Lonnie Poole Jr.

Lonnie Poole Jr.
Occupation Founder and former CEO of Waste Industries

Lonnie Poole Jr. is the founder of Waste Industries,[1] the biggest trash and recycling company in the SouthEast United States. He is also known as the biggest contributor all time to North Carolina State University.[2]

In February 2011 Lonnie Poole was listed by Philanthropy.com as number 27 of philanthropic individuals in 2010.[3]

Waste Industries

Lonnie Poole Jr. was a graduate of North Carolina State in 1969. Shortly after graduation, he moved to Ohio to become an engineer, but he longed for his opportunity to move back to Raleigh. The initial idea of Waste Industries stemmed from market research Poole conducted, while concepting a new landfill compactor. The compactor idea failed, but Poole soon discovered his passion and moved back to Raleigh, North Carolina and started Waste Industries.[4]

After a few years, of stagnation, the company grew in the 1970s and quickly expanded past Wake county and the city of Raleigh. By 1980 the company had reached ten million dollars in revenue and soon after, they named their first employee, Jim Perry, as President and Chief Operating Officer.

The company has since grown quickly surpassing revenue of $600 million and is managed by Lonnie's son Ven.

NC State

As Poole grew Waste Industries, he also gave back to the college that helped make him the person he is today. In 2010 he gave a $40 million gift to the school, with $37 million going to the school of business.

Shortly after the donation, NC State renamed the school of business the Poole College of Management. To help celebrate this a wall display now honors the college benefactor.[5]

The NC State Lonnie Poole Golf Course is named after him.

References

  1. ↑ http://mangowebdesign.com, Website design and web development by Mango Web Design. "Waste Industries USA, Inc - North Carolina History Project".
  2. ↑ "Largest Gift to NC State includes $37 Million Endowment, Naming of the Poole College of Management - News at Poole College - NC State University". 17 December 2010.
  3. ↑ "The Philanthropy 50: Americans Who Gave the Most in 2010". 6 February 2011.
  4. ↑ "Our History, Our Future - Waste Industries". wasteindustries.com.
  5. ↑ Poole College installs wall display to honor benefactor Lonnie C. Poole, Jr., NC State University, 3 March 2014
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