions team and our board of directors."